The Massachusetts state legislature voted on Sunday to require the Commonwealth to procure 1,600 MW of offshore wind energy by 2027– the largest offshore wind commitment of any state in the nation. The bill also creates a decommissioning panel for the Pilgrim nuclear power plant, promotes energy storage, authorizes commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing and requires utilities to fix gas leaks that cause the most environmental harm.
The final legislation omitted provisions that had been included in the Senate version of the bill, including an increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard, a prohibition on a pipeline tax, home energy assessments, and incentives for electric vehicle adoption.
In response, Emily Norton, Massachusetts Chapter Director for the Sierra Club, issued the following response:
“Massachusetts lawmakers should be praised for supporting the establishment of the first offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth and for forcing utilities to fix methane leaks that are warming our planet, killing trees, jeopardizing safety and wasting consumer dollars.
However the bill does not go far enough in terms of transitioning us to a clean energy economy and a transportation sector powered by clean electricity rather than petroleum. It is also very disappointing that in spite of a unanimous Senate vote to prohibit a pipeline tax, to see that language missing from the final version. We look forward to making further gains toward climate justice in the next legislative session.”
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