Massachusetts SD 2330: An Act relative to the future of clean heat in the Commonwealth

Bill Text

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2330 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2105

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Cynthia Stone Creem
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the future of clean heat in the Commonwealth.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Cynthia Stone Creem Norfolk and Middlesex
Steven Owens 29th Middlesex 1/25/2023
Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 1/31/2023
James K. Hawkins 2nd Bristol 2/8/2023
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 3/5/2023
Jack Patrick Lewis 7th Middlesex 3/8/2023
Lydia Edwards Third Suffolk 3/16/2023
Marc R. Pacheco Third Bristol and Plymouth 4/12/2023
Edward J. Kennedy First Middlesex 4/24/2023
Joanne M. Comerford Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester 4/25/2023
Jason M. Lewis Fifth Middlesex 5/1/2023
Brendan P. Crighton Third Essex 9/15/2023
Joan B. Lovely Second Essex 12/12/2023
Pavel Payano First Essex 1/5/2024

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2330 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2105
By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2105) of Cynthia Stone Creem,
Steven Owens, Vanna Howard, James K. Hawkins and other members of the General Court for
legislation relative to the future of heat in the Commonwealth. Telecommunications, Utilities
and Energy.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2148 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________

An Act relative to the future of clean heat in the Commonwealth.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23J of the General Laws, as amended by chapter 179 of the acts of
2 2022, is hereby amended by inserting after section 9 the following section:-
3 Section 9A. (a) There is hereby established and placed within the center a separate fund
4 to be known as the thermal transition trust fund. The center shall hold the thermal transition fund
5 in an account or accounts separate from other funds. There shall be credited to the thermal
6 transition fund; (i) revenues collected pursuant to section 20(b) of chapter 25, and (ii) any other
7 funds directed to the thermal transition trust fund. All amounts credited to the thermal transition
8 trust fund shall be held in trust and used solely for activities and expenditures consistent with the
9 permitted purposes of the thermal transition trust fund as set forth in subsection (b), including the

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10 ordinary and necessary expenses of administration and operation associated with the thermal
11 transition trust fund. Unless otherwise specified, all monies of the thermal transition trust fund,
12 from whatever source derived, shall be paid to the treasurer of the center. Such monies shall be
13 deposited, in the first instance, by the treasurer in national banks, in trust companies, savings
14 banks and cooperative banks chartered under the laws of the commonwealth, or in other banking
15 companies in compliance with section 34 of chapter 29. Funds in these accounts shall be paid out
16 on the warrant or other order of the treasurer of the center and the director of the thermal
17 transition trust fund or other person that the board may authorize to execute warrants. Any
18 unexpended balance in the thermal transition trust fund at the close of a fiscal year shall remain
19 in the thermal transition trust fund and shall be available for expenditure in the following fiscal
20 year; provided however, that the thermal transition trust fund shall not be in deficit at the end of
21 any state fiscal year.
22 (b) The center may make expenditures from the thermal transition trust fund for the
23 following purposes, giving priority to low- and- moderate-income customers:
24 (i) to replace any gas appliance with an electric appliance including but not limited to an
25 electric heat pump, to upgrade electric service as needed and to mitigate any pre-weatherization
26 barrier as needed in the building to enable a customer to connect to a non-emitting renewable
27 thermal infrastructure project as provided in section 145A of chapter 164 or to other non-
28 combusting sources of thermal energy. The Massachusetts clean energy technology center shall
29 be responsible to determine the maximum cost per appliance, to ensure any necessary upgrade of
30 an electric service, to ensure any necessary mitigation of any pre-weatherization barrier, to
31 ensure the installation of such electric appliances, and to ensure that the building has been
32 insulated pursuant to the energy efficiency program established by section 19 of chapter 25. Any

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33 remaining cost