Cambridge City Council go on record in opposition of H.3469 as reported out of committee this week, sponsored by Mark Cusack, which would drastically undermine the Commonwealth’s climate goals and would undermine its own efforts to address energy affordability facing households and businesses in Cambridge and statewide

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The City of Cambridge is a state leader in investment in combatting the climate crisis and those investments pay dividends towards the public health of local residents by combatting emissions pollution and the economic health of the region by investing in sustainable infrastructure powered by renewable resources; and

Through the BEUDO ordinance, the fossil-fuel free construction requirement, municipal green power purchase agreements, net zero new schools, community solar, and much more, we are on track and making real progress; and

Legislation is being considered this week in the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Environment (TUE) and will be reviewed by Ways and Means that will drop state commitments to reduce carbon emissions and gut investment in clean energy infrastructure, risking progress towards decarbonization and putting hundreds of thousands of residents at economic risk, including eliminating utility bill subsidies for moderate income residents; and

Cambridge has made substantial commitments to reducing emissions and is on track to cut emissions 50% by 2030, and like other communities in the state, we have built net zero schools and municipal buildings, required the largest buildings to begin significantly cutting emissions, and negotiated municipal aggregation contracts that deliver green electricity to residents at lower prices than Eversource is charging; further, all new construction in the city is fossil fuel-free, and all of this has happened without slowing the pace of residential or commercial development, showing an economic roadmap for communities statewide; and

This legislation proposes cutting additional funding from Mass Save, eliminates emissions reductions targets, expands incentives for the continued installation of expensive gas pipelines and eliminates the newly-created moderate-income discount rate, among many other misguided provisions that will severely impact low-income and moderate-income residents; and

Additionally, this legislation would limit the use of Mass Save subsidies in municipalities like Cambridge who are participating in fossil fuel demonstration programs, severely impacting local residents and businesses who are investing in sustainable infrastructure and critically harming our local economy; and

Dozens of local organizations committed to climate action and sustainability have spoken out about this bill and the impacts it will have on sustainability goals as well as on local public health and the economy; now therefore be it

That the Cambridge City Council go on record in opposition of H.3469 as reported out of committee this week, sponsored by Mark Cusack, which would drastically undermine the Commonwealth’s climate goals and would undermine its own efforts to address energy affordability facing households and businesses in Cambridge and statewide; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to communicate concerns with this legislation and the impact on Cambridge to relevant state agencies and legislators; and be it further

That the Cambridge City Clerk be and hereby is requested to send a copy of this resolution to each member of the Cambridge delegation to the legislature, as well as

Chair of the Joint Committee on TUE, Mark Cusack, and Massachusetts House

Speaker Ronald Mariano.