Polluting biomass regulations to go into effect soon- the legislature must act now to override them!
New regulations promulgated by Governor Baker’s administration that would allow the inclusion of biomass in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) are now set to be published on November 12, despite concerns raised by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE). With these new regulations, MA ratepayers would fund incentives for old, polluting biomass plants in Maine and New Hampshire under the guise that they are producing clean energy. (The existing regulations do not allow inefficient biomass plants to receive MA RPS funds).
Please take the actions listed below.
Bills that have been heard by Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE)
(‘An act to prevent biomass energy to protect the air we breathe’ – H.3333/S.2197) would NOT allow MA ratepayer dollars to subsidize inefficient biomass plants. These bills must be given a favorable report by the TUE and brought to a floor vote as soon as possible.
Action Steps:
• Contact your state representative and senator and ask them to contact the TUE House and Senate Chairs, as well as House Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka, to let them know that their constituents are very upset about this new regulation going into effect and want the legislature to quickly pass legislation to forestall this action.
You can use this link to send a message your legislators.
• Contact the following legislative leaders to ask them to give these bills a favorable report in the TUE Committee and bring it to a floor for a vote to pass these bill
Subject line: Report H.3333/S.2197 favorably out of TUE
Content: Your words or:
Dear Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy
Burning wood for power hurts our health and climate. I am outraged by Governor Baker’s rollback of the clean energy policies like the RPS and APS. This rollback means Massachusetts ratepayers will subsidize old, dirty biomass plants in New Hampshire and Maine. We need to stop subsidizing burning trees for power or for heat; our clean energy dollars should only go to non-emitting energy sources.
The legislature must take action to stop subsidies for climate pollution. I urge you to support An Act to prevent biomass energy to protect the air we breathe (S.2197/H.3333), which would prevent biomass energy from qualifying for renewable energy subsidies.
Please cosponsor this bill, and contact the TUE committee and legislative leadership to urge them to report out and pass these critical bills. Thank you for your work to protect our communities.
Your name
Your town or city
• House Speaker Ron Mariano: Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov (617) 722-2500
• TUE House Chair Jeffrey Roy: Jeffrey.Roy@mahouse.gov (617) 722-2030
• TUE House Vice Chair Paul Mark: Paul.Mark@mahouse.gov 413-464-5635
• TUE Senate Chair, Michael Barrett: Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov (617) 722-1572
• TUE Senate Vice Chair, Marc Pacheco: Marc.Pacheco@masenate.gov (617) 722-1551