‘It just seems like amateur hour’: As climate bill worked through Beacon Hill, industry donations poured in

In early November, state Representative Mark Cusack found himself in a difficult position.

Environmental advocates were apoplectic about a climate bill the new chairman had authored that would weaken the state’s historic climate goals. But the well-funded energy industry had an interest in the bill, too; they argued it would help consumers and businesses facing high energy costs.

However, environmental advocates warn, cutting programs like Mass Save would put the state’s climate goals even further out of reach. The program is the only real tool the state has for getting people to trade in fossil fuels for electric heat pumps, which can be powered by renewable energy, a key part of the state’s plan to reduce emissions.

Kyle Murray, of the clean energy policy nonprofit Acadia Center, said taking a pause on the bill is a good thing. He hopes the final version of the bill will maintain the state’s commitment to reducing emissions and other climate targets.

“Energy is a very complicated subject,“ he said. ”I would hate for us to make some rash decisions that actually set back energy affordability.”

To read the full article from the Boston Globe, click here.