Updated July 26 to add third public hearing and how to submit written comments!
Last year’s climate law in Massachusetts set up an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council (EVICC) that has been meeting since the spring to prepare a report on the Commonwealth’s electric vehicle (EV) charging needs. This month, EVICC is hosting three public hearings for residents to share their experiences and inviting written public comment.
Through the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), Massachusetts is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the entire economy, including the transportation, electricity, and building sectors (45% by 2030 and net zero by 2050). The building sector includes about 73,000 public housing units for the most vulnerable people in society. Rents are pegged to 30% of the residents' incomes. Public housing has been chronically underfunded for decades, leading to a multi-billion dollar capital backlog that reduces building efficiency and dramatically impacts tenants’ quality of life. So naturally, if we want to reduce the energy consumption of public housing and improve conditions for its residents, we need to be serious about where the funding will come from.
Decarbonizing buildings means putting an end to burning stuff in order to stay warm – whether methane, oil, or propane. The sustainable way to keep ourselves warm is through high-efficiency heat pumps (air-source or ground-source). That’s not just us talking, that’s the conclusion that Massachusetts has come to with its Clean Heat Commission report and Clean Energy and Climate Plans for 2030 and 2050. It’s also now policy for the state of New York. But this blog is not about whether we should electrify the heating sector. It’s this: People will switch to heat pumps and away from fossil fuels faster if we reduce electricity rates to make heat pumps more affordable.
Update from July 2023: We do not have a firm date by when to expect many of the changes described in this blog. The MOR-EV website says: “Rebates for eligible plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will be phasing out of the MOR-EV program. Eligible PHEVs purchased or leased on or before June 30, 2023 will have 90 days from the purchase or lease date to submit their application for a $1,500 rebate. PHEVs purchased or leased after this date will not be eligible for a MOR-EV rebate. Stay tuned for additional information about expanded MOR-EV programs to be launched during the summer of 2023.”
We will keep this blog updated as we learn more!
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently filed the regulations needed to adopt the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) regulations. As we’ve written before, these regulations are crucial for Massachusetts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030. Now, there’s a chance for YOU to support these key rules, either by testifying in person before DEP on January 30 or submitting written comments by February 9. Here’s all you need to know to act.
On November 15, the Mass. Department of Energy Resources published a revised Municipal Aggregation Manual & Best Practices Guide and asked for public comments by December 7. For information, visit here.
The following are our comments.
On November 30, the Massachusetts Clean Heat Commission released its long-awaited report with recommendations for “strategies and policies to achieve deep emissions reductions from heating fuels in the state.” We’ve been waiting for this report for a long time (see our open letter to the Commission from January 2022 here), but it’s important to note that the report does not set policy itself. We expect the report to be well-read by Governor-Elect Maura Healey and the legislature – the ultimate deciders for what happens now.
Earlier this summer, we wrote about applications being open for the Clean School Bus Program. Now, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced who got awarded – and school districts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island are on the list!
GECA staff and partners with an electric school bus in Beverly, MA.
Massachusetts’ rebate program for electric vehicles, MOR-EV, has been critical to the growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the Commonwealth. This summer, Governor Baker signed into law An Act Advancing Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, which made important changes to the state EV rebate program. Those changes, however, have not yet come into effect. Here’s a summary of what changes are coming, when we think they might actually happen, and what’s causing the delay.
Update: On November 17, 2022, the Department of Energy Resources announced that the MOR-EV rebate for battery-electric vehicles has been increased to $3,500. The DOER press release also stated that plug-in hybrids will continue to be eligible for a $1,500 rebate as long as they have at least 25 miles of electric range. DOER has not yet increased the final sales price limit from $50,000 to $55,000. You can read more about these changes in this more recent blogpost.
Green Energy Consumers is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, which means we cannot support or endorse a candidate running for public office in an election. However, we can – and do – support policy proposals, including ones being decided via a ballot question in an election. This fall, we urge you to VOTE YES on Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment. We see it as an important tool in the toolbox in the race to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s why.
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