Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3967 Compare Versions

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

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4198 FILED ON: 3/3/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3967
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Joan Meschino
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 supporting solar energy deployment in the Commonwealth.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Joan Meschino3rd Plymouth2/2/2023Lydia EdwardsThird Suffolk3/6/2023Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk3/6/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk3/21/2023David Allen Robertson19th Middlesex3/28/2023 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4198 FILED ON: 3/3/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3967
18	18	By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan Meschino and
19	19	others for legislation to promote the development of clean energy. Telecommunications,
20	20	Utilities and Energy.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act supporting solar energy deployment in the Commonwealth.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official
30	30	2Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:
31	31	3 Section 18. The secretary of energy and environmental affairs, hereinafter and in sections
32	32	419 to 21, inclusive, “secretary”, shall establish programs to achieve a minimum goal of 10
33	33	5gigawatts (GW) of solar measured in alternating current (AC) deployed in the Commonwealth
34	34	6by 2030 including an interim goal of 5 GW ac by 2025 and 7.5 GW ac by 2027. The programs
35	35	7established by the secretary shall ensure that annual solar deployment in the Commonwealth
36	36	8increases at a pace sufficient to meet the 2050 statewide emissions limit of net zero greenhouse
37	37	9gas emissions established by the secretary on April 22, as well as to achieve a 100% carbon-free
38	38	10electric sector by 2030.
39	39	11 SECTION 2. Section 10 of chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
40	40	12Official Edition, is hereby amended in subsection (d) by striking the figure “20,000,000” and 2 of 5
41	41	13inserting in place thereof “40,000,000 with not less than $10,000,000 going to green plus
42	42	14communities”.
43	43	15 SECTION 3. Chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official
44	44	16Edition, is hereby amended by inserting a Section 10B:
45	45	17 (a) The division shall establish a Climate Leader designation to recognize municipalities
46	46	18certified as Green Communities that take additional measures to promote the development of
47	47	19clean energy, the electrification of buildings and transportation, and the reduction of greenhouse
48	48	20gas emissions. The purpose of the Climate Leader program shall be to align resources for
49	49	21municipalities with the Commonwealth’s climate and energy goals; to provide a framework for
50	50	22municipalities that seek to make a greater contribution to the Commonwealth’s decarbonization
51	51	23efforts; and to encourage and support municipalities in identifying the local actions that can have
52	52	24the greatest climate impact.
53	53	25 (b) To qualify as a Climate Leader, a municipality or other local governmental body
54	54	26shall: (1) file an application with the division in a form and manner to be prescribed by the
55	55	27division; (2) set a solar deployment goal of a certain number of megawatts (including rooftop,
56	56	28parking canopy, and ground-mounted) to be deployed or permitted within ten years from the date
57	57	29of application, such goal to be equal to no less than 50% of the amount of solar identified as
58	58	30technically feasible within that community by a technical potential of solar study published by
59	59	31the department of energy resources; (3) adopt zoning that allows renewable generation either by
60	60	32right or by special permit in at least 30% of the land in that municipality identified as suitable by
61	61	33a technical potential of solar study published by the department. Municipalities qualified as
62	62	34Climate Leaders by the department shall lose their designation if they pass a moratorium on solar 3 of 5
63	63	35or energy storage development. Municipalities must reapply to retain their Climate Leader
64	64	36designation every 3 years.
65	65	37 (c) The purpose of the program shall be to provide technical and financial assistance, in
66	66	38the form of grants and loans, to municipalities and other local governmental bodies that qualify
67	67	39as Climate Leaders under this section. These loans and grants shall be used to finance all or a
68	68	40portion of the costs of studying, designing, constructing, and implementing climate mitigation
69	69	41activities, including but not limited to, staff and consultant costs incurred in relation to updating
70	70	42land use plans, policies, and zoning to enable renewable energy and energy storage deployment;
71	71	43costs for implementing programs that encourage adoption of renewable energy and other
72	72	44greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives by residents and businesses within a municipality;
73	73	45design, procurement, and construction of renewable energy and energy storage projects on land
74	74	46owned by a local government body or a municipal light company; planning, design, and
75	75	47construction of capital projects that facilitate a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions either
76	76	48directly, for example, by electrifying heating systems in municipal buildings, or indirectly, for
77	77	49example, by encouraging the use of non-emitting forms of transportation.
78	78	50 (d) Municipalities designated as Climate Leaders shall be prioritized for grant funding
79	79	51allocated under Section 10 of Chapter 25A; and may be prioritized for grant funding allocated
80	80	52under Section 2A of Chapter 209 of the Acts of 2018; Section 63 of Chapter 23A; or any other
81	81	53non-formula funding.
82	82	54 (e) The division shall adopt rules, regulations, and guidelines for the administration and
83	83	55enforcement of this section, including, but not limited to, establishing applicant criteria, funding
84	84	56priority, and application forms and procedures. 4 of 5
85	85	57 SECTION 4: Section 82 of Chapter 179 of the acts of 2022 is hereby amended as
86	86	58follows:
87	87	59 Section 82. The department of energy resources may coordinate with one or more New
88	88	60England states undertaking competitive solicitations to consider projects for long-term clean
89	89	61energy generation, transmission, or capacity for the benefit of residents of the Commonwealth
90	90	62and the region. If the department of energy resources, in consultation with the Attorney General,
91	91	63determines that a project would satisfy all of the benefits listed below, the electric distribution
92	92	64companies shall enter into cost-effective long-term contracts. In its determination, the
93	93	65department of energy resources shall determine if any proposals (i) provide cost-effective clean
94	94	66energy generation to electric ratepayers in the Commonwealth and the region over the term of
95	95	67the contract; (ii) provide the benefits of clean energy and associated transmission towards
96	96	68meeting the Commonwealth’s decarbonization goals; (iii) where possible, avoid, minimize, or
97	97	69mitigate, to the maximum extent practicable, environmental impacts, impacts on commercial and
98	98	70recreational fishing industries, and impacts to low-income populations; (iv) reduce ratepayer
99	99	71costs in winter months and improve energy security during winter months; (v) demonstrate
100	100	72progress toward obtaining required permit approvals and interconnection, and (vi) have credible
101	101	73project schedule and construction plans, including plans for financing and stakeholder
102	102	74engagement. For the purposes of this section, a long-term contract shall be a contract with a term
103	103	75of 10 to 20 years. Eligible clean energy generation resources must (i) have a commercial
104	104	76operation date on or after January 1, 2022; and (ii) be qualified by the department of energy
105	105	77resources as eligible to participate in the renewable energy portfolio standard program under
106	106	78section 11F of chapter 25A of the General Laws. Associated transmission costs must be
107	107	79incorporated into a proposal. All proposed contracts shall be subject to the review and approval 5 of 5
108	108	80of the department of public utilities. The department of public utilities shall consider both
109	109	81potential costs and benefits of such contracts and shall only approve a contract upon a finding
110	110	82that it is cost-effective, taking into account the factors outlined in this section.