Policy & Regulation

Massachusetts is one step closer to streamlining state, local permitting process

Massachusetts is one step closer to streamlining state, local permitting process
(A solar farm atop a former landfill in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Credit: Lucas Faria via the Department of Energy )

BY STEVE LEBLANC | Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts House on Wednesday approved a bill that would help boost the state’s reliance on renewable energy, in part by streamlining the state and local permitting process for projects that shift the state away from using fossil fuels.

The bill’s approval comes just weeks after the Massachusetts Senate approved its own bill to help the state meet its climate goals, including reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Democratic Speaker Ronald Mariano said the House bill aims to increase the supply of clean energy through new renewable energy projects, more storage capacity and streamlined permitting.

The House measure would consolidate both state and local permitting and set 12- to 15-month limits for considering all final permitting decisions, echoing language in the Senate bill.

The House proposal also calls for procuring additional clean energy resources, including from existing nuclear generation, and allows future offshore wind and clean energy contracts to be extended up to 30 years. They’re now limited to 20.

The House bill would let companies that want to build small clean energy infrastructure facilities to submit a single permit application for all the approvals needed.

To encourage people to buy electric cars, the state Department of Energy Resources would be ordered to assess demand for vehicle charging stations along highways, major roadways and service plazas through 2045 and identify sites to create a statewide network of fast charging hubs.

“Siting and permitting is probably the biggest obstacle to us achieving our goals by 2050,” Democratic Rep. Jeffrey Roy told reporters before the debate.

Steve Long of The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts praised the bill.

“Massachusetts again leads the nation on rapidly advancing the decarbonization of energy with requiring earlier analysis of site suitability, engagement with residents, and avoiding and mitigating impacts,” Long said in a statement.

The House and Senate must still hammer out a single compromise version of the bill to send to Gov. Maura Healey.

The Legislature’s formal session ends July 31, so a final bill would have to reach Healey’s desk by then.