Clean Energy Act Is ‘Essential’ for Massachusetts

Gov. Maura Healey doubled down on her call for lawmakers to pass legislation that reforms the permitting and siting of renewable energy projects and expands clean energy procurement after talks dramatically broke down among Beacon Hill Democrats last week.

In the week since the Legislature concluded its formal session this year, Healey has ramped up pressure on top House and Senate leaders to get back to work and finish off unfinished projects, including a clean energy bill she said is “essential for Massachusetts.”

Healey, whose administration wrote most of the bill that lawmakers could not agree on, said the state needs to expedite infrastructure projects to allow electricity generated by onshore wind farms to be distributed through the power grid.

“To do that, we need to build the infrastructure and upgrade the grid as quickly as possible. We put together a team that included a variety of stakeholders, and that came out with some consensus recommendations,” she said Thursday morning at the State House. “I think there’s a consensus there about what needs to happen with permitting and siting. It’s very important that we take action on that.”

House Democrats argued that the Senate, House of Representatives and the administration had agreed on the language for the permitting and siting reforms even before the Senate released its initial draft of the Clean Energy Act in June.

But in the final minutes of the legislature’s formal session, discussions on a compromise proposal broke down, with the House’s lead negotiator accusing the Senate of “breaking its word” on previously agreed-upon measures.

The House and Senate versions of the Climate and Clean Energy Act differ significantly.

In July, House lawmakers passed a version of the bill that focused on increasing renewable energy procurement, redesigning the siting and permitting process for clean energy projects and decarbonizing transportation and buildings.

A month earlier, senators approved legislation with many more ideas, including steps to limit natural gas use in Massachusetts, a ban on competing electricity suppliers and an expansion of the state’s “bottle law.”

Healey did not say Thursday whether she preferred the House or Senate version of the bill. She said only that she wants lawmakers to approve legislation on permitting and zoning reform, clean energy procurement and decarbonizing the housing, transportation and manufacturing sectors.

“It is absolutely necessary and I think everyone agrees on that,” she said.