NECEC Urges Signing of Massachusetts Climate Bill

The following is the letter sent by Northeast Clean Energy Council President Joe Curtatone to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, urging the signage of An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind.

Dear Governor Baker,

The Northeast Clean Energy Council (“NECEC”) appreciates and thanks you for your continued leadership on clean energy and climate change policy. Your efforts have been critical to putting the Commonwealth on a trajectory to grow our clean energy economy, meet our climate commitments, and deliver for our most vulnerable communities. House Bill 5060, “An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind,” is an important extension of those efforts, and we urge you to sign this bill.

NECEC leads the just, equitable, and rapid transition to a clean energy future and a diverse climate economy. NECEC is the only organization in the Northeast that covers all of the clean energy market segments, representing the business perspectives of investors and clean energy companies across every stage of development. NECEC members span the broad spectrum of the clean energy industry, including clean transportation, energy efficiency, wind, solar, energy storage, microgrids, fuel cells, and advanced and “smart” technologies.

The goals set forth in the Commonwealth’s Next Generation Roadmap are ambitious yet attainable. However, in order to meet these goals, Massachusetts will need to take sweeping action by decarbonizing every sector of our economy. H.5060 includes many of the actions needed, and this bill shows a true compromise between your Administration and the Legislature.

NECEC applauds the good faith discussions that have occurred between your Administration and the Legislature over specific provisions in the bill during the session. This collaborative effort to make this legislation the best it can be will surely deliver significant clean energy and economic benefit to the Commonwealth. This amended bill incorporates a number of the suggestions you made to the Legislature, and puts the Commonwealth on a path to meet our net zero emissions commitments by 2050. The bill includes commissions and advisory groups to ensure that there will be adequate stakeholder input and thought towards meeting those goals and expanding programs to do so. The bill also contains a significant compromise in removing the price cap on offshore wind to deliver economic benefits to Massachusetts residents. Thus, NECEC urges you sign this bill to codify the efforts made by the Legislature and your Administration.

Climate change is an existential threat to our environment and our economy. We witness this already today in the form of sea level rise, invasive species proliferation, and extended drought. It is vital that we continue to make progress on our efforts to thwart this threat. Laid before the Administration is a hard-won and timely bill that addresses the existential threat of climate change, awaiting your signature. Time is of the essence, we cannot afford to delay.

We look forward to congratulating you upon the signing of H.5060, which will truly seal your Administration’s legacy in supporting a sustainable clean energy future for the Commonwealth. We respectfully request that you sign this important piece of legislation.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Curtatone