Legislative Priorities

Our 2025-2026 Priority Bills

HD3670/SD837, An Act supporting climate progress through sustainably developed offshore wind
Sponsors: Rep. Haggerty & Sen. Fernandes

This legislation seeks to increase our supply of renewable energy and keep Massachusetts on track for its long-term emissions reduction targets in the electric sector by supporting continued progress in offshore wind procurements, supply chain buildout, labor standards, and wildlife protections. It also seeks to reward communities for hosting the critical energy infrastructure needed to support a growing supply of reliable renewable energy. 

HD2579/SD1327, An Act aligning the Commonwealth’s transportation plans with its climate goals
Sponsors: Rep. Lewis & Sen. Creem

Transportation currently accounts for 37% of Massachusetts’s greenhouse gas emissions, the most of any sector of our economy. This bill would ensure that state capital investments are aligned with progress toward climate goals, and that transportation projects receiving public funds undergo analysis of their possible climate impacts and benefits. 

HD2154/SD1188, An Act relative to building energy and decarbonization
Sponsors: Rep. Meschino & Sen. Lewis

This legislation seeks to expand and elevate the standards of the successful Green Communities program by creating a higher level of program participation and directing increased funding for “Green-plus communities.” It also establishes emissions reporting requirements and reduction targets for buildings statewide. 

HD4090, An Act sparking the construction of 21st century buildings 
Sponsor: Rep. Vitolo

Buildings are the second-highest source of carbon pollution, and the highest source of emissions in dense urban areas. This legislation aims to expand usage of the specialized stretch code by communities, ensuring that new construction has net-zero capability and is able to accommodate installation of clean energy generation. 

HD1924/SD1086, An Act to ensure cleaner air for communities overburdened by outdoor air pollution
Sponsors: Rep. Barber & Sen. Jehlen 

Low-income communities of color disproportionately bear the health and environmental impacts of vehicle- and industry-related air pollution. This legislation would direct the Department of Environmental Protection to identify air quality “hot spots” across the Commonwealth and develop a monitoring and mitigation plan to address these harms. 

HD2707/SD2276, An Act providing nature for all
Sponsors: Rep. Blais, Rep. Montano, & Sen. Feeney

Massachusetts does not currently have a funding strategy in place to meet the natural and working lands goals in our Clean Energy and Climate Plan, which include permanently conserving 30% of land by 2030. This bill would dedicate funding from the existing tax on sales of sporting goods toward conservation and restoration of land for natural resource protection, carbon sequestration, and equitable access to the outdoors. 

 

Additional Priorities:

Advancing Sustainable Transportation

 

HD1395/SD1701, An Act relative to setting deadlines to electrify the Commuter Rail (Rep. Owens, Rep. Armini, Sen. Crighton)

HD2349/SD659, An Act electrifying Regional Transit Authorities (Rep. LeBoeuf, Sen. Oliveira)

HD453/SD1695, An Act setting deadlines to electrify school buses and public fleets and establishing programs to encourage private fleet electrification (Rep. Barber, Rep. Meschino, Sen. Crighton)

 

Driving Building Decarbonization

 

HD2598, An Act creating pathways toward net-zero neighborhoods (Rep. Vitolo)

HD3171/SD1325, An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund (Rep. Vargas, Sen. Gomez)

 

Catalyzing an Equitable Clean Energy Transition

 

HD940/SD1985, An Act to encourage solar development on buildings and disturbed land (Rep. Garballey, Rep. Sabadosa, Sen. Mark)

HD3121/SD2534, An Act relative to solar permitting (Rep. Cusack, Sen. Driscoll)

HD2367/SD2305, An Act promoting a just transition and clean energy workforce standards (Rep. Decker, Sen. Feeney)

HD2530/SD1545, An Act relative to electric ratepayer protections (Rep. Moran, Sen. Crighton)

 

Protecting Natural Resources and Public Health

 

HD4087/SD2403, An Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS (Rep. Hogan, Sen. Cyr)

HD1423/SD171/SD1668, An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective
drought management (Rep. Meschino, Rep. Rogers, Sen. Eldridge, Sen. Tarr)

HD2787/SD2074, An Act to improve indoor air quality for highly-impacted communities (Rep. Garcia, Rep. Montano, Sen. Gomez)

HD2200/SD549, An Act relative to the pesticide board (Rep. Domb, Sen. Lewis)

HD3349/SD1774, An Act to save recycling costs in the commonwealth (Rep. Day, Sen. DiDomenico)

HD3764, An Act to Update the Bottle Bill (Rep. Ciccolo)

 

For more information:
Contact Casey Bowers at cbowers@environmentalleague.org.