EDIT 11/18:the bill passed.
Urgent action needed on the solar bill.
The House came out with its solar bill last night, and it’s pretty terrible. It would make a major, unjustified cut to the compensation for solar energy under net metering, which would make it harder for many types of solar projects to go forward, including projects serving low-income communities, nonprofits, municipalities, and pretty much anyone who can’t put solar panels on the roof of their own house. It would also establish a minimum electric bill for people who have solar.
House leadership is trying to cast this bill as a “solution” to the net metering crisis, but it would only make a small increase in the caps (barely enough to carry us through the next few months) while making changes that would stop solar in its tracks beyond that.
We need to send a message loud and clear to our reps and senators today that this is not an acceptable solution. We’re asking legislators to strengthen the bill… but if that is not possible, we may have to ask them to kill it rather than have a deeply flawed bill move forward. The Legislature wraps up for the year on Wednesday, so this is our last chance in 2015.
Contact your legislators right now and ask them to fight for a better solar bill.
The Speaker’s proposal is simply unacceptable. At a time when more and more families are making the switch to clean energy, he wants to slam the brakes on solar.
It’s especially outrageous because we just delivered petitions signed by 8,000 Massachusetts residents and letters signed by 1,000 civic and business leaders, urging state officials to expand opportunities for solar power.
Back in March, when we hit a limit on the state’s most important solar program, we knew the utility companies would see this as an opportunity to push their selfish, anti-solar agenda. But frankly, I’m surprised they’ve gone this far.
The Legislature will finish for the year later this week, so our window of opportunity is small. But with your support, I think we can still get a good solar bill over the finish line.
Please contact your legislators today and urge them to expand solar.
Sample call script:
Hi, my name is ______________ and I’m a constituent of Senator/Representative _____________ from ____________ (town). I’m calling because I want to see more solar power in Massachusetts. That’s why I’m concerned about proposals to slash the compensation for solar energy under net metering, which would make it harder for many families to power their homes with clean energy. I’m also concerned about proposed minimum charges on electric bills. Please support immediate action to lift the net metering caps, and please support changes to proposed solar legislation to preserve the value of net metering credits and to avoid creating minimum bills. Thank you!
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Sample message to send to legislators:
Dear state officials,
I support solar power and I want to see Massachusetts get more of its energy from clean, local sources like solar. I believe the state should continue to support solar development.
That’s why I’m outraged by proposals to make huge, unjustified cuts to the compensation for solar energy under net metering. These cuts would make it harder for many families to power their homes with clean energy. I’m also concerned about proposed minimum charges on electric bills, which could unfairly penalize solar users.
For the sake of our environment and our communities, we need to move as quickly as possible to power our state with 100% clean, renewable energy, and solar has a critical role to play. Please listen to the vast majority of Massachusetts residents who support solar power, instead of the utility company lobbyists. And please support changes to proposed solar legislation to ensure that solar can continue to grow rapidly and that its benefits will continue to be available to all.
Sample call script:
Hi, my name is ______________ and I’m a constituent of Senator/Representative _____________ from ____________ (town). I’m calling because I want to see more solar power in Massachusetts. That’s why I’m concerned about proposals to slash the compensation for solar energy under net metering, which would make it harder for many families to power their homes with clean energy. I’m also concerned about proposed minimum charges on electric bills. Please support immediate action to lift the net metering caps, and please support changes to proposed solar legislation to preserve the value of net metering credits and to avoid creating minimum bills. Thank you!
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