Amendment #404 to H4000

An Act relative to the adjustment of climate roadmap mandates to nonbinding goals

Mr. Lombardo of Billerica moves to amend the bill by adding the following new outside section:-

SECTION XXXX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, including but not limited to Chapter 21N of the General Laws and or Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2021, any statewide or sector-specific greenhouse gas emissions limits, benchmarks, or reduction requirements established therein shall be considered aspirational goals and shall not have the force of law as binding mandates.

SECTION XXA. Section 3(b) of Chapter 21N of the General Laws, as amended by Section 10 of Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2021, is hereby further amended by striking the word “shall” and inserting in place thereof the word “should”.

SECTION XXB. Section 3(b½) of Chapter 21N of the General Laws, as inserted by Section 11 of Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2021, is hereby amended by striking the words “shall promulgate regulations establishing” and inserting in place thereof the words “may adopt policies supporting”.

SECTION XXC. The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs shall revise all relevant public-facing documents, reporting frameworks, and planning documents to reflect that greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets are nonbinding objectives intended to guide state energy and environmental policy.

SECTION XXD. This section shall take effect immediately upon passage.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #404 to H4000

An Act relative to the adjustment of climate roadmap mandates to nonbinding goals