2008 was a banner year for clean energy in Massachusetts and the charge continues in 2012. Clean Water Action, our members and local allies helped lead the charge for three 2008 laws, the Global Warming Solutions Act, Green Communities Act and Massachusetts Green Jobs Act, that brought great promise to the development of clean energy in our state. Since then, CWA has utilized community partnerships and legislative advocacy to ensure state targets are met and state programs benefit everyone in Massachusetts.

Green Justice Coalition
In order to meet ambitious state goals and mandates, every community in Massachusetts will need to mobilize and tap into this new clean energy wave. As a steering committee member of the the Green Justice Coalition (GJC), Clean Water Action plays an essential role in this endeavor. The GJC is a broad-based partnership that includes community groups, labor unions, environmental groups and religious leaders working to ensure that the promise of state energy reform becomes a reality for all--including the low-income communities of color that bear the brunt of pollution from the fossil fuel economy, host many of the draftiest, oldest and least energy efficient homes, and rarely have access to clean tech advances or new green jobs. For the most current GJC updates, check out the GJC Facebook and Blog. 

First Steps Toward The Green Justice Solution: Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency provides a win-win strategy to address the climate crisis and jumpstart an equitable and sustainable economic recovery. By retrofitting and weatherizing our homes, schools, offices and other buildings, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money on our energy bills, create local “green collar” jobs, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Energy efficiency is the cheapest form of energy, more than twice as cheap as today’s energy sources and three times as cheap as the average new power plant. Moreover, it will directly create 6.5 to 11 jobs per $1 million invested.

Energy Efficiency in Massachusetts
On October 27th, 2009 the state’s Energy Efficiency Advisory Council adopted a $1.4 billion multi-year energy efficiency plan that:

•    Cut global warming pollution
•    Created high-quality jobs in the state’s highest unemployment communities and
•    Provided up-front financing so that low and moderate income residents can save money and carry out deep energy efficiency retrofits on their homes
•    Piloted utility company funding for Community Mobilization Initiatives – intensive, door-to-door outreach campaigns that sign up hundreds of low and moderate income residents for high quality home retrofits. These programs have since launched in Chinatown and Chelsea, and proven successful in each community.
•    Ensured that retrofit contractors hired community residents for “good green jobs” with livable wages, benefits, and training for lifelong careers

In 2011, the GJC decided to push forward legislation that would fix key flaws in the current system. At the moment, neither ratepayers nor key decision-makers have sufficient information to track the effectiveness of these programs that are costing ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars on their utility bills. This legislation would require utility companies to report data such as the amount spent per household, energy saved per measure, and basic job creation figures. This legislation, sponsored by Sen. James Eldrige and Rep. Carl Sciortino, was merged with an oil heat bill and was subsequently reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy (TUE) in early 2012. Text of the current bill can be found here.  

Ongoing Advocacy

As figures from successful pilots come in, and the state works towards a new 3-year energy plan, the Green Justice Coalition continues to fight for equitable access to energy efficiency programs. Specifically, the GJC has issued five Green Justice Demands:

• Marketing plans and budgets for the State's energy efficiency programs should include innovative
  community-driven strategies
• Low cost pre-weatherization measures should be funded by
  current programs for lower-moderate income ratepayers. 
• Rebates for low-to-moderate income residents under the current system should be adjusted to remove (financial and other) barriers to participation and help the state meet its climate goals.
• The State should account for avoided costs to the public as part of the
  overall cost-effectiveness measure of its programs. 
• Commercial and industrial programs should incorporate lessons from (successes and failures of) residential programs. 

For more information on this campaign and how to get involved in your community, contact Alex Papali (apapali@cleanwater.org) or Cindy Luppi (cluppi@cleanwater.org), or call our Boston office at 617-338-8131.

---

Information on Current Massachusetts Law:

* The Global Warming Solutions Act mandates a long-term plan of action to reduce global warming pollution in Massachusetts up to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050. 

* The Green Communities Act,
a comprehensive shift in energy policy in Massachusetts that puts the spotlight on energy efficiency and approximately triples current programs, removes barriers and strengthens incentives for the development of renewable energy like wind and solar, and encourages green building design through updates in codes, training and assistance.

* The Massachusetts Green Jobs Act provides grant money to stimulate clean energy companies, create green jobs and provide job training programs to help provide all people with access to new green jobs.