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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2311 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3522
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David Paul Linsky
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to establish a clean fuel standard.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex1/16/2025 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2311 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3522
By Representative Linsky of Natick, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3522) of David
Paul Linsky for legislation to establish a clean fuel standard. Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to establish a clean fuel standard.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 25A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 11F1/2 the following section:-
3 Section 11F 2/3. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
4meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
5 “Carbon intensity”, the quantity of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with a
6unit of specific transportation fuel expressed in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per
7megajoule of transportation fuel.
8 “Clean fuel”, transportation fuel with a carbon intensity level that is below the clean fuels
9carbon intensity standard in a given year. 2 of 4
10 “Credit”, a unit of measurement equal to 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent that
11serves as a quantitative measure of the degree to which a fuel provider’s transportation fuel
12volume is lower than the carbon intensity established by the clean fuel standard.
13 "Credit generator", a transportation fuel provider of a clean fuel for use in the
14commonwealth which, if the electricity is to be used as a transportation fuel, may include, but
15shall not be limited to including, automakers, electric charging providers, electric utilities and
16electric vehicle fleet operators.
17 “Deficit”, a quantitative measure of the degree to which a fuel provider’s volume of
18transportation fuel is greater than the carbon intensity than permissible according to the annual
19clean fuel standard.
20 “Full fuels lifecycle”, the aggregate of greenhouse gas emissions, including direct
21emissions and significant indirect emissions including, but not limited to, significant emissions
22from land use changes as determined by Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases,
23Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies model or subsequent prevailing standard.
24 “Transportation fuel provider”, an entity that functions as an importer, blender, refiner,
25producer or wholesale retailer of transportation fuels or as a retailer of a clean fuel.
26 (b)(1) The department shall establish a clean fuel standard that: (i) reduces the aggregate
27carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 80 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050; (ii) establishes a
28mechanism for the generation and trading of credits at a market-based rate to offset carbon
29deficits; and (iii) supports clean energy and accessible transportation projects in disadvantaged
30communities. 3 of 4
31 (2) The department shall establish an annual schedule to phase in implementation of the
32clean fuel standard’s carbon intensity reduction that considers the: (i) cost of compliance; (ii)
33technologies available to fuel providers; and (iii) need to maintain fuel quality and availability;
34provided, however, that the aggregate carbon intensity of a transportation fuel shall be measured
35on a full fuels lifecycle basis; and provided further, that the full fuels lifecycle shall be assessed
36annually.
37 (c)(1) The clean fuel standard shall establish a mechanism that assigns credits to
38transportation fuel providers whose fuel or fuels’ carbon intensity is below the standards adopted
39by the department and a market for the trading of credits at a market-based rate. Credits shall be
40quantified based on the total emissions across the lifecycle of the provider’s fuel or fuels and the
41annual maximum allowable carbon emission intensity for that year; provided, however, that such
42credits may be applied to future obligations or be traded on a market mechanism established by
43the department to satisfy or offset compliance obligations of transportation fuel providers
44incurring a deficit.
45 (2) Fuel providers subject to the clean fuel standard shall comply by importing, blending,
46refining or wholesaling transportation fuels with an average aggregate carbon intensity that is at
47or below the standard as determined by the department or by purchasing credits to offset any
48aggregate deficit incurred from transportation fuels exceeding the average carbon intensity
49standard for that year.
50 (d) Public entities serving as credit generators including, but not limited to, utilities and
51state agencies, shall invest or direct a percentage, as determined by the department, of the
52entity’s overall credit value to support clean energy and accessible transportation projects in 4 of 4
53disadvantaged communities beyond existing local, federal and state incentives. The department
54shall establish criteria for projects and goals in consultation with credit generators, communities,
55community leaders and environmental justice advocates.
56 (e) The clean fuel standard shall not apply to fuels for aviation, railroad locomotives,
57military vehicles or interstate waterborne vessels to the extent such standards are preempted by
58federal laws or regulations.
59 (f) Transportation fuel providers of clean fuels for aviation, rail locomotives, military
60vehicles, and interstate waterborne vessels shall be eligible to voluntarily generate credits.
61 (g) The department shall promulgate rules, regulations, plans, proposals, procedures and
62administrative fees as necessary and appropriate to effectuate a clean fuel standard and credit
63marketplace to ensure compliance with this section and offset the costs of implementation of the
64clean fuel standard.