Massachusetts' Green Communities Act

MMA had this to say about the recently passed legislation:

Legislature enacts energy reform bill
Thursday, June 26 2008
The House and Senate have approved and sent to the governor a ground-breaking energy reform bill, the Green Communities Act.

The bill’s intent is to increase energy efficiency, update the renewable energy portfolio standard, increase public oversight of utilities, increase service quality of power companies, assist low-income energy customers, and increase the use of renewable generation and energy efficiency products.

After several months of negotiations over differences in House and Senate versions of the bill, the Senate approved a compromise bill (S. 2768) Tuesday, and the House approved it today.

House and Senate leaders struck language that would have preempted Home Rule authority with respect to the siting of certain clean energy facilities. Instead, the bill would establish a study commission that may make recommendations on the siting of such facilities.

The bill would establish a Green Communities program. A city or town that qualifies as a “green community” would be eligible for grants and loans to advance energy efficiency activities. Such assistance would be capped at $10 million per year and would principally be derived from funds generated by cap and trade pollution control programs, a mandatory kilowatt-hour charge on consumer bills, and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund.

In order to qualify as a “green community,” a city or town would have to:

• Provide as-of-right siting for renewable or alternative energy facilities in self-designated areas

• Adopt a streamlined permitting process to site such facilities

• Establish an energy use baseline inventory for municipal buildings and vehicles and reduce the baseline by 20 percent over five years

• Purchase fuel-efficient vehicles when available and practicable

• Require new residential and commercial construction to minimize, to the extent feasible, the life-cycle cost of the facility through energy efficiency and renewable and alternative energy technologies

The Green Communities program would be administered by the Division of Green Communities within a new Department of Energy Resources under the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.

The division would serve as the principal contact between the state and municipalities on all energy-related matters under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy Resources.The energy bill would also:

• Allow municipalities to construct, own and operate small renewable generation facilities to help control their energy bills

• Establish a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Trust Fund to provide funds for the Green Communities program, to provide interest-free loans for for energy efficiency projects in municipalities that do not qualify as a “green community,” and to reimburse communities for property tax losses due to mandates of the Greenhouse Gas Initiative or the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions for electric generating stations

• Authorize municipal light plants to establish a “renewable energy charge” and enter into the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund so customers may be eligible for grants from the fund for renewable energy projects

• Require local building inspectors to have a general knowledge of the energy requirements as part of the International Energy Conservation Code

• Establish several new processes for state and local entities to pursue solar energy and to procure energy management services for projects less than $100,000

• Allow communities to consider areas designated for Class I renewable energy facilities as a factor in designating a Economic Target Area

• Requires the Division of Green Communities to develop a competitive bidding process for the procurement of renewable or alternative electric generation for “green communities”

• Revise processes for state and local entities to procure energy management services

• Extend the financing term for municipalities for efficiency, alternative, or renewable improvements from 10 to 20 years

• Establish a special commission (with participation by the MMA) to investigate the development of “green building initiatives”

• Establish a special commission (with participation by the MMA) to make recommendations to improve the process by which a city or town may establish and operate a municipal-owned electric utility.

By MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Matthew G. Feher

Energy, Alternatives and RMI

Amory Lovins, co-founder of Rocky Mountain Institute, long known for being ahead of his time in energy issues and solutions, has an email newsletter available and wide-ranging information on the site.

The recent collaboration with the City of Cambridge to achieve energy saving goals are impressive.

Links available below are worth consideration:

City of Cambridge Pushes Energy Efficiency to New Level
RMI Helps the “City of Squares” Cut Greenhouse-Gas Emissions and Use Less Energy

By Natalie Mims

As the “going green” trend grows, local, state, and big-city governments are joining the movement that smart developers and forward-thinking corporations have been leading. Regional and city climate-change initiatives are mounting, and efforts to cut energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions have become as varied and individualistic as the communities themselves. Recently, RMI worked with one Massachusetts city on its energy and greenhouse-gas reductions efforts. RMI

Winning the Oil Endgame, Round 2

In spring 2004, when RMI was writing Winning the Oil Endgame a peer reviewed roadmap for getting the United States completely off oil by the 2040s—the government forecast that oil in 2025 would cost $26 a barrel. By the time we published the study in September 2004, the actual price was nearly $40. Today, with prices pushing through $110, the solutions to America’s oil addiction are worth almost three times as much—conservatively assuming, as WTOE did, that oil’s hidden costs to security, climate, etc. are worth zero. RMI

Examine their site and consider subscribing to their email:
Rocky Mountain Institute

Some might ask: Where is Middleboro?

Soaring Energy Prices: Is Middleboro Immune?

The loss of value of the dollar caused by the federal deficit, flawed tax policy of VooDoo economics and a staggering trade deficit will continue to force oil/energy prices higher.

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The Sacramento Bee just posted the following with more to follow from other sources:

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Oil hits another record high as dollar drops to record low
Oil prices hit all-time highs above $115 a barrel Thursday with reports that oil and gasoline stocks in the United States were lower than expected and as the dollar hit record lows. Read More
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And what has Middleboro done to reduce municipal energy consumption?

Middleboro and Energy Savings: Are we even asking?

The following article was published in November 2007 reporting energy savings by the Taunton School System:

School district energy savings plan coming to fruition

By Gerry Tuoti, Staff Writer
GateHouse News Service
Posted Nov 07, 2007 @ 10:25 PM
TAUNTON —
The school district’s energy program is conserving electricity and saving considerable money, district Energy Manager Matthew Stellar told the School Committee Tuesday.“We hope to achieve a savings of 25 percent over the current year,” he said. “We’re currently on pace for that.”Over the past seven months, the district has realized a $570,000 savings for utilities, Stellar said. The district spent $2.7 million on utilities, but would have had to spend $3.2 million without the energy program. Taunton Gazette

MTC offers Community Energy Opportunities. Their 45 page pdf report includes:

K-12 Schools & College
Residence Halls
- Energy costs are second only
to salaries for many school
districts
- About 30% of energy used is
“waste” energy, from system
inefficiencies
- Low-cost measures can reduce
energy bills by 10% or more;
other investments can yield 25-
30% savings

Government Office Buildings &
Courthouses
-10% of a government agency’s
operating budget is spent on energy
(source: DOE)
- About 30% of energy used is “waste”
energy, from system inefficiencies

If Middleboro's town budget is ~ $ 60 Million, what could we save?

Tilting at wind mills? #2

Rising energy costs are sucking the vitality out of the economy and Middleboro's budget.

Any discussion of improving the local economy or the Massachusetts economy needs to consider what others are doing.

There's revenue to be generated in local green projects, local green businesses and attracting those businesses, coupled with conservation.

Taunton Schools saved ~ $500K with energy conservation alone. What could Middleboro accomplish?

The following is an assortment of energy and environment related articles:

New Record: Wind Powers 40% Of Spain

Wind power is breaking new records in Spain, accounting for just over 40 percent of all electricity consumed during a brief period last weekend. As heavy winds lashed Spain on Saturday evening wind parks generated 9,862 megawatts of power which translated to 40.8 percent of total consumption. Between Friday and Sunday wind power accounted for an average of 28 percent of all electricity demand in Spain. Spain’s wind power generation equaled that of hydropower for the first time in 2007. ENN
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Green Towers In Malaysia Modeled After Fleet Of Ships
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Slab of Antarctic ice shelf collapses amid warming

By Will DunhamWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Satellite images show that a large hunk of Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf has started to collapse in a fast-warming region of the continent, scientists said on Tuesday.The area of collapse measured about 160 square miles of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, according to satellite imagery from the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center.The Wilkins Ice Shelf is a broad sheet of permanent floating ice that spans about 5,000 square miles (13,000 square km) and is located on the southwest Antarctic Peninsula about 1,000 miles south of South America. ENN
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Low Impact Living.com Launches Groundbreaking Household Environmental Impact Calculator & Rating System

LOS ANGELES (March 20, 2008)— Low Impact Living.com, the largest green home improvement site online, has launched a groundbreaking new Household Environmental Impact Calculator and rating system. These tools will help Americans understand their environmental impacts and chart a course to a more eco-friendly home and lifestyle. (Please see the calculator at www.lowimpactliving.com) ENN
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The tool also provides is insight into the economics of green projects.

“Many consumers have no idea that in many states they can get $5,000 in incentives to put up solar panels, or that they can buy green power from their utility,” said Jessica Jensen, Co-founder of Low Impact Living, Inc. “We help consumers understand the costs and incentives for green projects so that they can take informed environmental action.”About www.LowImpactLiving.com

Low Impact Living.com is the largest green home improvement site online. We teach consumers how to make their homes and lives more eco-friendly, and then help them find the best green products and local service providers. ####

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Keep Green Going

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Boston Seeing Green This Fall

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Sharp to make solar power storage batteries: report

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Sharp to spend Y100 bln on solar cell plant: report
TOKYO (Reuters) - Sharp Corp will spend close to 100 billion yen ($882.9 million) to build the world's largest solar cell factory in Japan, Chairman Katsuhiko Machida was quoted by the Nikkei business daily as saying.
The plant will be built next to Sharp's LCD panel factory currently under construction in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.
It will produce thin-film solar cells, which use less silicon than conventional cells, starting in fiscal 2009, the Nikkei said in its Saturday edition.

Lazy folks?

Has anyone noticed that whatever question or issue I raise regarding Middleboro and the function of the Town or the Board of Selectmen, there's a contingent of Nattering Nabobs of Negativity and Management by Hysteria who assure you, the taxpayer and the one who pays the bills that IT'S BEEN TAKEN CARE OF!

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Rest easy on your pillow, THEY'VE taken care of it! Whatever your wish or your concern......oh, that silly matter of the $500 deductible on town insured vehicles? Taken care of! An audit of those +212 items that are insured? Taken care of! You don't have an answer or a resolution. Maybe you're too lazy to ask the questions. Afterall, it's only your money.

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Some of us watch the daily increase in the price of oil and it's pretty staggering with no indication of a temporary levelling.

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By this Tuesday, the price of oil had crested above $109 a barrel, more than doubling since 2005, and a gallon of regular was already averaging $3.22 at U.S. gas pumps with the latest price leaps yet to register. Estimates for oil at $130 a barrel this year and $150 in 2009 are now common. Something else had changed as well -- the mood of the Saudis and the leaders of many other petro-powers. LINK

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Other municipalities have been pro-active in addressing energy consumption, but not so Middleboro.

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The issue has been raised and the Nattering Nabobs of Negativity and Management by Hysteria dismiss the issue with the same contempt of the pat on the head and THEY'VE TAKEN CARE OF IT! THEY'VE made sure municipal energy consumption has been reduced. How? Well, they can't tell you. And that Town Hall? No insulation? Not to worry!

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Tiring of hearing the non-factual nonsense about municipal energy use in Middleboro, I requested the energy consumption in the same fashion that you receive on your monthly G&E bill by first sending an email to the G&E and asking whether I should request that information from them in the desired format or from the Town Clerk.

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Receiving no response, I requested the information from the Town Clerk, as Keeper of Public Records, in writing, who in turn forwarded my written request to the G&E.

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Since NO ONE in the history of Middleboro, it would seem, has requested the energy consumption information, a TIZZY was successfully created.

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The initial response from the G&E indicates an exemption from public records statutes and much else.

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The estimate provided by the Town Clerk indicates the cost to provide the requested information is $2,789.20. Clearly, there are municipal energy bills that might be included within this estimate that are of no interest.

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The public records request will be narrowed to the municipal buildings of interest, beginning with the Town Hall and re-submitted.

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Of greater concern is the willingness of some to dismiss a valid question regarding municipal expenses out of laziness. It seems that when the G&E bills are paid by the Town Accountant, they are not charged to a department or building, but rather simply paid. Department heads are not accountable for their energy consumption or reduction. This is much the same issue raised regarding the vehicle insurance costs.

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At what point do we decide the pat answers don't work any longer and we need to continue to ask questions?

Energy Resources #2

Cape Cod Today has consistently posted a great deal of pertinent energy information and the following is offered for those who might have overlooked the article:

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Tapping the source

The power of the oceans
A key feature is that the turbines use technology and components developed from the wind industry, that already exist and that have been developed over the last 20 years. It is only the support structure that is truly new and innovative.Last year I came across the story of Dutch company Kema and their energy island idea - basically a variant on the usual pumped hydro energy storage concept where water is pumped out of a space below sea level then allowed to flow back in, generating power as it does. The "island" uses wind power to pump water out of the enclosed area. An obvious extension to this idea would be to harness ocean energy as well - letting wave and/or tidal power supplement the output of the wind turbines. An attraction of this concept is that it potentially allows a large amount of new energy storage to be brought online - and this storage would be along the world's coastlines, where most of the population lives....
In the United States, at the southern end of the Bay of Fundy, lies Passamaquoddy Bay, which has long been a target for a tidal power development - first initiated in 1935 by the Public Works Administration under the Roosevelt administration, then halted by Congress a year later. John F Kennedy revived the 550 MW project in 1963, however the plan died with him (spawning one of the stranger JFK assassination conspiracy theories I have come across).
Further south, in the Martha's Vineyard area, two underwater turbine projects are trying to get started - one a 300 MW proposal from Oceana Energy Company and the other from Natural Currents Energy Services. Other projects are being considered in the Cape Cod and New Bedford areas - part of a "gold rush" for good tidal power sites (the most desirable ones usually have hourglass figures, to get maximum force in the incoming tide) which has seen the FERC issue 47 preliminary permits for ocean energy projects (and generated mainstream news coverage on the NBC network)... The Oil Drum.

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American Solar Energy Society offers free email updates and RESOURCES.

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Environment Massachusetts posted the following:

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Global Warming Solutions News
For Immediate Release:03/06/2008
For More Information:

Contact Ben Wright(617) 747-4313

Environment Massachusetts praises the Senate for passing the Global Warming Solutions Act
Boston-

Today the Senate passed landmark global warming legislation that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from the Commonwealth by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

The bill, The Global Warming Solutions Act, was filed by Senator Marc Pacheco (Taunton) at the beginning of this session and approved by the Joint Committee on Agriculture the Environment and Natural Resources in November.
“I applaud the Senate for setting us on course to avoid the worst effects of global warming,“ said Ben Wright, global warming advocate for Environment Massachusetts, “with this vote the Senate has shown their commitment to making Massachusetts a leader in visionary environmental policy. LINK

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Make it happen by Earth Day!
The Massachusetts Senate passed a landmark bill to reduce our greenhouse gases emissions 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. But it's not over yet -- now we need to pass our global warming bill in the House.
Please ask your state representative to work to pass this landmark bill by Earth Day. ACTION

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And don't forget to ask the Middleboro Selectmen what actions they're taking to reduce municipal energy consumption.

More Wind Mills or Hot Air?

The facts are abundantly clear.
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Scientists around the world are telling you that you've waited too long to address global warming and the changes will be catastrophic.

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At best, it appears we can only HOPE to moderate the impacts to retain a planet fit for humans.

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Climate Code Red - The New Denial And The Failure Of Democracy
By Bill Henderson
21 February, 2008

Countercurrents.org
A new report based upon state of the art science argues convincingly that climate change is a much more serious and immediate problem than previously perceived by even informed publics - climate change is an emergency that requires urgent mitigation measures not presently possible in our political and economic systems.
No major media outlet acknowledges let alone critiques or comments upon or otherwise covers the report. None. Not AP nor Reuters; not either ABC nor BBC. Ditto the NY Times, Wash Post, Guardian, Le Monde, Asahi Shimbun or the South China Morning Post. Not one major news agency, paper, TV or radio outlet so much as acknowledges the existence of a report on a subject that is life and death for humanity and most of the species with which we presently share creation on this small blue planet.

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Computer modeling was inaccurate at best and now has been proven to be extremely conservative about the rapidity of changes and effects.

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CapeCodToday reports, curiously buried beneath an ESPN story:

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UN report: Climate changes threatens vital fishing grounds
Overfishing, pollution and climate change are combining to create a deadly environment for commercial fish stocks, according to a new report from the United Nations. The report (In Dead Water), released today from the U.N. Environment Program, found a grim confluence of events. The researchers found that climate change is compounding other problems, like pollution and overfishing, as rising temperatures lead to coral bleaching and shifts in ocean currents that harm the ocean habitat on which fish depend.

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Other nations that have gotten the message are aggressively moving forward to address the issue:

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Centrica mulls huge offshore windfarms investment
All UK homes could be wind powered by 2020: govt
Britain plans big move towards wind power: paper
Largest Ever Wind Turbine Deal Signed
Ireland gives support package for wind farm growth
By Pete Harrison
LONDON (Reuters) - British Gas parent company Centrica said on Thursday it was evaluating a potential multi-billion pound increase in investment in renewable energy, largely targeted at offshore turbines.
The move would help Britain achieve ambitious goals of producing 33 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2020, enough to power every UK home, at an overall cost of around 70 billion pounds ($136 billion).

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Ponderous tomes have been written about Peak Oil, and some among us still convince ourselves the supply is endless. A google search provides endless information for those who doubt.

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Exxon, while enjoying breathtaking profits, has yet to pay for damages caused by the Exxon Valdez and recent oil spills continued to create comparable environmental destruction that are largely ignored.

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So it is with great puzzlement that opposition to Cape Wind or ANY wind farm is viewed as meaningful.

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It certainly seems that the obstruction of the views of certain wealthy residents is carefully cloaked in a variety of issues.

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Rep. Quinn had this to say (emphasis mine):
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Quinn: Sneaky maneuvers could harm ocean sanctuaries

By John F. Quinn, Local columnist
The MetroWest Daily News
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The Massachusetts Ocean Sanctuaries Act was designed to prevent development in Massachusetts state waters in order to avert destruction of environmental habitat and to protect natural resources. It also helps make Massachusetts one of the most attractive destinations for tourists from all over the country. From Newburyport to Cape Cod, Duxbury to Buzzards Bay, people are attracted to the beautiful coastline to boat, swim and spend quality time with their families.

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Last week, however, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a version of the Ocean Management Act which I believe was a Trojan horse to slip through a massive change in the Ocean Sanctuaries Act without public input and without a public hearing. This change was opposed by the Conservation Law Foundation, the Audubon Society and the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, due to the devastation it may bring to the coastline. The change would allow large scale renewable energy facilities to be constructed in ocean sanctuaries in Massachusetts state waters.

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CapeCodToday provided this (emphasis mine):

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Currently only traditional energy facilities are allowed in state waters.

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This appears to mean a DIRTY COAL-FIRED power plant can be constructed in coastal waters without restraint, but not wind.

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One must wonder why the OPPOSITION isn't proclaiming TIDAL WAVE POWER to protect the view (lessons in physics aside).

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To make the argument of a personal relationship betraying the House Speaker position leaves one to shrug and define the issue as 'Politics as usual in the Commonwealth.'

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Were you asked your opinion about accepting the bonding burden for the BIG DIG and the long term repair and maintenance costs?

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Is it truly any different to allow DIRTY ENERGY composed of multi-nationals to construct a plant?

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UCS had this to say about DIRTY COAL:

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Coal generates 54% of our electricity, and is the single biggest air polluter in the U.S.

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A typical (500 megawatt) coal plant burns 1.4 million tons of coal each year. There are about 600 U.S. coal plants. Coal pollutes when it is mined, transported to the power plant, stored, and burned. Click on the pictures above left to see more about the kinds of environmental damage caused by coal.

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UCS had this to say of the pending ENERGY LEGISLATION:

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Support Clean Energy in Massachusetts
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Strong energy legislation can help reduce global warming pollution, save consumers money, increase our energy independence, and keep our air and water clean. The Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives have each passed comprehensive energy bills. Each bill contains provisions supported by the Union of Concerned Scientists and our allies—including good efficiency and renewable energy provisions. But neither bill contains all the best provisions. As a conference committee begins to reconcile the two versions of the bill, we are working to ensure that the final version is the strongest possible, and we need your help.

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Please call and urge your senator and representative to contact the conferees about including the strongest provisions of the house and senate bills.

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At a certain point, we all need to recognize where our priorities lie and to speak out.

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Do you have an opinion?

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Let it be known.

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Rep. Thomas J. Calter

Rep.ThomasCalter@Hou.State.MA.US

617 722-2305

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Rep. Stephen R. Canessa

Rep.StephenCanessa@Hou.State.MA.US

617 722-2460

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Rep. William M. Straus

Rep.WilliamStraus@Hou.State.MA.US

617 722-2320

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Senator Marc R. Pacheco
Marc.Pacheco@state.ma.us

617 722-1551

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And don't forget to ask the Middleboro Selectmen what they're doing about energy consumption and alternatives.

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Peter Kenney had this to say about the Cape Cod Commission.