Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3171 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2583 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3171
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Natalie M. Higgins and Michael P. Kushmerek
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing the gateway cities renewable, efficient, and electrified neighborhoods
13	13	initiative.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester1/19/2023Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester1/19/2023Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex1/31/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/23/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/12/2023 1 of 6
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2583 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3171
19	19	By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Kushmerek of Fitchburg, a petition (accompanied
20	20	by bill, House, No. 3171) of Natalie M. Higgins, Michael P. Kushmerek and others relative to
21	21	establishing the gateway cities renewable, efficient, and electrified neighborhoods initiative.
22	22	Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act establishing the gateway cities renewable, efficient, and electrified neighborhoods
29	29	initiative.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 Chapter 25A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
33	33	2 Section 18. GREEN Act.
34	34	3 (a) As used in this section the following words shall have the following meanings unless
35	35	4the context clearly requires otherwise:-
36	36	5 “Clean cooking technology,” a non-combustion technology used to prepare food without
37	37	6emitting greenhouse gasses or other harmful pollutants in normal operation, such as induction or
38	38	7radiant electric stoves.
39	39	8 “Clean heating technology,” a non-combustion technology used to provide space heating
40	40	9and cooling or water heating and cooling without emitting greenhouse gasses or other harmful 2 of 6
41	41	10pollutants in normal operation, such as air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, and
42	42	11solar hot water systems.
43	43	12 “Department,” the department of energy resources.
44	44	13 “Gateway municipality,” as defined in section 3A of chapter 23A.
45	45	14 “Highly energy efficient,” using efficient appliances and lighting and plumbing fixtures,
46	46	15with a building envelope that meets passive house standards or as close to passive house
47	47	16standards as practicable given the constraints of the building.
48	48	17 “Initiative,” the Gateway Cities Renewable, Efficient, and Electrified Neighborhoods
49	49	18Initiative, known as the GREEN Initiative.
50	50	19 “Low income,” earning below 50 per cent of area median income.
51	51	20 “Moderate income,” earning between 50 to 80 per cent of area median income.
52	52	21 “Passive house standards,” standards for the construction of highly energy efficient
53	53	22buildings, including but not limited to: (a) continuous insulation throughout the entire building
54	54	23envelope without any thermal bridging; (b) an extremely airtight building envelope, preventing
55	55	24infiltration of outside air and loss of conditioned air; (c) high-performance windows and doors
56	56	25that exploit the sun's energy for heating purposes in the heating season and minimize overheating
57	57	26during the cooling season; (d) balanced heat- and moisture-recovery ventilation; and (e) a
58	58	27minimal space conditioning system.
59	59	28 “Qualifying municipality,” a gateway municipality or smaller qualifying municipality.
60	60	29 “Renewable electricity,” electricity produced by a renewable energy generating source. 3 of 6
61	61	30 “Renewable energy generating source,” as defined in section 11F of chapter 25A.
62	62	31 “Smaller qualifying municipality,” a municipality that meets all of the criteria to be a
63	63	32gateway municipality except that its population is 35,000 or less.
64	64	33 “Tenant-owner weatherization agreements” enforceable agreements between residential
65	65	34tenants and a building owner clearly stating that, for a reasonable period of time after a retrofit
66	66	35has been completed, the tenants (including households paying for their energy through their rent)
67	67	36will not be subjected to rent increases unless those increases are demonstrably related to matters
68	68	37other than the weatherization work performed.
69	69	38 (b) There shall be a Gateway Cities Renewable, Efficient, and Electrified Neighborhoods
70	70	39Initiative, known as the GREEN Initiative, within the department. The department may contract
71	71	40with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to administer all or part of the GREEN Initiative.
72	72	41The purpose of the GREEN Initiative is to retrofit existing low income and moderate income
73	73	42housing in qualifying municipalities to be highly energy efficient, use only clean heating
74	74	43technologies and clean cooking technologies, and where possible be powered by electricity from
75	75	44on-site renewable energy generating sources. The initiative shall collect data and identify best
76	76	45practices for retrofitting Massachusetts’ existing low income and moderate income housing
77	77	46stock.
78	78	47 (c) There shall be established a GREEN Initiative Account within the department. Each
79	79	48year, electric and gas distribution companies and municipal aggregators with certified clean
80	80	49energy plans shall transfer a sum of money into the GREEN Initiative Account sufficient to
81	81	50administer the initiative, collect and analyze data, and provide incentives, rebates, or other
82	82	51financial assistance necessary to complete the retrofits beyond the financial assistance already 4 of 6
83	83	52available from ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs or other utility, state or federal
84	84	53programs; provided, that the sum of money transferred to the department in any year shall not
85	85	54exceed $30 million. The department of public utilities may adjust the charges assessed to electric
86	86	55and gas utility customers under sections 19 and 21 of chapter 25 to ensure that there are
87	87	56sufficient resources to meet the objectives of the energy efficiency investment plan and natural
88	88	57gas efficiency investment plan. The department may accept funds into the GREEN Initiative
89	89	58Account from other sources, including grants from foundations, individual donors, and state and
90	90	59federal agencies, without annual limits.
91	91	60 (d) Municipal governments, nonprofit organizations, or other entities, known as sponsor
92	92	61organizations, shall apply to the department to carry out a project in one or more qualifying
93	93	62municipalities. Each project shall retrofit low income or moderate income housing units, in one
94	94	63or more buildings, to be highly energy efficient, use only clean heating technologies and clean
95	95	64cooking technologies, and where possible be powered by electricity from on-site renewable
96	96	65energy generating sources. If a residential building includes commercial space, the project may
97	97	66also retrofit the commercial space within the building. Each project may include housing owned
98	98	67by a municipality or other government entity, subsidized affordable housing owned by a
99	99	68nonprofit or for-profit corporation, or non-subsidized housing that is typically occupied by low
100	100	69income or moderate income individuals.
101	101	70 (e) In administering this program, the department shall prioritize retrofits of buildings
102	102	71with 6 or fewer housing units, including buildings occupied by owners and buildings occupied
103	103	72by tenants. 5 of 6
104	104	73 (f) The department shall assist sponsor organizations in assessing technology options and
105	105	74identifying qualified contractors to carry out the retrofits. The department shall work with the
106	106	75department of public utilities and other state agencies to provide a single application process for
107	107	76sponsor organizations, building owners, and tenants to qualify for all applicable energy
108	108	77efficiency, clean heating, clean cooking, and renewable electricity financial assistance programs
109	109	78offered by the commonwealth, electric and gas distribution companies, and municipal
110	110	79aggregators with certified clean energy plans, and for additional incentives offered by the
111	111	80department through the initiative. The department shall develop incentive structures that
112	112	81encourage property owners to maintain their properties as low income or moderate income
113	113	82housing for several years after retrofits are completed. Such incentives may include tenant-owner
114	114	83weatherization agreements.
115	115	84 (g) The department shall set goals for the participation of contractors that are minority
116	116	85business enterprises and women business enterprises in projects funded by the initiative.
117	117	86 (h) The department may cover the costs of pre-weatherization, electrical service
118	118	87upgrades, or other improvements necessary before energy efficiency, clean heating, clean
119	119	88cooking, and renewable electricity upgrades can be completed.
120	120	89 (i) Each sponsor organization shall hold at least one event open to the general public to
121	121	90share the results of the project, and shall make an effort to publicize the results of the project to
122	122	91local news outlets and on social media. Each sponsor organization shall make information about
123	123	92the project available online in the predominant languages spoken in the community, and shall
124	124	93provide interpretation services at the event for non-English speakers. The department shall 6 of 6
125	125	94provide financial assistance for sponsor organizations to pay for interpretation and translation
126	126	95services.
127	127	96 (j) The department shall collect quantitative and qualitative data on the results of the
128	128	97initiative, and publish evaluations no later than 1 year after the end of the second year and every
129	129	98two years thereafter. The evaluations shall consider data on energy savings, utility bill savings,
130	130	99improvements in indoor and outdoor air quality, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and
131	131	100other pollutants, and improvements in comfort and safety for residents, and identify the most
132	132	101effective retrofit approaches for each housing type. The department shall use appropriate
133	133	102practices to prevent the public disclosure of personally identifying information regarding owners
134	134	103and tenants. The evaluations shall also include data on the participation of contractors that are
135	135	104minority business enterprises and women business enterprises in projects funded by the
136	136	105initiative.
137	137	106 (k) The department shall convene a task force to advise the department on the
138	138	107implementation of this section, including individuals representing the executive office of energy
139	139	108and environmental affairs, department of energy resources, department of public utilities,
140	140	109department of environmental protection, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, department of
141	141	110housing and community development, executive office of labor and workforce development, and
142	142	111department of public health. The task force shall also include at least 2 low income or moderate
143	143	112income residents of qualifying municipalities, and at least 2 representatives of nonprofit
144	144	113organizations headquartered in or with a significant presence in qualifying municipalities. The
145	145	114task force shall hold at least 4 public hearings in qualifying municipalities in the first year after
146	146	115the effective date of this section, and at least 2 public hearings in qualifying municipalities in
147	147	116each subsequent year.