Climate change

Mass. Offshore Wind, Climate Bill That Would Speed Clean Energy Push Signed Into Law

While the Legislature did not adopt all of Gov. Charlie Baker's suggestions when they reworked the bill in the final hours, lawmakers did go along with some of the governor's suggestions like the outright elimination of the offshore wind price cap

Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images, File

This July 14, 2021, file photo shows a wind turbine between two homes in Hull, Massachusetts.

Gov. Charlie Baker has signed the compromise offshore wind and climate bill that Massachusetts lawmakers sent back to him July 31 after having addressed some of his initial concerns with it.

"The Governor has just signed H5060. It's a great day for Massachusetts," Rep. Jeff Roy, the chief House sponsor of the bill, tweeted.

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The new law seeks to reshape the way the state connects to offshore wind power, accelerate a transition to renewable energy sources and help Massachusetts achieve its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

They are all general goals that Baker and his administration have long supported, but the governor expressed concerns with the original bill the House and Senate sent him, and he returned it in late July with amendments, including a desire to put $750 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward clean energy uses.

While the Legislature did not adopt all of Baker's suggestions when they reworked the bill in the final hours, lawmakers did go along with some of the governor's suggestions like the outright elimination of the offshore wind price cap.

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