Massachusetts House Attempts Major Step Backward on Climate

When Governor Healey is asked about climate progress, she says that Massachusetts "will not sit back, we will lead." Her administration claimed that they would "protect our residents and uphold our commitment to future generations." However, last Wednesday the Massachusetts House members of the Joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee voted 7 to 0 (with 4 members refusing to vote) on a climate rollback bill championed by Braintree Representative Mark Cusack. Cusack's pitch for the bill is that it would set up an “affordability and competitive standard” for state energy decisions and cut the budget of Mass Save.  

Environmental advocates are decrying the bill as a step backwards on climate laws. As written in the Commonwealth Beacon, the bill "is essentially a fossil fuel industry wish list. It rolls back the Commonwealth’s enforceable 2030 climate targets, weakens the Mass Save energy efficiency program, eliminates efforts designed to make energy efficiency more affordable for working families, and even resurrects the disastrous “pipeline tax” that would allow utilities to charge residents for unnecessary gas infrastructure. In short, it hands fossil fuel companies a gift while leaving Massachusetts households to foot the bill."

Perhaps most upsetting, Section 3 of the bill would remove Massport's recently established requirement to consider greenhouse gas emissions, the first edit to the Massport charter that climate and environmental advocates have achieved since its founding in 1956. This section of the bill would specifically prohibit any action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if that action would have "adverse effects on the affordability of energy, or the operating costs and competitiveness of Massachusetts businesses." This section would very clearly let Massport off the hook for considering greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the proposed private jet hangar expansion at Hanscom Field, and the ongoing environmental injustices in the neighborhoods around Logan Airport. Massport isn't the only agency that would be freed up to disregard sustainability for capitalism; this section applies to all Massachusetts state agencies, departments, authorities, and instrumentalities.“ The bill is retreating from a couple of decades of climate progress in Massachusetts,” says Larry Chretien, executive director of the nonprofit Green Energy Consumers Alliance.

Already on the campaign trail, GOP candidate for MA Governor Mike Kennealy supports this bill and is "calling for a review of all state climate programs and spending." If Governor Healey wants to make a big impression to keep her seat, it would behoove her to set herself apart by opposing a bill that rolls back climate progress.

By weakening the Mass Save energy efficiency program and removing financial support for working class families to pursue sustainability, this bill puts additional strain on Massachusetts residents. “In a time where every Massachusetts resident is worried about their energy bills, this proposal is nothing short of betrayal,” said Caitlin Peale Sloan, CLF Vice President for Massachusetts. “Rolling back the state’s commitments to affordable, clean energy is a gift to polluters and a slap in the face to every resident who deserves better. This retreat abandons progress and caves to short-term politics. It sends a dangerous message that our leaders lack the courage to stand by their promises.”

What happens next?

Now that the bill has been approved by the Joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee of the House, it passes onto Ways and Means Committee of the House to be voted on this week. If it's approved, it will likely pass to the full floor of the House within the next week or two. The next step would be a vote from the Senate. Then if it's approved by the Senate, it will reach Governor Healey's desk as the final step before it becomes law. Based on the timeline of last year's climate bill, we may only have a few months to stop it. The late-in-the-year timing plays to the fossil fuel lobbyists' advantage; they hope dissenters will be distracted by the holidays, sleepy from early nightfall and social commitments.

Clearly, the Massachusetts government is feeling pressured to bend to the national movement against sustainability and climate justice. This is unacceptable, and we will not sit quietly and watch the progress of generations of climate activists be eliminated by the cowardly acts of legislators.

This is not the time for petitions or letters; this is the time for action. Talk to your XR Boston Affinity Group about the steps you can take together to resist this bill, and if you haven't joined an Affinity Group yet, email outreach@xrboston.org to get connected. Time is short, but we are strong when we stand together.