Big MA Climate, Clean Energy Bill Signed By Gov. Baker: What's In It

MASSACHUSETTS — Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday signed a new clean energy and climate change bill passed by lawmakers in July, a move that comes after statements he made earlier this week indicating he might veto the law.

One piece of the bill would allow 10 communities in the state to ban fossil fuels from being included in new residential developments under certain conditions. Baker said during a Tuesday news conference that the provision gave him "agita."

The law, An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, emerged from conference committee on July 20 and was passed on July 31 after Baker submitted several of his own amendments. One of those amendments was the elimination of the 10-community fossil fuel development ban, but lawmakers left the provision in.

According to bill coauthor state Sen. Mike Barrett, D-Concord, the law contains dozens of items aimed at reducing carbon emissions, and numerous items aimed at economic development.

The bill will require all new vehicle sales be zero-emission by 2035, remove wood-burning biomass plants for a state list of clean energy sources, provide funding for green HVAC job training and require buildings bigger than 20,000 square-feet to report annual energy usage.

Barrett also highlighted that the bill removes a price cap on electricity produced by wind projects, a piece that Baker had asked for.

"Important ideas of [Baker's] are included, the most notable of which is abolition of the so-called 'price cap' on what developers of offshore wind farms can charge for the electric power they produce," Barrett said on July 31.

Although hailed as a big step for the state in combatting climate change, the bill was missing protections for communities hammered by pollution, according to the Conservation Law Foundation.

"[T]here’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to environmental justice. The state needs to take a stronger stand in protecting these communities from air pollution, creating access to an electrified commuter rail, and our leaders must do more to equitably phase out fossil fuels once and for all," the foundation said in July.