Top Priorities

Increasing Our Renewable Energy:​

We need more clean energy, and one great way to move the clean energy market forward is to have the utilities buy more of it. We support increasing the Renewable Portfolio Standard by 3% each year, driving demand for renewable power and growing our local clean energy industry. We also support a statewide solar target of 25% solar by 2030 and eliminating the solar net metering caps. We believe that municipal light plants should be included in the state’s clean energy goals.

HD2706/SD1846 An act relative to solar power and the green economy - Rep. Mark / Sen. Eldridge

HD2700/SD1876 An Act to Increase the RPS and Ensure Compliance with the GWSA - Rep. Khan / Sen. Pacheco

Providing Access to Solar for All:

Everyone should be able to get their power from the sun, no matter their community and no matter their income level. This legislation ensures fair compensation to low-income solar and to community-shared solar (net metering) for low-moderate income customers, encourages projects that expand access to communities facing barriers, and directs the Department of Energy Resources to address barriers like income, housing type and language in their program design.

HD3396/SD1831 An Act relative to solar power equity in low-income and environmental justice communities Rep. Holmes / Sen. Chang-Diaz

Making Polluters pay through Carbon pricing:

One of the best ways to discourage behavior we don’t want is to put a price on it, and studies have shown that pricing carbon would cut our carbon pollution by up to 10%. This legislation would establish a common-sense fee-and-rebate system of carbon pollution fees charged to fossil fuel importers. The revenues from those fees would go into a dedicated fund, from which each state resident would receive an equal rebate, and employers would get rebates based on their number of employees. 

S.1821 An Act combating climate change – Sen. Mike Barrett

H.1726 An Act to promote green infrastructure, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create jobs - Rep. Benson

Additional Important Bills

Getting Rid of Fossil Fuels:​

We support legislation to ensure the public’s ability to intervene at the DPU and hold local distribution gas contracts to high standards regarding the capacity they are allowed to buy. We also support legislation to ensure that electric and gas consumers can never be forced to subsidize new interstate gas pipelines.

HD3400/SD1847 An act clarifying authority and responsibilities of the department of public utilities - Rep. Kulik / Sen. Eldridge

HD2698/SD1855 An Act protecting ratepayers from gas pipeline expansion costs - Sen. Jehlen / Rep. Gordon

Protecting All Communities:

​ Environmental Justice (EJ) is based on the principle that all people have a right to be protected from environmental pollution and to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful environment. We support codifying environmental justice definitions and protections into law as this law would do, and altering the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act to incorporate environmental justice concerns into its reviews.

HD2913/SD426 An Act relative to environmental justice and toxics reduction in the Commonwealth - Rep. Dubois / Sen. Eldridge

Just Transition at the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant:

We support efforts by legislators on the Cape and South Shore to (a.) require the owner/operators of any existing or future nuclear reactor in the Commonwealth to pay into a post-closure trust fund until decommissioning is complete so these activities will not end up being paid for by Massachusetts taxpayers, (b.) expand the Emergency Planning Zone beyond the current 10 mile radius, and (c.) require licensee to maintain offsite emergency management until removal of all spent fuel from cooling pool.

S1837/H1765 An Act relative to the prompt decommissioning of nuclear power stations - ​Sen. deMacedo - Plymouth

H1131 An Act increasing nuclear power plant protections to a twenty mile radius - Rep. Cantwell – Marshfield

Community Empowerment:

We support this legislation to allow cities and towns to set their own course for their energy future. This bill empowers local communities, through a democratic process, to finance and support projects of the community’s choice.

S1834/H1745 An Act for Community Empowerment – Senator Cyr and Rep. Haddad

A few notes:

This list is not comprehensive! There are other pieces of legislation that we think are great. These are the pieces of legislation we anticipate talking to you about throughout the session and asking you to engage on. If you would like to have your town or city officials support one of these pieces of legislation, consider having them make a call or sign a letter (for materials and guidance, email us at [email protected]). You can also access a downloadable PDF of this information here.