Our Advocacy Approach

Massachusetts stands at the dawn of a “climatech” revolution that will allow the commonwealth to achieve aggressive clean-energy and climate goals while delivering new economic opportunities for the commonwealth.

We must at the same time face the fact that the business community has a fraught relationship with energy and climate policy, precisely because employers here pay some of the highest costs in the nation to heat their facilities, run their machinery and keep the lights on. The ultimate challenge is how we lead the climatech revolution while ensuring that employers have access to low cost, reliable energy sources during the transition.

Magda Garncarz
Associate Vice President, Government Affairs

mgarncarz@aimnet.org

Learn more about Energy / Climate / Sustainability »

Policy Watch

PFAS

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban the sale and manufacture of thousands of products from non-stick cookware to waterproof clothing to some prescription drugs. AIM acknowledges the impact of PFAS on public health, but the legislation goes beyond what is necessary to protect public health while creating adverse impacts to large portions of the business community here in Massachusetts.

Offshore Wind Energy

Massachusetts currently pursues offshore wind energy through procurements run by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). These procurements result in bilateral long-term contracts between utility companies and offshore wind developers.

DOER is currently authorized to procure up to 5,600 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power. About 800 MW of that total is already accounted for – DOER’s first offshore wind solicitation, which began in 2017, resulted in a signed long-term contract that was approved by the Department of Public Utilities in 2019. DOER then ran second and third solicitations, resulting in long-term contracts that were dismantled after challenges encountered due to post-COVID supply chain constraints and high inflation.

In October 2023, the DOER released its fourth solicitation, requesting proposals for up to 3,600 MW of offshore wind power. AIM closely tracks the state of offshore wind development in the Commonwealth and stands ready to advocate for improvements in the solicitation process, which is defined in statute.

Energy and Climate Legislation

The Massachusetts Legislature is motivated to offer solutions to the challenges in the energy and climate space by passing an omnibus energy and/or climate bill during each legislative session, about every two years. Legislation can make necessary updates to previous laws or introduce new energy policies to address pressing issues. AIM closely follows the development of each energy omnibus bill and ensures that an emphasis on cost, reliability, and feasibility remains at the forefront of these efforts.

Clean Heat Standard

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is leading an initiative to develop a Clean Heat Standard regulatory program, which would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from heat in the building sector. AIM is closely involved in the ongoing process for this program and is continually communicating the need for a balanced approach that appreciates the effects that a potential clean-heat standard can have on consumer costs, grid reliability, and operational feasibility.

Decarbonization & Electrification

The Commonwealth has undertaken  extensive efforts to achieve its greenhouse-gas reduction goals. These efforts include the following:

  • Department of Public Utilities’ Order 20-80, which guides natural gas distribution companies to consider non-gas alternatives to expansion projects.
  • The Grid Modernization Advisory Council, which reviewed Electric System Modernization Plans that utility companies were required, by the 2022 Climate Act, to file with the Department of Public Utilities.
  • GSEP (Gas System Enhancement Plans) Working Group, convened to advise the Legislature on any changes that should be made to the GSEP statute in order to better align it with the goals of the 2050 Roadmap bill passed in 2021.

AIM monitors these developments for potential impacts to the Commonwealth’s businesses, and advocates for cost-effective solutions that maintain the reliability of the electricity and heating infrastructure upon which Massachusetts businesses, and their employees, rely.

The Clean Energy Transmission Working Group

AIM was a member of The Clean Energy Transmission Working Group (CETWG), which was convened by the 2022 Climate Act to produce a report advising the Massachusetts Legislature on state and regional transmission needs. AIM has advocated for a regional approach to transmission development that lowers costs for consumers and ensures that all the renewable energy that Massachusetts and our New England neighbors are developing, such as offshore wind, can be reliability be brought to shore, and into our cities and towns.