Sierra Club Statement on Massachusetts Senate Climate Bill

Boston, MA -  Today, the Massachusetts Senate released its climate bill, moving forward many policies the Sierra Club has been advocating for to advance clean energy and clean transportation.

The key provisions of the bill include:

• Establishing a $100 million fund for the MOR-EV rebate program and providing a $3,500 point-of-sale rebate for the purchase of an electric car or light-duty trucks (with an additional $1000 for trading in a gas-powered vehicle), with $4,500 for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;

• For the first time, used vehicles will qualify for the MOR-EV rebate program

• Codifying Governor Baker’s pledge for all vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035;

• Requiring the entire MBTA bus fleet to be electric by 2040, with no gas-powered purchases after 2028;

• Requiring emissions reduction targets for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft;

• Funding and coordinating an equitable electric vehicle charging network across the state;

• Enabling additional technologies, such as networked geothermal and nuclear fusion, to be eligible for state clean energy development support;

• Removing impediments to medium sized solar developments and teeing up a successor to the state’s SMART solar program that favors development in the built environment;

• Expanding the ability for “dual use” solar and agriculture projects to receive incentives;

• Limiting ratepayer-funded efficiency programs from incentivizing fossil fuel equipment starting in 2025;

• Mandating that the utility-controlled investigation into the “future of gas” receive additional scrutiny;

• Allowing 10 municipalities to pilot all-electric building construction;

• Preventing biomass facilities from receiving state clean energy incentives;

• Directing creation of a study into future energy storage needs;

• Banning competitive electricity suppliers, who often prey on the most vulnerable, from operating in Massachusetts.

Jess Nahigian, Political and Legislative Coordinator of Sierra Club Massachusetts, released the following statement:

“The Senate’s climate bill is an important step forward for many policies to clean up our air and act on climate change in Massachusetts. The legislation moves us forward in several areas where the Baker administration has attempted to delay progress on our state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.

“However, more robust policies across all sources of pollution are needed to fully tackle the climate crisis at the pace necessary. While we're glad that the bill heavily focuses on our highest emitting sector – transportation – Massachusetts building owners must be given better funding mechanisms and programs if the state is to meet its decarbonization goals for its second largest emissions sector, buildings. Additionally, the bill does nothing to fix the ongoing inequitable impacts of pollution and dirty energy infrastructure on Black and Brown communities. We look forward to working with the legislature to make sure these crucial elements of climate justice are not left out."

Veena Dharmaraj, Director of Transportation of the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter, released the following statement:

“The clean transportation policies in the Senate climate bill will drive a transition to 100% pollution-free cars, trucks, and buses in our state. We have been advocating for policies that decarbonize transportation for a long time and it is good to see funding allocated to deploy charging infrastructure. There is an urgent need to get cleaner vehicles on our roads and the  expanded funding for the MOR-EV rebate program, at the point of sale, will help families make the switch to electric vehicles.

“However, the Commonwealth should lead by example on electrification of state fleets. The Sierra Club urges the legislature to commit to a faster 2030 timeline for the electrification of the MBTA bus fleet and set interim targets for all publicly owned fleets to be electric by 2035. Our communities should not have to breathe dirty air from the state’s own fleets for decades.”

“We look forward to working with the legislature to ensure that the benefits of vehicle electrification reach communities most impacted by air pollution first and foremost. We have no time to waste to electrify all sizes of vehicles and encourage mobility options beyond dependence on personal vehicles.”