Amendment ID: S2829-68-R1

Redraft Amendment 68

Supporting Small Clean Energy Infrastructure

Mr. Cronin moves that the proposed new draft be amended in section 21, in proposed section 22 of chapter 25A of the General Laws, by striking out the definition of “Small clean transmission and distribution infrastructure facility” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:- 

““Small clean transmission and distribution infrastructure facility”, electric transmission and distribution infrastructure and related ancillary infrastructure including: (i) electric transmission line reconductoring or rebuilding projects; (ii) new or substantially altered electric transmission lines located in an existing transmission corridor that are not more than 10 miles long, including any ancillary structure that is an integral part of the operation of the transmission line; (iii) new or substantially altered electric transmission lines located in a new transmission corridor that are not more than 1 mile long, including any ancillary structure that is an integral part of the operation of the transmission line; (iv) any other new electric transmission infrastructure, including standalone transmission substations and upgrades and any ancillary structure that is an integral part of the operation of the transmission line, that does not require zoning exemptions; and (v) electric distribution-level projects that meet a certain threshold, as determined by the department; provided, however, that the “small clean transmission and distribution infrastructure facility” shall be: (A) designed, fully or in part, to directly interconnect or otherwise facilitate the interconnection of clean energy infrastructure to the electric grid; (B) designed to ensure electric grid reliability and stability; or (C) designed to help facilitate the electrification of the building and transportation sectors; provided further, that a “small clean transmission and distribution infrastructure facility” shall not include new transmission and distribution infrastructure facilities that solely interconnect new or existing generation powered by fossil fuels to the electric grid on or after January 1, 2026.”; and

in said section 21, by inserting after the word “substantially”, in line 469, the following words:- “and specifically”; and

in section 49, by striking out the proposed definition of “Consolidated permit” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-

““Consolidated permit”, a permit issued by the board to a large clean energy infrastructure facility or a small clean energy infrastructure facility that includes all municipal, regional and state permits that the large or small clean energy infrastructure facility would otherwise need to obtain individually, with the exception of certain federal permits that are delegated to specific state agencies, as determined by the board.”; and

in section 54, by striking out, in lines 815 to 817, inclusive, the words “infrastructure that does not meet the definition of small clean energy infrastructure facilities or large clean energy infrastructure facilities to the electric grid” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “energy generation powered by fossil fuels”; and

in section 57, by inserting after the figure “21N”, in line 871, the following words:- “ or will facilitate the electrification of the building and transportation sectors”.