Massachusetts would produce all its fuel and electricity from renewable sources by 2050 under legislation introduced in the state House of Representatives last week.
“If passed, it would easily be the most ambitious clean energy commitment made by any state in the country,” Think Progress reports. “The bill — introduced by three Democratic legislators on Monday — would require Massachusetts to obtain all of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035. But the bill goes one step further, requiring that the state then transition to 100% renewable energy in its transportation, heating, manufacturing, and other sectors by 2050.”
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The bill “encourages job creation, protects and sustains our natural resources, reduces our carbon footprint, and would benefit the health and well-being of our citizens in immeasurable ways,” said co-sponsor Rep. Sean Garballey. “More importantly, it signals to the country our commitment to long-term solutions in meeting the very real challenges of climate change, and lights the way for similar efforts across the nation.”
“I am energized by the goals and ideas laid out in this bill,” added co-sponsor Rep. Marjorie Decker. “This signifies a tremendous opportunity to put the environment at the forefront of our public policy discussion.”
The legislators say the pace of renewable energy innovation makes it tough to calculate the cost of the legislation. But “the bill has savings programs built into it through energy efficiency programs and renewable energy expansion programs for low-income communities,” Think Progress notes.
