Sierra Club Applauds Mayor Walsh’s Next Step toward Implementation Of CCE

BOSTON, MA --  Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced today that the City of Boston will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on August 27 for submissions from consulting firms to assist the City’s development, implementation, and administration, of a municipal electricity aggregation program. 

This program would allow the city to procure electricity at a “group” rate that would give Boston residents and businesses cheaper electricity with a higher percentage of local renewably sourced power. Through this aggregation program, the city will increase it’s investments in local, renewable energy through solar and wind.

Submissions to the RFQ are due on October 10, 2018.

In response, Massachusetts Sierra Club Interim Chapter Director Deb Pasternak and Boston Community Organizer Michele Brooks issued the following statements:

“We are glad to see this next step taken in the implementation of Community Choice Energy (CCE), which was approved unanimously by the Boston City Council almost a year ago.” said Pasternak. “CCE will boost the amount of renewable energy being used by Boston residents and businesses, keeping energy dollars here in our region, and expanding the growth of local, good-paying jobs.”

“This year alone Boston has suffered record breaking flooding and storm surges,” noted Brooks. “We welcome this announcement as meaningful progress towards the implementation of Community Choice Energy. Yet as the Walsh administration is still approving millions of square feet of new development without mandating climate mitigation or resiliency; we are hopeful that this action signals the Walsh Administration will start truly leading when it comes to protecting Boston residents and communities from climate change.”