Latest news with #ExecutiveOfficeofEnergyandEnvironmentalAffairs
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is the Eversource pipeline extension project in Springfield dead?
SPRINGFIELD — Nearly two years after state Energy Secretary Rebecca L. Tepper told Eversource it needs to provide more information on a proposed gas pipeline project, that supplement has not been filed. Since then, scant news has emerged about a controversial project to construct a new 5.3-mile, 16-inch diameter gas pipeline from Longmeadow into Springfield. Though it has been quiet publicly, Eversource says it's still moving forward on the proposal. The company is working on the supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report Tepper asked for and is planning more community outreach later this year, said Tricia Taskey Modifica, an Eversource spokesperson. The utility company has said the additional pipeline is needed for reliability. The current line is more than 70 years old and issues with it could have 'dire' impacts on customers numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Opponents have raised concerns like health impacts on Springfield — considered an environmental justice community — and not wanting to build fossil fuel infrastructure when the state is trying to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023, Tepper reviewed Eversource's draft environmental impact statement and said it didn't comply with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, or MEPA. 'The (draft environmental impact report) has not fully justified the purpose and need for the project,' Tepper's 2023 report said, 'and does not explain why the risk of outage was determined to be unacceptably high at this location so as to warrant immediate action.' She decided Eversource needed to file a supplement that addresses more questions. There's no specific deadline by which the company needs to file its supplement, according to a spokesperson with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The Eversource project would need additional approvals, including from the Energy Facilities Siting Board. In December 2022, that board held a public hearing, but it's waiting on the MEPA process to move forward, according to Alanna Kelly, a Department of Public Utilities spokesperson. The Department of Public Utilities has not yet determined whether project is needed for reliability, Kelly said. Once more information is presented, it will resume looking at the project, she said. A presiding officer hasn't been named to the siting board and DPU case, according to the state website. Eversource said it will do more public outreach this year, which Tepper's 2023 report requires. 'We'll have more on the community outreach and the filing later this year, likely in the latter half of 2025,' Modifica said in a statement. 'Community outreach will take several forms, including direct customer communication, door to door visits, coordination with municipalities and community organizations, stakeholder outreach, and public meetings.' Rusty Polsgrove, associate director and environmental justice organizer at Arise For Social Justice, has been underwhelmed by Eversource's advertising of outreach sessions in the past — and hopes for stronger community engagement. Polsgrove said Arise is pursuing possible legislative options to halt the project. 'We came out pretty strong against it,' Polsgrove said of the pipeline proposal. Eversource has to submit supplementary information, but 'that is just buying time to get our lawmakers' attention,' Polsgrove said. Gary Levine, chair of the Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group, which opposes the project, said he calls the state regularly to ask for updates. 'It's just lying there," he said. Some think the project is no longer happening and will say to Levine, 'Didn't it go away? Didn't it get settled?' he said. 'No,' he tells them, 'it's still there.' Springfield's City Council voted against the project in a 2022 resolution. The Longmeadow Select Board has also expressed opposition. The board is not actively working on the issue and is waiting on movement in the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act process, said Select Board Chair Vineeth Hemavathi. 'There's no informal or formal discussions with the town about this at this point,' said Richard Kanoff, an attorney who has represented Longmeadow in the matter. At this point, everyone but Eversource is waiting, he said. 'We're in a reactive state.' Springfield Partners for Community Action to Honor Legacy of Executive Director Paul Bailey Federal grant cuts will end WMass hands-on science program for third-graders With billions of dollars to be cut by feds, WMass elder care centers brace for the squeeze Amid annual crackdown on urban dirt bikes, Springfield mayor says city will push to make them illegal
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. environmental group seek swifter action on high energy bills
Do more and do it faster. That's the message from some Massachusetts environmental groups to state officials on energy bills On Tuesday they sent a letter to Governor Maura Healey and Secretary Rebecca Tepper with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The letter included the steps they believe will save people more money now. 'It's not fast enough to help with energy burden,' said Vick Mohanka with the Sierra Club Massachusetts. As soaring bills have busted many budgets this winter, the Sierra Club MA and other environmental justice groups sent a letter to the state Tuesday with 7 seven action items to reduce those costs and reliance on fossil fuels. Item one, reduce spending on infrastructure under the gas safety enhancement plan. 'It's 100% on our bills and we're paying more profits on this than other states,' said Mohanka Mohanka says while the Massachusetts grid is old and some safety enhancements are necessary, consumers today shouldn't fund decades of future service. The letter also asks for an end to ratepayer-funded gas line extensions. The groups claim, 'Massachusetts gas customers were charged $160 million to hook up additional buildings to the gas system, an average cost of nearly $10,000 per new customer for infrastructure that only serves those customers.' And it says in hidden in distribution charges. '…gas companies are charging ratepayers for their lobbying, advertising, and other expenses…' 'Almost 6 billion dollars we're gonna save, money back to you,' said Governor Maura Healey on March 10th in Lowell during an event to unveil her administration's energy affordability agenda. It includes a $50 credit on April energy bills, automatic enrollment in discount plans based on income, and a $500 million dollar cut to the Mass Save program which rebates drive energy efficiency. 'I did a few weeks ago ask that we take a look at that, in this moment that we're in the high prices and volatility and that's why we saw some savings come off of Mass Save,' Healey said during the event. 'The Mass Save rate goes toward reducing our energy consumption and reliance on gas the distribution rate is where the profits are for the utility companies,' says Mohanka. The Governor's team is drafting an energy affordability bill for this session. Her office provided the following statement to Boston 25 News: 'Energy costs are too high in Massachusetts and Governor Healey is focused on bringing them down. Governor Healey has already taken action to lower people's bills by $220 million in March and April, and her plan would save nearly $6 billion for electric and gas customers over the next five years. She also agrees that more needs to be done. Governor Healey will be filing legislation in the coming weeks to lower costs further, and she appreciates everyone's ideas and advocacy on this important issue.' spokesperson for Governor Healey's office This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. environmental group seek swifter action on high energy bills
Do more and do it faster. That's the message from some Massachusetts environmental groups to state officials on energy bills On Tuesday they sent a letter to Governor Maura Healey and Secretary Rebecca Tepper with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The letter included the steps they believe will save people more money now. 'It's not fast enough to help with energy burden,' said Vick Mohanka with the Sierra Club Massachusetts. As soaring bills have busted many budgets this winter, the Sierra Club MA and other environmental justice groups sent a letter to the state Tuesday with 7 seven action items to reduce those costs and reliance on fossil fuels. Item one, reduce spending on infrastructure under the gas safety enhancement plan. 'It's 100% on our bills and we're paying more profits on this than other states,' said Mohanka Mohanka says while the Massachusetts grid is old and some safety enhancements are necessary, consumers today shouldn't fund decades of future service. The letter also asks for an end to ratepayer-funded gas line extensions. The groups claim, 'Massachusetts gas customers were charged $160 million to hook up additional buildings to the gas system, an average cost of nearly $10,000 per new customer for infrastructure that only serves those customers.' And it says in hidden in distribution charges. '…gas companies are charging ratepayers for their lobbying, advertising, and other expenses…' 'Almost 6 billion dollars we're gonna save, money back to you,' said Governor Maura Healey on March 10th in Lowell during an event to unveil her administration's energy affordability agenda. It includes a $50 credit on April energy bills, automatic enrollment in discount plans based on income, and a $500 million dollar cut to the Mass Save program which rebates drive energy efficiency. 'I did a few weeks ago ask that we take a look at that, in this moment that we're in the high prices and volatility and that's why we saw some savings come off of Mass Save,' Healey said during the event. 'The Mass Save rate goes toward reducing our energy consumption and reliance on gas the distribution rate is where the profits are for the utility companies,' says Mohanka. The Governor's team is drafting an energy affordability bill for this session. Her office provided the following statement to Boston 25 News: 'Energy costs are too high in Massachusetts and Governor Healey is focused on bringing them down. Governor Healey has already taken action to lower people's bills by $220 million in March and April, and her plan would save nearly $6 billion for electric and gas customers over the next five years. She also agrees that more needs to be done. Governor Healey will be filing legislation in the coming weeks to lower costs further, and she appreciates everyone's ideas and advocacy on this important issue.' spokesperson for Governor Healey's office This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Boston Globe
04-02-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Trump's attempted funding freeze was blocked. So why are billions in grants for solar still locked up?
In theory, that means the spigot should be back on. Except, according to solar advocates, legal experts, and awardees, as of Monday the Solar for All funds remained inaccessible. In Massachusetts, that means some $156 million that would benefit an estimated 31,000 households is on ice. Advertisement Experts say it's an example of how the Trump administration is going full-speed to disrupt agency work and delay funding distribution with little concern for consequences — like lawsuits — that could come later. It's not just Solar for All that's at risk. Massachusetts and New England were awarded more than a billion dollars by the Biden administration to build a more resilient energy grid, lower energy costs, and create thousands of jobs, according to Maria Hardiman, spokeswoman for the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 'We secured these funds through agreements with federal agencies, and those agreements should be honored by the new administration,' Hardiman said. Solar energy plays a critical role in helping the state reach its climate goals to lower greenhouse gas emissions that come from burning fossil fuels. Other large-scale renewable energy projects — including offshore wind, or interstate transmission lines to bring hydroelectric energy from Canada — take years to complete, require federal permits, and are ripe for lawsuits, all of which can lead to delays. But the consistent spread of solar energy, rooftop by rooftop, has helped chip away at the state's reliance on fossil fuels. Advertisement This summer, when a heat wave led to extreme energy demand, the solar panels disbursed across rooftops, over parking lots, and along highways helped What's more, solar energy can help low-income households reduce their electricity bills — key in Massachusetts, where rates are particularly high. The solar enabled by the Solar for All grant, which was awarded to the state Department of Energy Resources, is anticipated to lower energy bills by 20 percent for thousands of households. Advertisement The state is partnering with Boston Housing Authority and MassHousing on the grant; the locations for the first projects have not yet been announced. In response to detailed questions about the status of the program and the legal basis for a continued pause on its funds, an EPA spokesperson responded, 'EPA is working to diligently implement President Trump's executive orders as well as subsequent associated implementation memos.' They directed additional questions about the pause to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment. Related : It's a thorny legal situation, because the Solar for All funds, like many other programs funded by large climate spending bills passed under Biden, have already been obligated to states and other awardees, including tribes and nonprofits. All of the awardees had applied to the federal government for their own piece of the $7 billion program, and, once awarded, were left to design and implement Solar for All in a way that meets their specific needs. These types of so-called 'environmental justice' programs, targeting communities that are low-income or where little to no English are spoken, are uniquely vulnerable under Trump because of the administration's stances opposing both climate action and anything related to diversity and inclusion. The Trump administration's attempt to halt money that's already under contract is a 'pretty extreme step,' said Rob Bradner, an attorney who specializes in federal policy and funding and who is a partner at Holland & Knight. 'There is definitely a question as to whether they have the legal authority to do this,' Bradner said. The ongoing pause also appears to be at odds with the court orders, according to Jillian Blanchard, vice president of climate change and environmental justice at Lawyers for Good Government, a network of pro bono attorneys. Advertisement 'There's an inconsistency' between what the Trump administration is saying in communication to courts, and what is happening on the ground, Blanchard said. 'The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power of the purse — for a reason.' Up until the pause, any awardee could log into a federal online portal to file for reimbursement. Now, they're locked out. 'These grantees built out plans and strategies operating under the fair assumption that they would receive funds legally allocated to them, but they have now been deprived of the certainty they need to move forward,' said Sean Gallagher, senior vice president of policy for the Solar Energy Industries Association. Massachusetts had already won the Solar for All award, negotiated a contract, produced a work plan, and had the work plan approved, according to Greg King, a community solar developer who had been providing feedback on Massachusetts' plans. A team at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center was created and charged with fine tuning the details, he said. Other New England states are in the same boat. Rhode Island has not received any of the $49.3 million it was awarded. Vermont can't access the $62.5 million it won, either, according to Melissa Bailey, director of Vermont's state energy office. In Connecticut, which received a $62.5 million award, state officials are moving ahead with the Solar for All program, despite the uncertainty. 'We continue to operate under approved work plans for these grants and are implementing projects in accordance with these, ensuring that our progress moves forward as planned,' according to James Fowler, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Related : Advertisement Since learning of the its $62 million award, the Maine Governor's Energy Office has been carrying out work, including the recent hiring of two full time staff to develop the program. So far, the state has received just $26,000 of its federal grant. Now, it's waiting on guidance from the EPA about what will happen next. It's anybody's guess. 'Just because the states might have a legal right to those dollars under the terms of the contract, that doesn't mean that it automatically happens unless there is a willing participant in the federal government to release those funds,' said Jeremy McDiarmid, general counsel at the clean trade group Advanced Energy United. And while that could make a strong case for a lawsuit, there are implications to taking that route, McDiarmid said. 'That is a very, very costly, slow, and high transaction cost way to do business.' At the same time, business leaders worry that pause on funding is going to introduce new uncertainty to the solar industry, just as it's taking off in the region. An organization or company considering going into business with the federal government might ask, 'Is it worth the risk?,' said Joseph Curtatone, president of the Alliance for Climate Transition. 'This step is going to hurt working families, this will hurt our economy, and it will certainly undercut our credibility, which you can't gain back overnight,' he said. It also sends the country's solar industry back to 'business as usual,' in which the benefits of solar power — lower energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions — are inaccessible to low-income and disadvantaged communities, according to King, the Massachusetts community solar developer. 'Honestly, with Solar for All, we thought we now had a perfect environment for solar development,' King said. 'Now, the Solar for All program is a huge question mark.' Sabrina Shankman can be reached at
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bird flu likely ‘widespread' in Massachusetts, officials say
Massachusetts residents are being warned to avoid handling birds or other animals that are dead or appear to be sick, as preliminary positive cases of bird flu have now been reported across the state, health officials said Wednesday. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, has been present among wild birds in Massachusetts since early 2022, according to the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. But since the beginning of this month, HPAI is believed to have infected and killed more than 60 Canada geese, swans and other birds in Plymouth alone. Now, with preliminary positive cases reported at multiple locations across the Bay State, health and wildlife officials are providing recommendations to help reduce the risk of infection. According to the guidelines, people should 'strictly avoid handling wildlife,' report possible outbreaks and keep their pets always leashed or indoors to prevent exposure to infected animals. 'Evidence suggests that HPAI is widespread in Massachusetts and is likely present even in places where there has not been a confirmed positive,' officials said. Bird fIu cases have now been confirmed in both domestic and wild birds in numerous locations across North America, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Just last week, roughly 100,000 ducks were forced to be killed after an avian flu outbreak was detected at Long Island's Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue. While humans are 'rarely infected' with bird flu viruses, officials say the risk of infection is higher for those who have direct contact with infected animals. And even though the risk is currently low, the Centers for Disease Control reports 67 confirmed human cases in the United States since 2024 — including one death in Louisiana earlier this month. To report sightings of five or more sick or dead wild birds found at a single location, Massachusetts residents are asked to contact the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Those who observe sick chickens, turkeys, game birds, pigeons, guinea fowl or domestic ducks or geese should contact the Department of Agricultural Resources' Division of Animal Health.
