Important….Please Read

Barnstable MA

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Do you remember David Ismay, the Baker administration’s $130,000-a-year climate change undersecretary? Ismay’s infamous comments can be watched here. Ismay was recorded telling a group of Vermont based climate advocates that, in order for Massachusetts to lower its carbon emissions, the state needs to “break their will” and “turn the screws on” on ordinary people to force changes in their consumption of heating fuels and gasoline. Ismay described the ordinary people as the “person across the street” and the “senior on fixed income” and closed his statement by noting that, “I can’t even say that publicly.” Although Ismay resigned shortly after these comments were said out loud, his legacy is about to take shape in Massachusetts. That “nation leading” climate bill passed earlier this year that we’ve continually warned about is finally showing its ugly head. And this is just the beginning. Under the new law, Massachusetts must be operating at net-zero emissions by 2050. The law requires the Governor’s office to set interim limits for 2025, 2035 and 2045, and to set sublimits every five years for different sectors of the economy including: • electric power • transportation • commercial and industrial heating and cooling • residential heating and cooling • industrial processes • natural gas distribution and service The first deadline for the Governor’s office to produce a plan and emissions limits for 2025 is due July of next year. That means the legislature is seeing a flurry of bills in hearings presented as solutions to hit these self-imposed limits. What we don’t hear them talking about is the cost to Massachusetts residents. The last thing lawmakers want you to think about is how much will this cost the “person across the street,” and the “senior on fixed income.” It appears they plan to go after the lower hanging fruit first; in Massachusetts, commercial and residential buildings consume 54 percent of the energy used annually. Broken down, oil or gas use in buildings accounts for about 27 percent of statewide greenhouse gas emissions and 17 percent of emissions come from building electricity use. Governor Baker recently used executive orders to form a new Commission on Clean Heat, to focus on how to lower emissions from heating buildings. The commission will look at "financing mechanisms” aka taxes and fees, “incentives” which you will pay for and “other regulatory options including a framework for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from heating fuels," according to the Baker administration. This is one of the first steps toward the state passing new regulations in order to “break our will” and “turn the screws” on ordinary people. As we learn more details, we will keep you updated and call on you to be heard. It’s so important you understand now how important this fight will be and what is at stake, our future.