SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1710        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2167

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Marc R. Pacheco

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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 for a clean energy Commonwealth by 2035.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1710        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2167

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2228 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act for a clean energy Commonwealth by 2035.

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. (a) It shall be the goal of the commonwealth to meet 100 per cent of Massachusetts’ energy needs with renewable energy by 2035, including the energy consumed for electricity, heating and cooling, transportation, agricultural uses, industrial uses, and all other uses by all residents, institutions, businesses, state and municipal agencies, and other entities operating within its borders.

(b) It shall be the goal of the commonwealth to obtain 100 per cent of the electricity consumed by all residents, institutions, businesses, state and municipal agencies, and other entities operating within its borders from renewable energy sources by 2035.

(c) In meeting these goals, the commonwealth and its agencies shall prioritize (1) models for local and community ownership of renewable energy generation, (2) sources of renewable energy that are located in Massachusetts or elsewhere in New England, (3) sources of renewable energy that represent additional renewable generation capacity added to the grid, (4) non emitting sources of renewable energy, (5) reducing energy consumption through efficiency measures to the greatest extent practicable. In all of its plans to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the commonwealth and its agencies shall prioritize bringing direct health and financial benefits to environmental justice communities.

SECTION 2. (a) In order to integrate the goal of 100 per cent renewable energy throughout state government operations, the secretary shall establish an administrative council for the clean energy transition not later than 90 days from the passage of this act.

(b) The council shall be chaired by the secretary or the secretary’s designee; and shall include a representative from the department of environmental protection, the department of energy resources, the department of public utilities, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the office of the governor, and the executive offices of administration and finance, education, health and human services, housing and economic development, labor and workforce development, public safety and security, and transportation and public works. The council shall also include a representative designated by the attorney general, the treasurer and receiver general, the secretary of the commonwealth, the state auditor, and the President of the University of Massachusetts. The council shall also include a member designated by the secretary of education to represent the community college system and a member designated by the secretary of education to represent the the state university system. The governor may appoint additional representatives from state agencies or quasi-public agencies to the council.

(c) The council shall identify all existing laws, regulations, and programs of the Commonwealth with an impact on energy production and consumption, and evaluate them based on (1) their potential to accelerate or hinder the state’s transition to 100 per cent renewable energy and (2) their ability to maximize the environmental and economic benefits of the transition for Massachusetts residents and businesses, particularly but not exclusively for environmental justice communities and communities that have been impacted by energy-related pollution.

(d) Each executive department and quasi-public agency shall conduct a review of the laws, regulations, and programs in its jurisdiction, and submit a report to the council describing how these laws, regulations, and programs can be modified in order to accelerate the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. Each executive department and quasi-public agency shall further consider how modifying its programs to accelerate the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy can help achieve the department or agency’s other objectives.

(e) The secretary shall publish the council’s findings under subsections (c) and (d) of this   section within 6 months of the formation of the council. The secretary and the council shall review and update these findings every 3 years from the date of initial publication.

(f) Within one year from the passage of this act, the council shall determine a date by which the operations of state government will be powered with 100 percent renewable energy, provided that the date is not later than January 1, 2035. Within eighteen months of the passage of this act, each executive department and quasi-public agency shall present a plan to achieve this goal for the facilities and activities in its jurisdiction. Each executive department and quasi public agency shall report on its progress to the council and update its plan annually.

(g) The council shall meet at least once per quarter to review progress in modifying laws, regulations, and programs to accelerate the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. These meetings shall be open to members of the public and shall provide opportunities for public comment. At least one of these meetings shall be held in an environmental justice community each year.