Energy + Environment

(BOSTON) - Current and future efforts in Massachusetts to move to net-zero emissions are set forth in the House vehicle for major climate legislation from last session, State Representative Joan Meschino’s (D-Hull) “2050 Roadmap” Bill, which was enacted in law as S. 9 An Act creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy. Provisions in the 2050 Roadmap update the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, set strong interim targets, and establish comprehensive and iterative planning mechanisms focused on equity to enable the Commonwealth to achieve this ambitious goal.  Building upon last session’s legislation, Representative Meschino has filed eight bills related to energy and the environment in the 192nd Session.  “I filed the 2050 Roadmap to align the Massachusetts economy with the pressing urgency of the climate science,” said Representative Meschino. “The bills I filed this session advance key provisions of the . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - On Thursday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate passed nation-leading climate legislation, known as the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill, which overhauls the state’s climate laws, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, advances the clean energy industry, and prioritizes and protects environmental justice communities. The bill’s central components contain key provisions from An Act creating a roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth, originally filed by Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) and known as the “2050 Roadmap.”  These 2050 Roadmap provisions update the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to net zero by 2050, set strong interim targets, and establish comprehensive and iterative planning mechanisms focused on equity to enable the Commonwealth to achieve this ambitious goal. “I filed the 2050 Roadmap to align the Massachusetts economy with the pressing urgency of the climate science,” said Representative Meschino. “This bill is fundamentally an economic one. By mandating a comprehensive . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - On January 4, 2021, both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed breakthrough climate legislation that overhauls the state’s climate laws, drives down greenhouse gas emissions, creates clean energy jobs, and protects environmental justice communities. The bill, An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy (S.2995), sets a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions limit, as well as statewide limits every five years; increases the requirements for offshore wind energy procurement, bringing the statewide total to 5,600 megawatts; and requires emission reduction goals for MassSave, the state’s energy efficiency program. The legislation also increases support for clean energy workforce development programs, including those targeting low-income communities, and improves gas pipeline safety. For the first time, the legislation establishes the criteria that define environmental justice in statute. The bill’s central components contain key provisions from An Act creating a roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth, . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Last Friday, the House of Representatives passed H.4912, an Act creating a roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth, originally filed by Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull).  Known as the “2050 Roadmap,” the bill updates the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to net zero by 2050, sets robust interim targets, and establishes comprehensive and iterative planning mechanisms to help the Commonwealth achieve that goal. “The science is clear: to avoid the devastation of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to net zero by 2050. This goal will only be met by a comprehensive planning process, which locks in key milestones now to get us there in 30 years. I filed the 2050 Roadmap Bill to help us achieve that objective,” said Representative Meschino. “Today, I am excited to announce that my colleagues and I in the Massachusetts House of Representatives came together and passed a roadmap for . . . Read More