Today (1/23) the Massachusetts State Senate released its much-anticipated comprehensive package to address climate change. Split into three bills, the package includes a price on carbon pollution, a state-wide net zero emissions mandate by 2050, and new requirements for solar in low-income communities, among others.
There is a lot to unpack between the three bills, so we provided an overview of its main provisions, along with some political context around climate policy on Beacon Hill.
Over the coming days, we’ll be updating this article with additional information, including a section by section breakdown of the legislation.
Overview
The legislative package is spread over three bills, which altogether are 55 pages long and consist of 90 sections combined. The three bills are:
Core Provisions: An Act Setting Next Generation Climate Policy (S.2477)
- Statewide net-zero emissions limit for the year 2050: The bill achieves this by requiring the state to hit new near-term limits in 2025, 2030, and every five years after that (until 2050). It also sets sub-limits for specific sectors including transportation, buildings, solid waste, and natural gas distribution, to name a few. Just days before, on Tuesday (1/21) Governor Baker pledged a similar idea during his State of the Commonwealth address.
- Creates an independent watchdog commission on climate policy: Establishes the Massachusetts Climate Policy Commission, a new, independent public watchdog charged with overseeing the state government’s handling of the climate crisis. Each commissioner will be charged with providing a nonpartisan, science-based view of climate change and its impacts, and use this to guide climate policy in Massachusetts.
- Price on carbon pollution: As anticipated, the legislation puts Massachusetts on track to price carbon pollution in every sector of the economy. The legislation takes a page from the 2018 Senate Omnibus bill by creating a carbon price that leaves it to future gubernatorial administrations to decide. They would be free to choose among a variety of market-based carbon reduction mechanisms, including a revenue-neutral carbon fee or regional “cap and trade” (like TCI or RGGI). The new Senate bill does set a time limit for establishing the carbon price based on specific sectors. A carbon price on transportation would need to be set by January 1st, 2022; this could be done through the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI). A carbon price applying to commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings would need to be in place by January 1st, 2025. Finally, a carbon price applying to residential buildings will be required by January 1st, 2030. According to a release by the Senate President, “any mechanism would be implemented so as to minimize the impact on low-income households, disadvantaged communities, and vulnerable manufacturing sectors.” Emissions from the electricity sector are already covered under RGGI.
- Reform of public utility oversight: The legislation would establish a new mission statement to guide the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the state’s primary energy oversight agency. The mission would force the DPU to include climate change impacts in its regulatory considerations for the first time. Specifically, the mission would require the agency to balance five priorities: reliability of supply, affordability, public safety, physical and cyber security, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
- New low-income solar requirements: In what is no doubt a response to one of the failures of the SMART solar program — that it did not adequately serve low-income communities — the bill requires the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to set aside future solar energy allocations for such low-income neighborhoods.
- Empowering communities to adopt climate friendly stretch codes: The bill codifies the right of cities and towns to enact stricter energy stretch codes that limit fossil fuels as the source of heating for new buildings. To do this, the state would promulgate a “net zero” energy code so that localities have the option available if they want to use it. The bill also moves responsibility for the new stretch code’s development from the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) to the DOER, which should create more of a priority around emissions reductions.
- Increases oversight of the MassSave program: Requires the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to better incorporate emissions reduction goals into the three-year plans that state utilities establish with for MassSave. At the same time, the DPU is required to evaluate how much these plans actually contribute to emissions reductions. The legislation also requires MassSave to prioritize programs that yield the most emissions reductions.
Other Provisions: An Act Setting Next Generation Climate Policy (S.2477)
- Reforms the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS), which is responsible for creating the base energy building code, to include two building efficiency experts and an expert in advanced building technology.
- Creates a database to track energy use in large buildings across Massachusetts.
- Allows the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to fund new energy innovation pilots. Also allows MassCEC to include programs that address health effects associated with the distribution and/or consumption of fossil fuels.
- Establishes a permanent statutory authorization for the “MOR-EV” program. The program provides incentives for people who purchase zero emissions vehicles, and expired previously in 2019.
- Gives utilities the power to test technology and pipelines that generate and transport “renewable thermal energy.” Specifically, emissions-free technologies that heat buildings using warmer below ground temperatures.
An Act Relative to Energy Savings Efficiency (S.2478)
- Enacts appliance efficiency standards: As a stand-alone bill An Act Relative to Energy Savings Efficiency (S.2478) updates the state’s appliance standards to improve energy and water efficiency standards for common household and commercial appliances. This helps to conserve energy use broadly, and save consumers and businesses money. Currently, the Trump administration is attempting to rollback federal energy efficiency standards for products such as light bulbs; this bill would effectively counteract that.
An Act to Accelerate the Transition of Cars, Trucks and Buses to Carbon-Free Power (S.2476)
- Compels conversion of MBTA buses to 100% electric: An Act to Accelerate the Transition of Cars, Trucks, and Buses to Carbon Free Power specifically directs the MBTA to limit leases and purchases of busses across its fleet to zero emissions vehicles by 2030. The legislation goes further, requiring the MBTA to have a completely zero emissions fleet by 2040. The goal of this is specifically to reduce transportation-related pollution in urban neighborhoods
- New zero emissions requirement for state vehicles: Requires the state to limit both purchases and leases of state vehicles to only zero emissions vehicles. This starts in 2024 and is contingent on affordable replacements being available.
- Study on local vehicles electrification: Conducts a study focusing on the opportunities to electrify vehicles owned or leased by municipalities, regional school districts, and regional transit authorities. The study would take into consideration costs and possible sources of financial help from state, federal, and regional sources.
The Bill in Context
The Senate bills come as carbon reduction policies are gaining more traction on Beacon Hill, with new support coming from the Governor and legislative leaders.
The Senate
The primary architects of the bills included Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Michael Barrett (D-Lexington), and Senate Ways & Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport). Earlier in the legislative session (2019-2020), President Spilka promised a vote of the full Senate on a comprehensive climate bill before January 31st, 2020. Her promise came after the Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change & Global Warming Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton) publicly admonished Senate leadership for lack of action on climate change and threatened a procedural measure to bring a climate bill to the floor.
Governor’s Climate Priorities
On Tuesday (1/21) during his annual State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Baker doubled down on regional carbon pricing and shocked many with a new net zero pledge. The Governor’s recommendation to move forward with the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional carbon pricing program largely led by the Governor himself, comes as local reporting continues to highlight the growing number of state Governors who are unwilling to publicly commit to joining TCI at this time. At the same time, Governor Baker pledged Massachusetts to a new goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, making the Bay State the third in the country to make such a commitment, with the others being New York and California.
House Climate Priorities
Meanwhile in the House, the Governor’s announcement provides a boost for the 2050 Roadmap bill (H.832). Filed by Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull), the bill centers around a goal of net zero emissions by 2050, while also establishing intermediate emissions targets for 2030 and 2040. The 2050 Roadmap also seeks to develop an “intentional, equitable, and people-centered plan that engages all sectors to reach this reduction,” according to a release by Representative Meschino. First introduced in 2019, the bill has already received near unanimous endorsement by the House Progressive Caucus, and is strongly rumored to have support among House leadership. Speaking to the press after the Governor’s recent State of the Commonwealth address, Speaker DeLeo said he was supportive of trying to achieve net zero emissions and that he hoped to get a bill done this session.
Carbon Pricing
The Governor’s announcement also comes less than a week after more than 200 citizens, local leaders, and advocates filled the statehouse in support of carbon pricing. Supporters met with their legislators, but also packed a public hearing focusing on carbon pricing legislation. The hearing room itself was standing room only for three hours as over 40 people testified in favor of legislation that went beyond what has been proposed by TCI. Supporters included local leaders like Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone and business leaders like Gentle Giant Moving Company’s owner & founder Larry O’Toole.
Environmental Justice
At the same time, bills focusing on solar equity and environmental justice have been making surprising progress in both the House and Senate. Prior to the holidays a House bill (H.4264) and Senate bill (S.453) were released from committee, with each focused on environmental justice (EJ). The changes appear to reflect edits previously urged by justice communities and EJ advocates. The pace in recent months has surprised some advocates, who characterize it as generating good momentum for EJ this session.
Next Steps
The three bills will now be the primary focus of the Senate for the rest of the year. They have already been placed in the “orders of the day” for a vote of the full Senate on Thursday, January 30th. Amendments will be accepted from Senators until close of business (5:00 pm) on Monday January 27th.
Local Reactions
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh: “In Boston, we set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Buildings along with transportation make up nearly 99 percent of Boston’s carbon emissions and I’m proud to join my colleagues at the Legislature in support of this proposal, which puts critical strategies in place to cut emissions across the Commonwealth. Together, we’ll work towards a more sustainable Boston for our residents, and generations to come.”
Jacob Stern, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club: “We applaud the Senate’s leadership and are pleased to see President Spilka making good on her promise to move forward critical climate legislation. Given that climate science tells us we only have until 2030 to substantially reduce our emissions, we hope that this legislation will serve as a catalyst for immediate action. We look forward to reviewing the bill in detail and working with our movement allies to pass these much-needed policies into law.”
Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) President Peter Rothstein: “NECEC commends Senate President Spilka and the Massachusetts Senate for proposing a net zero emissions standard, in alignment with scientific consensus. Swift passage of this legislation will accelerate the clean energy transition in the energy, buildings and transportation sectors, and will cement Massachusetts’ position as a premier place to build a robust clean energy economy.”
Elizabeth Henry, President of the Environmental League of Massachusetts: “We thank the Senate for releasing an energy bill that sets us on a course to more boldly address climate change—the most critical issue of our time. By setting interim GHG reduction targets and echoing the Governor’s call for net zero emissions by 2050, the Senate acknowledges how much work is left to do. In particular, we applaud the Senate for directing DOER to develop a net zero stretch code to address the built environment, and for including provisions that would accelerate electric vehicle use and ability of low income communities to access solar energy.”
Michael Green, Executive Director of Climate XChange: “This legislation will continue to fuel our transition away from a carbon intensive economy, while promoting new job growth and economic opportunities for the Commonwealth. A carbon free economy will benefit all Massachusetts businesses and residents. This legislation will unlock much needed market signals, providing the opportunity for sustainable business growth and innovation, and continuing Massachusetts’s legacy as one of the most vibrant economies in the nation.”
Deborah Donovan, Acadia Center’s Massachusetts Director: “With the bill released today, President Spilka and Senate leadership are setting the Commonwealth on a meaningful pathway to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. The strong interim target of a 50% reduction by 2030 ensures that Massachusetts will make the next decade count. The ambitious provisions of this bill will boost our economy and protect the health of our most vulnerable residents and our planet.”
Rebecca Winterich-Knox of the Mass Climate Action Network: “Communities want and need a Net Zero stretch code in order to meet their local climate goals. Committing to the goal of Net Zero by 2050 is a big step in the right direction, and will let cities and towns take leadership on better buildings.”
Alyssa Rayman-Read, Vice President and Director of CLF Massachusetts: “The Senate Committee’s climate bill will make a real difference for people’s health and our climate. Getting to zero emissions by 2050 is an absolute necessity, and pushing the T to exclusively use electric vehicles will go a long way towards hitting that goal.”
Bill Summary
[Check back for a section by section summary of each of the three bills included in the Senate package]
An Act Setting Next Generation Climate Policy (S.2477)
| Section | Whats the topic? | Summary |
| SECTION 1. | Climate Protection and Green Economy Act – Definitions | Expands the definition of “Market-based compliance mechanism” to include any pricing or compliance measures imposed on sources of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| SECTION 2. | Regulations for reporting and verifying statewide greenhouse gas emissions | Clarifies that DEP is required to monitor and regulate emissions for the purpose of meeting the proposed emissions targets. |
| SECTION 3. | Projected Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels and Adoption of Limits | Directs the secretary of energy and environmental affairs to adopt an increased number of emissions targets, culminating in a target of net-zero emissions by 2050 as the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit; down from the previous 2050 target of 80% below 1990 levels. |
| SECTION 4. | Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sublimits | Directs the secretary of environmental affairs to adopt sector-based statewide greenhouse gas emissions sublimits as part of the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit; subjects such sublimits to the statewide limit in the listed areas; bans any sublimit from exceeding statewide limits for the year; requires designing such limits to allow the commonwealth to reach the 2050 statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit. |
| SECTION 4.1 | Energy Efficiency and Natural Gas Efficiency Investment Plans – Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Goals | Requires the secretary of environmental affairs to set a goal in tons of carbon dioxide equivalents for energy efficiency investment plans developed by electric distribution companies and natural gas efficiency investment plans developed by natural gas companies by February 1 of each third year. |
| SECTION 5. | Adoption of Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Requires the 2030 statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to be at least 50 percent below the 1990 emissions level; requires the 2040 statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to be at least 75 percent below the 1990 emissions level. |
| SECTION 6. | Adoption of Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Technical amendment accounting for the extention of the timeframe for meeting statewide greenhouse gas emission limits, and requiring the 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050 statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to comply with standards for their implementation. |
| SECTION 7. | Adoption of Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Technical amendment changing reference to the enabling legislation for statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits. (Section 3) |
| SECTION 8. | Adoption of Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Technical amendment accounting for the extention of the timeframe for meeting statewide greenhouse gas emission limits, and requiring the 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050 statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to comply with standards for their implementation. |
| SECTION 9. | Adoption of Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Requires the secretary of energy and environmental affairs to file a certificate of compliance with the climate policy commission and the legislature 18 months after an emissions target date is reached, certifying whether or not the emissions targets were successfully met; requires the certificate to contain specific steps to offset emissions if the state fails to meet its emissions targets. |
| SECTION 10.1 | Report of implementation of regulations relative to climate change | Amends the standards by which the secretary of environmental affairs must monitor plans and regulations relative to climate change; requires plans submitted to meet 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045 benchmarks to be consistent with one another, cumulative in their effect and implemented to meet the 2050 limit; details specific areas for review, including sector specific reviews, quantification of emissions reductions, numerical benchmarks, impacts on low and moderate income communities and reduction permanence. |
| SECTION 10.2 | Promulgation of regulations that reduce energy use, increase efficiency and encourage renewable sources of energy | Directs the secretary of environmental affairs to promulgate all regulations necessary to achieve the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sector specific sub-limits; requires the regulations to address equity issues and to protect, and if possible improve, the condition of low-income and moderate-income persons; sets additional goals of employment creation and economic development. |
| SECTION 10.3 | Market-place compliance mechanisms | Directs the secretary of environmental affairs to promulgate regulations establishing market-based compliance mechanisms for the transportation sector, the commercial, industrial and institutional sector and the residential sector; repeals language requiring consultation with the executive office of administration and finance; requires transportation standards to reduce emissions from passenger vehicles and light duty trucks; requires the mechanisms to maximize the ability to meet statewide greenhouse gas emission limits, ensure equity in reaching such limits and identify manufacturing sectors, economic sectors, economic subsectors or individual employers at risk of adverse impacts; authorizes the secretary to promulgate regulations to implement such mechanisms. |
| SECTION 11.1 | Climate Policy Commission 1 | Enacts a new chapter creating the Climate Policy Commission. |
| SECTION 11.2 | Climate Policy Commission 2 | Establishes the Climate Policy Commission and qualifications for membership; establishes the role of executive director and the process for their appointment; defines the executive director’s role and responsibilities. |
| SECTION 11.3 | Climate Policy Commission 3 | Defines the focus and responsibilities of the commission, including the requirement to meet with the gubernatorially appointed advisory council at least annually. |
| SECTION 11.4 | Climate Policy Commission 4 | Requires the commission to hold at least 3 hearings for each certification. |
| SECTION 11.5 | Climate Policy Commission 5 | Establishes a twice-yearly reporting requirement for the commission. |
| SECTION 11.6 | Climate Policy Commission 6 | Grants the commission access to any state documents the commission deems relevant; excludes any documents that are not otherwise public records from being public when stored by the commission. |
| SECTION 11.7 | Climate Policy Commission 7 | Establishes a gubernatorially appointed advisory council to the commission. |
| SECTION 12. | Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund | Allows the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund to fund the research, design, and evaluation of pilot programs designed to promote energy innovation. |
| SECTION 13. | Clean Energy Technology Center | Expands the scope of the Clean Energy Technology Center’s efforts to protect the environment and public health to include protecting against the adverse effects of the use of fossil fuels. |
| SECTION 14. | Department of Public Utilities | Requires the department of public utilities to use its regulatory powers to help meet the proposed emissions targets. |
| SECTION 15. | Funding for energy efficiency programs | Requires calculations used to determine whether electricity efficiency programs are delivered in a cost-effective manner to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 16. | Funding for energy efficiency programs | Requires calculations used to determine whether gas efficiency programs are delivered in a cost-effective manner to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 17. | Funding for energy efficiency programs | Requires calculations used to determine whether electric and gas efficiency programs are delivered in a cost-effective manner to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 18. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires calculations used to determine whether electric and natural gas resource needs can be met through resources that are cost effective or less expensive than preferred supply to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 19. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires calculations used to determine whether energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans provide for energy acquisition in a way that is cost effective or less expensive than preferred supply to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 20. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires calculations used to determine whether energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans provide for energy acquisition in a way that is cost effective or less expensive than preferred supply to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 21. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires assessments of the estimated costs, reliability and magnitude of cost effective or less expensive energy efficiency and demand reduction sources to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions |
| SECTION 22. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans to include an estimate of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions that will result from the plan; requires the data to include a numerical value and be prominently displayed in plan communications and documents. |
| SECTION 23. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Authorizes energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency plans to prioritize projects that provide substantial benefits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions; conditions prioritization on approval of the energy advisory board. |
| SECTION 24. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans to include calculations of the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions when determining whether a program obtains energy savings and other benefits in excess of program costs. |
| SECTION 25. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires approval or rejection of energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans by the department of environmental affairs to account for the social value of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. |
| SECTION 26. | Energy and natural gas efficiency investment plans | Requires energy efficiency investment plans and natural gas efficiency investment plans shall be constructed to meet the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits set by the secretary of environmental affairs; directs the secretary to issue formal certificates of within 15 months of the final year of each plan; requires the certificates to quantifies the degree to which a plan contributed to meeting greenhouse gas emission limits. |
| SECTION 27. | Energy efficiency advisory council | Requires quarterly reports submitted by electric and natural gas distribution companies on implementation of energy and natural gas efficiency plans to quantify how plan activities contribute to meeting any and all statutory and regulatory greenhouse gas emission limits. |
| SECTION 28. | Energy efficiency advisory council | Requires the annual report developed by the energy efficiency advisory council detailing implementation of energy efficiency plans to quantify how plan activities contribute to meeting any and all statutory and regulatory greenhouse gas emission limits. |
| SECTION 29. | Division of Energy Resources | Requires the Division of Energy Resources to develop a municipal opt-in specialized energy stretch code which includes a definition of net-zero building. |
| SECTION 30. | Division of Green Communities | Requires municipalities to adopt the specialized stretch energy code established in the previous section in order to qualify as a Green Community. |
| SECTION 31. | Building Energy Performance | Requires owners of large residential buildings (35,000 sq ft and above) to report energy use data to the department of energy resources; requires the department to publish building specific data online; requires the department to prepare a comprehensive report on the energy performance of buildings in the Commonwealth, publish the report online and file it with the legislature; requires the secretary of energy and environmental affairs to conduct an annual review of improvements (or lack thereof) in building energy performance; authorizes the secretary to recommend actions to improve the performance of a building, including assessments or audits; requires electric companies to inform building-owners of opportunities to improve energy efficiency. |
| SECTION 32. | State board of building regulations and standards | Increases the membership of the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards from 11 to 15 |
| SECTION 33. | State board of building regulations and standards | Adds the commissioner of energy resources or a designee to State Board of Building Regulations and Standards |
| SECTION 34. | State board of building regulations and standards | Increases the number of gubernatorial appointees on the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards from 9 to 12. |
| SECTION 35. | State board of building regulations and standards | Adds expert in commercial building energy efficiency, expert in residential building energy efficiency and expert in advanced building technology as gubernatorial appointees on the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards. |
| SECTION 36. | State board of building regulations and standards | Requires State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to keep minutes of meetings and publish them within 30 days |
| SECTION 37. | State board of building regulations and standards | Provides that commissioner of division of professional licensure consult with commissioner of energy resources in supervising the activities and staff of the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards |
| SECTION 38. | State board of building regulations and standards – duties and powers | Repeals language requiring State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to include additional and more stringent energy-efficiency provisions when integrating the International Energy Conservation Code as part of the state building code. |
| SECTION 39. | State board of building regulations and standards – specialized codes | Requires the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to incorporate the specialized stretch energy code developed and adopted by the department of energy resources into the state building code. |
| SECTION 40. | Amendments to state building code | Requires the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to send any amendments to the state building code to each inspector of buildings and to the secretary of housing and economic development within 45 days of filing with the Secretary of State. |
| SECTION 41. | Sale of Gas and Electricity | Allows the Department of Public Utilities to, when evaluating electric or gas prices, consider the impact of that price on the ability of the Commonwealth to meet its greenhouse emissions targets. |
| SECTION 42. | Sale of Gas and Electricity | Expands the authority of the Department of Public Utilities to review the propriety of contracts for the sale of gas or electricity, allowing for consideration of the contract’s emissions impact. |
| SECTION 43. | Contracts for purchase of gas or electricity | Requires the department of public utilities to take into account the impact on statewide greenhouse gas emissions in setting the price for gas or electricity contracts. |
| SECTION 44. | Annual declining emissions standards – sunset | Repeals language to sunset regulations establishing a desired level of declining annual aggregate emission limits for sources of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| SECTION 45. | Low income solar generation program outreach | Requires department of energy resources to allocate a portion of any solar incentive program to solar generation that primarily serves low-income persons and to conduct an outreach program to educate low and moderate-income residents about solar energy. |
| SECTION 46. | Utility scale renewable thermal energy pilot programs | Allows the department of public utilitities to authorize one or more pilot projects to develop utility-scale renewable thermal energy. |
| SECTION 47. | Specialized stretch environmental code – public hearings | Requires the department of energy resources to hold at least 3 public hearings, with at least 1 in an underserved community or community with a high percentage of low income households, in developing the specialized stretch energy code. (Section 29) |
| SECTION 48. | Date due – initial sector-based statewide greenhouse gas emission sublimits | Requires secretary of energy and environmental affairs to set the first annual sector-based statewide greenhouse gas emissions sublimits by February 1, 2021. |
| SECTION 49. | Date due – statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2025 and 2030 | Requires the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits for 2025 and 2030, and the reduction plan for 2030, to be published and adopted by January 1, 2022. |
| SECTION 50. | Date due – statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2035 | Requires the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2035 to be published and adopted by January 1, 2028. |
| SECTION 51. | Date due – statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2040 | Requires the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2040 to be published and adopted by January 1, 2033. |
| SECTION 52. | Date due – statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2045 | Requires the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, sublimits and reduction plan for 2045 to be published and adopted by January 1, 2038. |
| SECTION 53. | Date due – statewide greenhouse sublimits and reduction plan for 2050 | Requires the statewide greenhouse gas emissions sublimits and reduction plan to meet the 2050 greenhouse gas emission limits and sublimits to be published and adopted by January 1, 2023; allows the revision of the sublimits and plan in accordance with sublimits and plans adopted and published 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045. |
| SECTION 54. | Date due – regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the transportation sector | Requires promulgation and implantation of regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the transportation sector by January 1, 2022. |
| SECTION 55. | Date due – regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors | Requires promulgation and implantation of regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors by January 1, 2025. |
| SECTION 56. | Date due – regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the residential building sector | Requires promulgation and implantation of regulations related to market-based compliance mechanisms for the residential building sector by January 1, 2030. |
| SECTION 57. | Date due – energy use benchmarking tool | Requires the Department of Energy Resources to, by June 30, 2021, have ready an energy use benchmarking tool required for the residential building energy performance program established by this act. |
| SECTION 58. | Date due – energy use data reporting | Establishes January 1, 2022 as the first year of energy use data reporting submitted by large residential buildings (35,000 sq ft and above). (Section 31) |
| SECTION 59. | Climate change policy commission members | Regulates the initial appointment of members of the climate change policy commission: requires 3 members of the climate policy commission to be appointed for terms of 1 year, 3 members to be appointed for terms of 3 years and 3 members to be appointed for terms of 5 years, with the length of each term to be determined by the elected chair. |
| SECTION 60. | Effective Date – Stretch Energy Code | Sets an effective date of January 1, 2028 for a provision requiring municipalities to adopt the stretch energy code in order to be designated Green Communities. |
| SECTION 61. | Review of contracts for sale of gas or electricity – effective date | Limits reviews of the propriety of contracts for the sale of gas or electricity to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this act. (Section 42) |
[Summary originally compiled by InstaTrac. Learn how InstaTrac can help you add context and clarity to the legislative process at InstaTrac.com]
