We Know What You Did Last Thursday
Despite the MA Senate’s insistence on bold Omnibus Energy Bill, energy legislation hangs in the balance in the House
that provided a vehicle for Massachusetts to goo 100% renewable by 2050, address dysfunction at the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), officially ban a pipeline tax, remove caps on net metering, set targets for energy storage systems, boosts municipal light programs and more (see Summary of S.479).
But the House has declined accepting the bill, opting to bandy its own energy legislation around like a ball, with house leadership eventually scuttling most of the clean energy measures supported by at least Representatives.
Judy Eddy’s interviews with Allan Fierce and Jane Winn, and Richie Davis’ article from the Greenfield Recorder outline how that all went down on Thursday, July 12.
Audible Café with Judy Eddy
Allan Fierce & Jane Winn on the (Dysfunctional) Massachusetts Legislature
Summary from the Audible Café blog:
"Climate change, environmental concerns, and social justice inequalities dictate that we need to QUICKLY move Massachusetts (and the world) to a sustainable energy future not dependent on fossil fuels. The future is in clean, renewable energy sources like solar and wind and geothermal power to heat and cool our living spaces and generate electricity. But the majority of the Massachusetts House of Representatives does not act in a way that demonstrates they believe in the urgency of this pivotal moment in history.
Perhaps more disturbing is the dysfunction and undemocratic procedures and processes of the Commonwealth's legislature that are revealed in these interviews."
» Hundreds protest energy legislation on Beacon Hill
By Richie Davis, Greenfield Recorder
July 20, 2018
“There are only about 12 days left (now 8, the legislative session ends July 31) to pass something significant in formal session, so it’s important that legislators, like myself, who really care about this are going to advocate to the conference committee that we want the strongest bill possible. It’s good for constituents and for voters to be advocating now. This is crunch time, when we’re going to have a final product very soon.” ~ Rep. Paul Mark
AT THE STATE HOUSE:
We are planning a series of vigils next week outside the offices of the conference committee members who are failing to act on climate and immigration:
◦ Monday from 12-1pm
◦ Tuesday from 11-12pm (there will also be an Immigrant Rights vigil from 12-1:30)
◦ Wednesday from 12-1pm
◦ Thursday from 12-5pm (culminating in a HUGE mobilization)
Click here to fill out your availability for vigil spots. And feel free to sign up for more than one if you can!Be sure to tag Speaker De Leo, Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, and Rep. Tom Golden on social media with the hashtag #WhyWeWontRest. Add pictures of your loved ones, and show them we won’t stop until we have change.
In the meantime, the march for
gas expansion continues …
All this is happening while Tennessee Gas moves ahead on obtaining permits for its segments of the Columbia Gas expansion (2 miles of pipeline loop and compressor station expansion in Agawam) and Berkshire Gas petitions the DPU for a rate hikethat, among other things, would fund its storage expansion in Whately and LP facilities in Greenfield (already approved in DPU docket #17-GSEP-02).
The comment period for the Rate Case ends July 31, 2018, with one last hearing tonight in Pittsfield. (See Notice of Filing for info on how to submit comments electronically or by mail).
— Mass DPU Hearing on Berkshire Gas’s proposed rate hike.
Monday, July 23, 2018 — 7:00 p.m.
Berkshire Community College
Boland Theatre (Koussevitzky Building)
1350 West Street
Pittsfield, MA — Contact Logan to schedule a presentation for your community or group, or for any questions you have about MassSave or the new Solar Access program.
Logan Malik, No Fracked Gas in Mass Campaign Associate
lo...@thebeatnews.org
