Op-ed: Next Steps On MA's New Climate Law

The following is an op-ed by state Sen. Mike Barrett and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Sudbury Patch.

The bill signing for the Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy took place in the Library of the State House, otherwise empty due to the pandemic.

“I have heard words used to describe this piece of legislation, words such as sweeping, landmark, far-reaching, ambitious, bold and nation-leading," Senate President Karen Spilka said. “I believe it is all of these things.”

Well put. We're the first state to keep attention riveted on climate by setting emissions limits every five years instead of every ten. The first state to mandate emissions sublimits on the most important sources of greenhouse gases — transportation, buildings, and electric power. The first state to overhaul the charter of its electric power and natural gas regulator to include, alongside price and system reliability, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

At the signing, the atmosphere was cordial. Still, peculiar. Why schedule this important ritual — putting the official touch on the most important climate legislation in Massachusetts in over a decade — on a Friday, at 2:30? Why issue no invitations to the advocacy organizations, despite the pivotal roles they played?

And why did Gov. Charlie Baker spend so much time saluting the valuable yet modest energy bills of years past, and so little time celebrating the law he had just signed?

I sense a problem, and I'm uneasy. I hope the governor is not toying with the idea of disregarding legislative intent by means of a pinched reading of the bill. That would not do. Most people could not give a hoot about keeping a scorecard on the Legislature and the Executive — who's winning and who's losing — but they do care about people in power following the law.

The administration needs to get with the program quickly. Next-Gen sets a number of deadlines:

• On July 1, Gov. Baker will have three new vacancies to fill — green building experts, all — on a reconstituted Board of Building Regulation and Standards, a low-profile entity with enormous sway over energy use in new construction.
• By July 15, 2021, the administration must set a first-ever greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for Mass Save, the popular home energy efficiency program.
• No later than July 1, 2022, the administration must adopt emissions limits and sublimits for the year 2025, together with a "comprehensive, clear and specific" plan for operating within them.
• By 21 months from now, the administration must develop and promulgate a new "municipal opt-in specialized stretch energy code" that includes "net zero building performance standards" and a definition of "net zero building."

This last one promises an ongoing battle. It's no secret the governor vetoed an earlier version of the climate bill on the prodding of builders and developers. Taking note of the increasing urgency of global warming, we responded to the pushback by doubling down on “net zero” in the version of the bill that became law.

My constituents have been instrumental in seeing to it that Massachusetts passed the most ambitious climate bill in the country, which is cause for celebration. Now we need to make sure it gets implemented well.

—State Sen. Michael Barrett, Assistant Majority Leader