SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2174        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2019

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James T. Welch

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act providing for equitable access to solar energy for property owners in urban areas within Massachusetts.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2174        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2019

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act providing for equitable access to solar energy for property owners in urban areas within Massachusetts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there is hereby established of a Area Network Program, to be overseen by the Department of Energy Resources in coordination with interested community development corporations and other non-profit organizations interested in solar energy issues and working in effected areas. The Department of Energy Resources shall be directed to solicit interest from community development corporations and other non-profit organizations interested in solar energy issues and working in effected areas around the commonwealth within 60 days of adoption of this legislation, and cause a committee composed of staff members and representatives of such organizations to convene within 90 days of this legislation being adopted. The committee shall be directed to contract with engineers and system designers licensed in Massachusetts to investigate the technical issues restricting safe implementation of solar power within the areas served by “Area Networks.” The committee working with capable system designers and engineers shall develop at least three strategies of developing photovoltaic solar power within areas effected by “Area networks” at least one which shall involve use of property owners associations and locally-stored electrical power and implement test models of each strategy within a community in Massachusetts.