Massachusetts Passes Pair of Environmentally-Conscious TBED Bills

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently signed two bills to improve the commonwealth's standing as a leader in environmental protection and to support the growth of the clean technology industry.  Supporters of the Global Warming Solutions Act and the Green Jobs Act believe that the legislation will position Massachusetts as a recognized center for cleantech policy and business.

Massachusetts will invest $68 million over the next five years to promote the clean energy industry through the Green Jobs Act. The bill establishes a new clean energy technology center as the lead agency, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, in the promotion and development of new jobs in the clean energy sector. Its mission will include funding research and workforce training, supporting new and existing clean energy businesses, attracting capital and fostering collaboration between the state's public and private research institutions.

The new center will offer up to $1 million in seed grants to clean energy companies, institutions or non-profits in 2009. An additional $1 million will be available for workforce development grants, and $100,000 may be allocated for a study of the state's clean energy sector.

The second bill, the Global Warming Solutions Act, creates a state and regional registry of greenhouse gas emissions. This data will be used to set an aggressive standard for reducing toxic emissions, culminating in a planned 80 percent reduction by 2050. State officials hope to use the act to stimulate the demand for clean energy technologies, while supporting the cleantech sector through the Green Jobs Act, to build a successful energy industry, according to a press release from the governor's office.

Earlier this month, legislators approved three other environmentally-oriented bills: 

• The Green Communities Act creates an auction system for hazardous emissions, requires utility companies to enter into 10-15 year contracts with renewable energy developers and brings energy efficiency programs into competitions with traditional power suppliers by requiring companies to invest in efficiency when it is as affordable as additional power supply. 
• The Oceans Act introduces a comprehensive management plan for the commonwealth's waters, including the development of wind, wave and tidal power.
• The Clean Energy Biofuels Act will spur the production and consumption of alternative fuels based on the recommendations of a year-long study by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Advanced Biofuels Task Force.  Measures include preferential tax treatment for non-corn-based alternative fuels and new standards for fuel and vehicles.

These bills, combined with the $1 billion Life Sciences Initiative and the $40 million Massachusetts Broadband Initiative (see the June 18, 2008 issue and the July 23, 2008 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest, respectively) represent a significant investment in Massachusetts TBED during this legislative session.

Read more about the bills at: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3modulechunk&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=terminalcontent&f=features_2008-08-14_green&csid=Agov