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6/19/24

We found out last week that the bill S.1319/H.2802, which would have returned more local control to our towns and cities to site solar, and it became battery storage as well, will not be considered this legislative session. We know that we had strong support from the bills' sponsors, and we we greatly appreciate their efforts. 

 

Thank you all for your letters of support and the wonderful and compelling hearing on the bills. We can try again next session. 

 

This leaves us with the courts and the Attorney General's Office having oversized roles in our municipalities. 

 

And now this week, politicians on Beacon Hill are moving very quickly to remove and/or expedite existing local control over the permitting and siting of energy facilities and infrastructure. 

 

A link to the new Senate climate bill is here:  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S2829

 

Amendments: Here are the amendments. Click on the number (on left) to see text: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S2829/Amendments/Senate

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What we have been hearing is this includes handing " green" energy" generating projects (solar, wind, anaerobic digestion), and maybe battery storage, over 25 MW to a revamped state energy siting board. That threshold is now 100 MW. We don't know why this is happening, but for sure it is good for someone, but not us.

 

We know there is consensus that battery storage systems over 100 MW will go to the restructured board.

 

A full Senate vote is due tomorrow, June 20. 

 

Your voice against the loss of local control is urgently needed.

 

Please call the offices of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House, as well as the offices of the chairpersons of the Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee (TUE). Send emails, too.

 

Your own state senator and representative need to hear from you, also. Ask all your friends to do the same.

 

Tell Beacon Hill you oppose any change in the rights of municipalities to oversee the locations and permitting of industrial solar and wind facilities, and associated transmission, distribution, and other infrastructure.

 

Say what your concerns are: here are a few 

 

          • No to taking siting away from us for large battery storage projects.

       

          • No to lowing the threshold for local permitting for energy generating projects from 100 MW to 25MW. 

 

          • No to rushing the towns through local permitting for energy generating projects.

 

          • No to additional problematic transmission lines and other infrastructure that could have negative impacts on:

            

                  - federally protected land and water such as Cape Cod National Seashore, Appalachian Trail, national wildlife refuges;

                 - state land including watersheds, state parks, state forests and wildlife management areas;

                 - permanently protected Massachusetts state lands such as reserves;

                 - wetlands and watersheds;

                 - municipal parks, forests, and other lands.

 

         • No to major energy development in Environmental Justice Communities.

               

              - We applaud your intention to  protect Environmental Justice Communities

 

              - (Important!) - We ask you to take leadership for less energy consumption overall, including outreach and education for measures we can all take during 

               our climate emergency.

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Please also ask your select board and planning board to send letters of opposition. Their letters will be very important, too.

 

Phone calls, emails, and letters can all be brief, just a sentence or two. 

 

In your emails, use as your subject line: I OPPOSE LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL!

 

Here is the contact information:

 

Senator Karen Spilka, Senate President

Phone: (617) 722-1500

Email: Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov

 

Representative Ronald Mariano, Speaker of the House

Phone: (617) 722-2500

Email: Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov

 

Senator Michael Barrett, Co-Chair, TUE

Phone: (617) 722-1572

Email: Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov

 

Representative Jeffrey Roy, Co-Chair, TUE

Phone: (617) 722-2030

Email: Jeffrey.Roy@mahouse.gov

 

To find the name and contact information for your state senator and representative, click here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

 

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