On Friday, we were disturbed to read in the Commonwealth Beacon that Representative Mark Cusack, Chairman of the Massachusetts House Energy Committee, is contemplating taking two dramatic actions to weaken the state’s fight against climate change.

We have learned that, any minute now, he might file legislation that would: 

1. Push back the Commonwealth’s commitment (first made in 2008 via the Global Warming Solutions Act and then again in the 2021 climate law) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% below the 1990 level by 2030.
2. Reduce the 3-year budget for Mass Save, the state’s signature energy efficiency program, to $4 billion, in what would amount to a $500 million cut. 

Later Friday, the Commonwealth Beacon contacted me and some other allies for our reaction. Green Energy Consumers Alliance is strongly opposed to these two ideas that are apparently coming to the floor at any minute. Frankly, given the support for clean energy in poll after poll and after last week’s election results from around the country, we are astonished that the legislature would now act to increase our dependence upon fossil fuels imported from out of state.

We urge you to pay close attention and to be ready to contact your state representative. Here are what we see are the key points.

Fears of a lawsuit ignore current law.

The chairman expressed concern that if the Commonwealth does not reach its target by 2030, a lawsuit could force action to be taken. Our response is that we will not know about the 2030 GHG inventory level until 2032, seven years from now. The legislature has the authority to change the law at any point – why now?  

Furthermore, as the Beacon pointed out, the 2021 Climate Act gives state government flexibility already. It says, “If emissions exceeded the limit, the statement shall describe remedial steps that might be taken to offset the excess emissions and ensure compliance with the next upcoming limit adopted pursuant to statute or regulation.” 

Now is not the time to weaken a law that makes sense for so many reasons – public health (emissions other than those that cause global warming), price stability, job creation, and, oh yes, the well-being of the planet and all of us living on it. 

Weakening the law will result in greater emissions in the short term.

Massachusetts is on target to meet its 2025 emissions target, thanks to good policies implemented as a result of the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act and 2021 climate law. The targets have successfully garnered the attention of state agencies, clean energy companies, and consumers.  If the legislature weakens the Commonwealth’s willingness to tackle the planet’s existential crisis, then you can bet the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy will go slower than if current commitments are kept in place – it's human nature. For that reason, Green Energy Consumers Alliance would like to see state government give a solid effort for the next five to seven years and put as many points on the board as possible. 

Weakening the Climate Act will have implications beyond Massachusetts.

As I stated in the Commonwealth Beacon article, “if Massachusetts pulls back – let’s be honest, we don’t want to inflate our position in the world – but we are one of the most affluent, progressive places in the world, it sends an awful message to move the goal posts. There’s an opportunity for us to stay the course, do what we can on clean energy, and that will not happen if we backslide.”  

Leave Mass Save alone.

Chairman Cusack thinks we are overspending on the Mass Save program and wants to cut another half billion dollars from the three-year budget, taking it from $4.5 billion to $4.0 billion. 

According to the federal Energy Information Administration, Massachusetts consumers spent about $20 billion on energy in 2023 in their homes and businesses, not including transportation. Triple that for 2025-2027 and you get $60 billion. Not only is cutting Mass Save counterproductive, but it also still wouldn’t make a dent in the overall energy tab, less than one percent.

Mass Save saves consumers money (even those who don’t use it to get a home energy assessment) and the benefits of the program outweigh the costs 3 to 1. The costs of natural gas and electricity are rising primarily because of distribution or delivery rates charged by our investor-owned utilities. Gas supply costs are also rising. Mass Save is the antidote, not the problem.

There are better ways to save energy consumers money.

• First and foremost, ban predatory and greenwashing retail electricity suppliers.
• Eliminate subsidies for fossil fuel and trash incineration.
• Require gas utilities to focus on pipeline repair and retirement, rather than pipeline replacement. 

Now is the time to talk to your Massachusetts State Representative.

As this blog is being posted, we do not know what will be in the bill that the House will vote on. We only know what we read in the two articles in the Commonwealth Beacon.  

• House energy chair signals effort to dial back 2030 climate commitments
• ‘We will fill the State House’: Advocates gird for a showdown over House plan to dial back climate commitments  

If we learn more, we will update this blog. But time is of the essence because the House might vote as early as Thursday. Please contact your House member and ask them to leave the Climate Act and Mass Save alone. 

You can find your representative’s contact information here.  

Here is a phone script and email template you can use.  

Hello, my name is ___, and I am a constituent of Representative ___, living in ___. I am reaching out to urge Representative ____ to oppose any legislation that would weaken the state’s emissions reductions or reduce the budget of the Mass Save program. {Insert sentence about why this is important to you, personally}.

Stay tuned for more!