Massachusetts Amends Rules For Fossil-Fuel Free Program

By Michael P. Norton

After incorporating changes based on public feedback, state energy officials say they expect to finalize rules by July 1 for a program that will enable ten cities and towns to require new building construction or major renovation projects to be fossil fuel-free.

The Department of Energy Resources in December published a draft regulation for the demonstration project, and alerted the Legislature this week that the proposed rules have been amended and undergone revisions that one official said clarify processes and address feedback from potential participating municipalities. Final regulations are expected to be promulgated by July 1, when DOER will begin accepting applications, with plans to review them based on the order that home rule petitions were filed with the Legislature.

The draft regulations call for applications to be filed by Sept. 1, although the timeline is subject to changes by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. In order, the ten communities currently in line to potentially be among the first to advance the controversial effort are Arlington, Lexington, Brookline, Acton, Concord, Cambridge, Lincoln, Newton, West Tisbury and Aquinnah.

In response to feedback from people who asked that the pilot be expanded, DOER acknowledged “broad interest” in the demonstration program, but said the law authorizing it “is clear that no more than 10 communities can be approved to participate at this time.”