Massachusetts Chamber Leaders Briefed on Top 2020 Issues: Transportation, Resiliency, and Reliability

CICE’s Annual Policy Briefing on Top 2020 Issues:

Transportation, Resiliency, and Reliability

Last week over 60 Chamber Executives from across Massachusetts participated in CICE’s annual policy briefing hosted by the Greater Boston, Worcester Regional and Cape Cod Chambers of Commerce. The briefing call featured State Senator Marc Pacheco, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and the Environment Kathleen Theoharides, and Clean Energy Expert and former State Representative Dan Bosley all of whom spoke with local chamber executives and businesses about the state’s clean energy priorities and the potential impacts to local economic development, job creation, transportation and resiliency.

MA State Senator, Marc Pacheco

Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and the Environment, Kathleen Theoharides

Former State Representative, Dan Bosley

Senator Pacheco spoke about the bi-partisan commitment to help the Commonwealth become net zero by 2050, praised the pledge made in the Governor’s State of the State, and addressed the comprehensive climate legislation that passed the Senate in January. Of particular interest, he discussed Department of Public Utilities (DPU) oversight which will focus on utility reliability, affordability, public safety, cyber security, and GHG reductions. Senator Pacheco also talked about increased oversight of Mass Save which is set to prioritize the expansion of programs with the most potential for energy savings, including commercial and industrial. Additionally, the senator touched on new renewable energy pilots, electrification of public transit, appliance standards, and low income solar mentioned in the Senate’s legislation. To learn more about the state Senate’s climate legislation check out WBUR and Boston Globe articles.

Secretary Theoharides spoke about transportation challenges in the Commonwealth, the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), and the administration’s clean energy priorities. Specifically, she outlined the impact TCI will have on transportation infrastructure and electrification as well as Massachusetts’ commitment to the regional initiative which is expected to reduce emissions and also generate revenue for needed infrastructure updates. Massachusetts aims to be a leader, with Theoharides sharing “We will be updating our targets and plans to incorporate the Governor’s new net zero goal. We not only want to attain the targets but also model best practices and solutions.”

Clean energy expert and former Representative, Dan Bosley, addressed the Greenworks bill that passed the House last year. Greenworks offers $1 billion for cities and towns to use for climate adaptation and recognizes the importance of resiliency. Said Bosley, “Greenworks can help address climate and business impacts, and businesses will face higher costs unless we do something about climate change. The good news is that people are doing something about it, and this resiliency bill, if spent well, could lead to innovation that results in significant economic growth.”

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In addition to the policy experts, the chamber co-hosts shared their respective clean energy priorities:

“We focus a lot on environmental stewardship at home and in businesses. As a chamber, we want to increase clean energy jobs (which we believe is critical to economic development and resiliency); expand our local transportation infrastructure (which will reduce congestion, emissions, and improve our economy); and work with utilities and state agencies to address the challenges faced by our businesses.”

-Tim Murray

Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce

“Offshore wind remains an important issue for us as it puts us at the forefront of this exciting clean energy industry. This year we hosted the Cape’s first EV Car Show, supported a pilot program for large energy storage sites in more remote areas, advocated for improved public transportation, and our board members are asking us to be more engaged in climate action and resiliency.” 

-Wendy Northcross,

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce

“We think about climate change in four categories: the clean energy industry and growth of jobs; the broader responsibility the business community has for climate readiness; how we adapt and respond knowing there are tradeoffs and costs of implementing tactics for alleviating climate change into our operations; and lastly the connectedness between these and other climate related issues like transportation/congestion and housing.”

-Jim Rooney

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Local Chambers respond to House Speaker DeLeo's Call to be Part of the Solution

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, APRIL 11, 2019

Responding to the House speaker's call for the business community to involve itself in the debate over the needs of the state's transportation system, two dozen business groups have banded together to promote a statewide agenda for transportation.

The Massachusetts Business Coalition on Transportation (MBCT) said its formation comes as traffic and congestion get worse and riders demand more reliable public transportation service. The group was also formed in response to "the business community's dissatisfaction with the current pace of improvements to our state's transportation systems and services."

Jim Rooney

Tim Murray

Wendy Northcross

The coalition, which includes about two dozen organizations, will be chaired by Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Tim Murray, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross and Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council CEO Richard Sullivan.

"Transportation, and particularly public transportation, is a critical component to Greater Boston's, and indeed the state's, talent and workforce strategy, housing crisis strategy, economic opportunity efforts, climate resiliency, and our commitment to improving the overall quality of life for the people who live and work in Massachusetts," Rooney said. "It's time for a united voice from the business community that can be a powerful driver of progress."

Business groups have increasingly decried the Boston area's public transportation woes as a hindrance to business growth. Traffic and congestion on the roads make for long and frustrating commutes by car, and the unpredictable nature of public transportation frequently makes workers late to their jobs.

In February, A Better City released a report detailing a $8.4 billion shortfall in revenues needed to ensure state roads, bridges and MBTA infrastructure are in a state of good repair over the next 10 years.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo has been beating the drum to get chambers of commerce and other business groups more involved in discussions around transportation infrastructure and financing, and has said he is open to tax hikes or just about any other prescription to address the state's critical transit needs.

The MBCT said its work will build off of the work of the Commission on the Future of Transportation launched by Gov. Charlie Baker and that its "conversations around new revenues for transportation initiatives will be coordinated with the efforts of Senate President Karen Spilka's working group charged with examining the state's revenue sources."

Murray, the former Worcester mayor and lieutenant governor, said the MBCT's goal is "to provide pathways including possible funding mechanisms on how to create a state-of-the-art transportation system across Massachusetts."

The group said its members feel a responsibility to engage with government and to help identify possible solutions to transportation issues, "particularly when it comes to issues like public/private partnerships, workforce scheduling and applications of technology as well as sharing expertise on complex issues of financing, governance and management, contracting, and project delivery."

In its announcement, the MBCT said it has already met twice to formulate its mission and to discuss transportation policy as it works to set a more concrete agenda.

By Colin A. Young
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

https://www.statehousenews.com/email/a/2019643?key=56fb26

MA Chambers Get High-Powered Briefing from Energy Secretary Matt Beaton and State Senator Marc Pacheco

Lots of information was shared on the recent briefing call with MA policymakers, here's a re-cap:

A large group of Chamber Executives and member companies from across Massachusetts joined our recent briefing call co-hosted by the Greater Boston and Worcester Regional Chambers of Commerce. On the call, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environment Matt Beaton and State Senator Marc Pacheco talked with local chambers and member companies about the Commonwealth's priorities for economic development, clean energy, resilient communities, transportation infrastructure, and workforce readiness.

Sec. Matthew Beaton, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Secretary Beaton told local chambers about the Administration's participation in the 9-state regional Transportation and Climate Initiative. He emphasized that "the Commonwealth is proud to partner with Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to explore a program to protect the health of our residents and build a more resilient and sustainable transportation system for the next generation." To learn more please see  Resilient Transportation System 

Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton)

Senator Marc Pacheco unveiled his bi-partisan renewable energy bill An Act to Secure a Clean Energy Future (SD 757). This bi-partisan bill calls for expanding offshore wind; Increasing the growth of renewable energy to 3% per year which will put MA on track for 50% renewable energy by 2030; doubling the state's target for energy storage; more and better rebates for electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charges; and allowing homeowners that have installed solar panels to sell their excess electric power back to the grid (via credits on their bill) without penalty (this is referred to as net-metering). To learn more about SD 757 see Commonwealth Magazine and MA Bills

Resilient Communities - Supported by Governor, Legislators, and Local Chambers

We also learned that there is a lot of support for helping communities become more resilient as they experience more extreme weather events.

We heard about a new proposal by MA House Speaker Robert DeLeo called the  GreenWorks Resilient Communities Investment Plan to fund community efforts to install solar grids, electric vehicle charging stations, resiliency infrastructure, and more. 

Speaker DeLeo isn't alone in his quest to fund resiliency. Last month Governor Baker unveiled a proposal to raise money for resilient communities. See Gov Baker makes resilient communities a priority 

Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy will continue to update you on clean energy developments in the Bay State.  

If you are interested in becoming more involved in any of the above discussions (offshore wind, EVs, resilient communities, the transportation initiative, storage, net metering, renewable energy, energy efficiency), please contact Diane Doucette at Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy or Tom Bullock. Jess Bergman will be out on maternity leave until July 2019.