House passes landmark energy bill with deep cuts to Mass Save, sending it to Senate

House Democrats have passed a major energy bill that aims to cut rising utility costs that have inflamed an affordability crisis in the state but would also pull back on the clean energy transition.

Lawmakers, who were plunged into months of debate that exposed divisions within the Democratic supermajority, ultimately advanced on Thursday a $1 billion cut to an energy efficiency program known as Mass Save, which is funded by ratepayers through a charge on utility bills. The measure cleared the House by a 128-27 vote in a marathon session that stretched past 10 p.m.

“This cut would utterly devastate and probably break the program,” said Kyle Murray, Massachusetts state director at the environmental group Acadia Center. “The effect that this would have is [to] basically grind the program to a halt. It would devastate the work streams that are happening.”

To read the full article from Commonwealth Beacon, click here.