Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM)

? BREAKING ? The Massachusetts Legislature just passed two major pieces of climate legislation: an expansive omnibus climate bill and climatetech investments in the Economic Development Bill! After a disappointing end to the legislative session in July, the House and Senate heard our call for climate action, found common ground, and moved us closer to reach our climate goals. The omnibus climate bill will expedite our Commonwealth’s clean energy transition through: ? Building a responsibly-sited grid ? Deploying renewable energy ? Expanding electric vehicle charging access ? Improving community engagement and; ? Increasing energy storage supply “This legislation unlocks enormous potential to rapidly and responsibly build the modern, reliable electric grid we need to meet our climate goals. We cannot meet our emissions reduction targets with a slow, unresponsive, and inequitable energy siting system. The omnibus climate bill provides our state, communities, and developers with tools to deploy new renewable resources, shift buildings and transportation to clean power, and plan for a net-zero future” – ELM’s Legislative Director, David Melly. The legislature also took major strides to integrate climate priorities into the state’s economic development strategy. The 2024 Economic Development Bill, also known as Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s Mass Leads Act, includes transformative climatetech provisions over a ten-year period. This crucial funding will expand our workforce, drive Massachusetts’ competitive growth, and catalyze the development of green technology. ELM thanks the legislature for their continued commitment to climate action. With federal climate action unlikely in the coming years, the country and the world are looking to Massachusetts and other states for climate leadership. Together, we will ensure our Commonwealth continues to rise to this challenge. Read our full statement: https://lnkd.in/eJbWsTex - - - #MAClimateBill #MAPoli #ClimateBill #CleanEnergy #ClimateAction #ClimateTech

ELM and the ELM Action Fund are proud to share our 2024 Annual Report! ?? This past year, we advocated for transformative climate legislation, drove regional leadership, and helped elect thirty climate champions across our Commonwealth. Thank you for your support - it is what drives this progress. View our digital Annual Report here ?? https://lnkd.in/eqzBTMAf

If we’re going to fight climate change, we need to speed up how clean energy facilities come online – solar farms, battery storage facilities, transmission lines, electrical substations...you name it. And as we build all this, we need processes that account for the fact that building clean energy is different from building fossil fuels, but even clean energy could contribute to cumulative impacts in communities.? Thankfully the 2024 climate bill that Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed last week kicks this into action. It takes one piece of?the clean energy permitting process from complicated and confusing to a consolidated affair. State permits, which have taken years to issue in the past, will now move through a system in which they issue or get denied within 15 months of application (12 months for small projects). ? At least that’s how it SHOULD work – the rules under which permits will be evaluated and how to balance different interests are still TBD during upcoming regulatory processes. We can only stick the landing if stakeholders are well-informed, their feedback is incorporated, and if the agencies charged with creating and implementing these regulations are appropriately funded and staffed.? Under the new law, large projects (above 25 MW of generation or 100 MWh of energy storage – think 200 football fields of solar) will apply for consolidated permits at the Energy Facility Siting Board.?Municipalities will control consolidated permits for anything smaller but must follow the requirements created by the new Division of Clean Energy Siting and Permitting within DOER. These statewide requirements will create consistency across the state but still allow for municipal discretion. They will also create a standardized permit to issue if the municipality takes longer than a year to act.? As Miriam Wasser highlighted in her terrific summary (below) the bill also formalized a new state agency: the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (OEJ). OEJ will help individuals, community groups and municipalities navigate the siting and permitting process and issue the Cumulative Impact Analysis framework for evaluating a project in context with the historical burdens a community has faced – and how that impact can be mitigated. The OEJ will also work to develop guidelines for using community benefit agreements – a tool to lessen burdens on communities that host the infrastructure. ?Finally, the bill provides $3.5M for an intervenor support fund, helping public and private groups pay for attorneys/experts that will enable them to participate in siting board hearings.? Siting and permitting may not sound like the “coolest” climate topic, or even one related to climate work at all. But it’s a key to unlocking how we electrify our homes, businesses and transportation. Each new project sited under this new process is a major step toward ending our reliance on fossil fuels and creating healthier, thriving communities.

For decades, the siting and permitting process has been a major barrier to the clean energy transition. The 2024 Climate Bill completely modernizes the siting and permitting process and ensures that communities are heard every step of the way. ? ? This new infrastructure is going to strengthen the reliability of our grid, improve public health, grow our economy, and help us transition off polluting fossil fuels?

On Wednesday, Governor Healey put pen to paper and signed the Mass Leads Act into law! This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Commonwealth’s clean energy transformation, and the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goal to position Massachusetts as the climate innovation lab for the world.? The Mass Leads Act unlocks up to hundreds of millions of dollars for MassCEC to administer over ten years and includes key priorities:? ?? Establishes the new “climatetech” definition within state law and expands MassCEC’s scope to climatetech, including emissions reduction, adaptation, and resilience technologies. ?? Bond funding to support climatetech companies as they innovate, manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technologies.? ?? Bond funding to support offshore wind economic development, expanding the Commonwealth’s lead and innovation in this critical sector. ?? Funding for a new tax incentive program to help attract, retain, and grow climatetech companies in Massachusetts.? ?? Fixes to the existing offshore wind tax credit program that will make the program more accessible to offshore wind companies. The Mass Leads Act is an investment in human ingenuity and is founded on the belief that powerful change is possible when we take meaningful action. I consider this law to be the Commonwealth’s message to the world — that Massachusetts believes in the potential of innovation to solve our toughest challenges. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the visionary leadership of Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, Secretary Yvonne Hao, Secretary Rebecca L Tepper, and Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. Many thanks to the advocacy of our ecosystem partners from Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, ACT | The Alliance for Climate Transition, Activate Boston, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 103 (IBEW 103), and Climate Jobs Massachusetts.?? A huge thanks to Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, Chair Aaron Michlewitz, Chair Michael Rodrigues, Chair Jerry Parisella, and Chair Barry Finegold for ensuring this important bill included priorities for MassCEC, climate-critical workers, and growing companies. And, as always, thanks to the AMAZING team at MassCEC. With the Mass Leads Act now law, we are well positioned to reach our goal of making Massachusetts?the global hub for climatetech innovation! Read more from the Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey ??

I’m pleased to share the news that Tufts University has joined the Consortium for Climate Solutions, a first-of-its-kind renewable energy aggregation investing in 408 MW of new renewable energy generation and reducing the carbon emissions of 11 Boston-area institutions.? Through the collective renewable energy purchase, Tufts reduced energy-related emissions on its Boston health sciences campus by 40%. Together, the consortium helps the City of Boston make substantial progress toward its carbon reduction goals.? Tufts’ participation in this initiative aligns with our legacy of climate leadership and puts our community’s shared commitment to a more sustainable future into practice.?Congrats to our collaborators: Harvard University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mass General Brigham?City of Cambridge?Beth Israel Lahey Health?Boston Children's Hospital?Dana-Farber Cancer Institute?GBH?Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 3Degrees Group, Inc.?Apex Clean Energy?PowerOptions, Inc. Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) AASHE Second Nature

MA's businesses and institutions are collaborating on ambitious and innovative climate solutions. It's great to see #ELMCorporateCouncil members Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, and Boston Children's Hospital uniting with other renewable energy buyers through the Consortium for Climate Solutions. They are demonstrating that working together can accelerate the pace of decarbonization, lower costs, and spur growth. Their innovative approach will serve as a model for others to follow.?

You wouldn’t try to search the internet on a rotary phone, so why are we trying to electrify buildings with decades old gas policy? Around the turn of the century, putting in more natural gas seemed like a reasonable move for climate, because it releases fewer GHGs than burning oil. But natural gas is making us and our planet sick – yet our regulatory system still encourages gas companies to sell more and more gas. Thankfully, MA’s new climate law starts to fix some of these problems. Over the summer, I highlighted the potential for the climate bill to reform the Gas System Enhancement Plan policy to stop burying our money under the street. (https://bit.ly/4hTr2oZ). ?That bill just got signed by Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. There are tons of opportunities ahead to reduce emissions and save us some cash. At Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), we’re all about creating solutions to the real challenges affecting you. So, here’s some problems with the way gas companies are regulated - and how the bill fixes them. Problem: Gas Companies can only sell... gas.? Solution: Although geothermal pilot projects show that gas companies can use their expertise and labor force to provide emissions-free heat, companies aren’t allowed to use them in the normal course of business. The climate bill fixes this – it allows companies to sell or distribute utility-scale non-emitting thermal energy, meaning the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (the agency that regulates gas companies) can consider lower emissions, and thus lower costs, when evaluating how gas companies spend your money. Problem:?Gas Companies can’t say No.? Solution: Until now, gas companies had an implicit “obligation to serve.” If a customer was willing to pay for extension costs, they had to be allowed access to gas. Now, DPU can consider climate in evaluating such requests. This means that, if DPU believes the petitioner can secure adequate substitutes for heating and appliance services for , it can say no. Problem: the DPU can’t say no, either.? Solution: Since 2022, DPU’s mandate requires it to prioritize emissions reductions to achieve state goals. But other laws sharply limited the reasons -why- DPU could deny gas service expansion, deeming broad gas access to be in the public interest. Now, DPU can deny requests to expand service based on considerations of climate change, stranding of assets and the likelihood of costs being borne by ratepayers. In other words, the DPU can determine whether adding more natural gas is actually in the public interest. ? The omnibus Climate Bill was one of ELM’s top priorities this year. We are excited about what this means for our clean energy transition – and I'm not done talking about it! I’ll be posting updates here in the coming weeks, covering ways the bill will help our environment, our economy, and -you-. I encourage you all to stay tuned.?

Massachusetts has taken a major step towards a #NetZero future! Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey officially signed the 2024 omnibus Climate Bill into law, which will expedite our clean energy transition by reforming our siting and permitting process, and expanding access to clean power. ELM thanks the Legislature and the Governor for their work. Learn more about the 2024 omnibus Climate Bill (and the 2024 Economic Development Bond Bill) ?? https://lnkd.in/eJbWsTex - - - #mapoli #CleanEnergy #Climate #ClimateBill #MAClimateBill #OffshoreWind #CleanEnergyGrid #CleanPower

Today, the Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the transformative climatetech initiatives found in the 2024 Economic Development Bond - the Mass Leads Act - into law after it reached her desk with overwhelming support from the Massachusetts Legislature. Now, you might be asking yourself - why does Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) care about the economic development (EcDev) bond? Was it just for the trendy “Team Massachusetts” bracelets? Yes...but this is a massive win for our economy – AND a massive win for climate. Why? Simply put, climatetech is our future. It's our responsibility to build a bright future for climatetech in MA. Other states see the economic benefit that climatetech brings, and they are already wooing away start-ups that call the Bay State home. This bill, initially filed by the Governor, sees our state’s potential as THE leader - and helps us cement our spot as the best state in the nation to start, staff, and scale these technologies. Climatetech is a burgeoning industry, providing family-sustaining jobs for MA residents with all sorts of interests. As of today, 3% of MA’s workforce is employed in the clean energy sector, and it’s estimated that we’ll need over 38,000 more jobs by 2030 as we transition to a net zero economy. The EcDev bill provides authorizations for crucial programs that will train the next generation to occupy this sector, as well as tax incentives for companies creating the next big climate disruptor. One of the biggest wins? The authorizations for Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to support the offshore wind industry through capital investments like port infrastructure and expansion of the Wind Technology Testing Center – which will support creating new jobs and generating clean energy. We want a future that's bright for our environment AND our people, and climatetech is our most helpful tool in making that happen. This bill is a testament to the idea that solving the climate crisis will continue to require new, modern, and technologically-savvy solutions. After all, our Net-Zero Roadmap Law always budgeted for technological improvements to reach net-zero – and if we can reduce emissions faster and cheaper, it’s a win all around. ?We at ELM thank the Legislature, particularly the Conferees for their support, and Governor Healey and Secretary Yvonne Hao for their work on this bill. Massachusetts is the nation's heart for innovation - we rightfully brag about being the undisputed leader in biotech. Next up, let's show the world what we can solve with climatetech.?