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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1632 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2303
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Liz Miranda
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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 advancing clean energy equity.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Liz MirandaSecond SuffolkSteven Owens29th Middlesex1/27/2025Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/10/2025 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1632 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2303
By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2303) of Liz Miranda, Steven
Owens and Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation to ensure that the benefits of transitioning to clean
energy sources are distributed fairly across all communities. 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 advancing clean energy equity.
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. Section 29 of chapter 21A of the General Laws, as amended by chapter 239
2of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by adding the following two paragraphs:
3 The undersecretary of environmental justice and equity shall have oversight of ensuring
4an equitable allocation of the benefits of clean energy spending across the Commonwealth, and
5that such allocation is proportional to the percentage of the population residing in (1)
6environmental justice populations as defined in section 62 of chapter 30 or (2) any low-income
7communities designated by the undersecretary for inclusion based on previously developed
8criteria. The undersecretary, in consultation with a defined working group of environmental
9justice stakeholders, shall set compliance goals and issue compliance reports on the same
10schedule for emission limits required under section 4(g) of chapter 21N for delivery of clean
11energy benefits to environmental justice communities. 2 of 3
12 The undersecretary shall consult with the environmental justice council as established
13under section 62L of chapter 30 and any other stakeholders the undersecretary finds appropriate,
14including additional representatives from environmental justice communities, local governments,
15clean energy advocates, and public health experts, to develop, review, and update a definition of
16clean energy benefits. This definition shall account for the net impact of burdens and shall also
17include consideration of spending and benefits from state clean energy programs, pollution
18reduction, transportation, economic development, and energy cost reduction. The undersecretary
19shall be responsible for developing a framework for tracking and monitoring allocation of clean
20energy benefits across the commonwealth. The undersecretary shall work with the secretary to
21ensure alignment with these definitions and the framework for social benefits and burdens in
22section 30. The undersecretary shall coordinate with any agencies overseeing clean energy
23programs to incorporate these definitions and the framework into the program reviews which
24they are directed to undertake to monitor and evaluate clean energy programs. All clean energy
25program reviews beginning on January 1 of the year following the undersecretary’s creation of
26the definition and framework shall detail the amount and allocation of said benefits, and identify
27any barriers to participation as well as any measures to reduce said barriers, including but not
28limited to community organization partnerships, streamlined application processes, multilingual
29options, and no-cost or low cost financing. The level of benefits shall be reviewed and updated
30every 5 years beginning in 2025. The undersecretary may adopt regulations as deemed necessary
31for implementation of this section and shall consult with the energy efficiency advisory council
32as established under section 22 of chapter 25 and the grid modernization advisory council as
33established under section 92C of chapter 164 to ensure alignment of the definition of benefits
34and to develop comprehensive guidelines across all programs to address specific challenges for 3 of 3
35rental properties including but not limited to protections against rent increases or other
36detrimental impacts after clean energy resources are installed in the property.
37 SECTION 2. The first stakeholder group meeting required under section 1 shall occur not
38later than January 1, 2026.