Amendment ID: S2372-23

Amendment 23

Comprehensive energy plan

Mr. Pacheco moves to amend the amendment by inserting the following new sections:-

SECTION __ (a)Not later than January 1, 2017, there shall be appointed a five-member Energy Planning Board (“the Board”).  Two of the members shall be nominated by the Governor, one by the Attorney General, one by the Senate President, and one by the Speaker of the House.  No nominee shall be appointed to the Board unless the Governor, Attorney General, Senate President, and Speaker all agree to each other’s nominees.  The five members shall elect a Chair by unanimous consent.

(b)The Board shall have such staff as is required for them to carry out its functions, and funding to hire such experts as it requires.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2018, and every three years thereafter, the Board shall promulgate a comprehensive energy plan for the Commonwealth (“the Plan”).  In developing the Plan, the Board shall consult with state agencies, including but not limited to the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Public Utilities, and the Department of Energy Resources, with ISO-NE, and with the Commonwealth’s electric and gas utilities as it deems necessary.

SECTION __ The principles that govern the Plan shall include the following:

(a) The Plan should provide for reliable and accessible energy that is as cost-effective as is reasonably achievable.

(b) Energy needs should be met first through conservation and cost-effective energy efficiency and other cost-effective demand-reduction resources.

(c) To the maximum extent feasible, energy needs should be met with cost-effective renewable resources and cogeneration.

(d) The relationship of energy needs for electricity, transportation, and building heating, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas and other air pollution emissions from the transportation and building heating sectors, shall be considered.

(e) The Plan should comply with all U.S. and Massachusetts laws and policies governing energy, including the requirements of the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act.

SECTION __ Upon the adoption of the Plan, all certificates, licenses, permits, authorizations, grants, and other actions and activities by a state agency or authority shall be consistent, to the maximum extent feasible, with the Plan.

SECTION __ (a) There shall be an Energy Plan Advisory Committee to assist in the development of the Plan.  The Energy Plan Advisory Committee shall consist of 11 members, including 1 person representing each of the following: (1) residential consumers, (2) the low-income weatherization and fuel assistance program network, (3) the environmental community, (4) businesses, including large C&I end-users, (5) the manufacturing industry, (6) energy efficiency experts, (7) organized labor, (8) the department of environmental protection, (9) the attorney general, (10) the executive office of housing and economic development, and (11) the department of energy resources. Interested parties shall apply to the department for designation as members. Members shall serve for terms of 5 years and may be reappointed. The commissioner of energy resources shall serve as chair of the council. A member who is a representative of energy efficiency experts shall not have a contractual relationship with an electric or natural gas distribution company doing business in the commonwealth or any affiliate of such company, or any municipal aggregator. There shall be 1 non-voting, ex-officio member from each of the electric and natural gas distribution companies, 1 from each of the approved municipal aggregators, 1 from the heating oil industry and 1 from energy efficiency businesses.

(b)The Energy Plan Advisory Committee shall prepare a report to the Board to be delivered to it every three years, six months prior to the triennial June 1 promulgation date for the Plan.

(c) After receiving the report of the Energy Plan Advisory Committee, the Board shall modify the Plan if appropriate, and shall provide for public notice and comment on the Plan, with no less than five hearings on the Plan across the Commonwealth.  After receiving public comments, the Board shall further modify the Plan if appropriate, shall issue a final Plan, and shall file the final Plan, together with proposed legislation necessary to implement the Plan, if any, with the clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate.