SAVE OUR SOLAR — Action Alert to stop H.4185
Why we must act now – Call today!
Why we must act now – Call today!
July 15, 2014
H.4185, a complicated bill developed by and favoring electric utility and industry interests, would severely limit solar photovoltaic development in Massachusetts. The legislation is currently before the House Ways and Means Committee. To prevent passage before the end of July, we must urge legislators to reject this bill. We favor an amendment to raise the Net Metering Cap which allows continued small solar development and calling for an open process to plan our energy future in more detail. Not behind closed doors!
[Want more background? Go to our Save Our Solar Fact Sheet page, or download the SOS Fact Sheet (PDF).]
Why oppose H.4185? It would among other problems:
- reduce benefits to residential installations while favoring large industrial solar installations and the utilities;
- limit the size of solar PV systems that residential owners can install;
- deny residential owners the ability to allocate any excess production;
- make community shared solar projects uneconomical;
- exclude residents served by Municipal Light and Power from solar incentives.
To stop the bill — what we need to do:
(1) Forward this message to friends and any lists you may have, to let people know what’s happening. Attached is a SOS Fact Sheet with more information on H.4185.
(2) Copy the short Action Alert below into a new message, with a personal statement from you and send it to the House Ways and Means Committee chair and vice-chair and your state Representative and Senator. The House and Senate links will give you the phone numbers for your representative and senator.
House Ways and Means Chair: Brian.Dempsey@mahouse.gov 617 722 2990
Vice Chair: Stephen.Kulik@mahouse.gov 617-722-2380
House Ways and Means committee members https://malegislature.gov/Committees/House/H34
House Representatives
https://malegislature.gov/People/House
Senate
https://malegislature.gov/People/Senate
Additionally, we need calls to these reps and senators, especially from their constituents. If you live in their districts, Please make a call early this week. Phone #’s are in the above links.
Rep Robert DeLeo, Robert.DeLeo@mahouse.gov
Rep John Keenan, John.Keenan@mahouse.gov
Rep Lori Erlich, Lori.Ehrlich@mahouse.gov
Rep Anne Gobi, Anne.Gobi@mahouse.gov
Rep Carolyn Dykema, Carolyn.Dykema@mahouse.gov
Rep Frank Smizek, Frank.Smizik@mahouse.gov
Rep Denise Provost, Denise.Provost@mahouse.gov
Rep Steve Kulik, Stephen.Kulik@mahouse.gov
Rep Joe Wagner, Joseph.Wagner@mahouse.gov
Rep Brian Dempsey, Brian.Dempsey@mahouse.gov
Rep Paul Mark, Paul.Mark@mahouse.gov
Rep Tricia Farley Bouveay, Tricia.Farley-Bouvier@mahouse.gov
Rep Jay Kaufman, Jay.Kaufman@mahouse.gov
Rep Peter Kocot, Peter.Kocot@ma house.gov
Senator Eldridge, James.Eldridge@masenate.gov
Senator Wolf, Daniel.Wolf@masenate.gov
Senator Rosenberg, Stan.Rosenberg@masenate.gov
Senator Brewer, Stephen.Brewer@masenate.gov
Senator Chang-Diaz, Sonia.Chang-Diaz@masenate.gov
Senator Downing, Benjamin.Downing@masenate.gov
Only timely action NOW can “Save Our Solar”.
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Because H.4185 would set back the positive development of small and community solar development in a number of discriminatory ways, I urge you to reject the bill in this session. Instead, please support a net metering amendment allowing solar to continue, with public policy input and participation:
• Raise the net metering cap by this stepped schedule:
2015 12%
2017 20%
2019 28%
• Establish a open, public process for a detailed analysis of Commonwealth Solar policy.
Thank you for your timely attention in this matter!
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For more information contact: Claire Chang clairech@crocker.com
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H.4185 IN THE NEWS:
MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT SOLAR LEGISLATION, IN MA AND VT
*** Daily Hampshire Gazette, July 13/14, 2014
William and Norma Coli: Bill before House would reduce affordability of PV systems in Massachusetts
*** Greenfield Recorder, July 10, 2014
New solar law casts shadow on small businesses
by Richie Davis
*** Commonwealth Magaziine, July 09, 2014 New solar legislation goes the wrong way
Bill would bar many from the sun’s benefits
*** The Guardian.com, comment by Giles Parkinson, July 6, 2014
Solar has won. Even if coal were free to burn, power stations couldn’t compete
*** Boston Globe Opinion, July 8, 2014
Equal and equitable access to solar
by David Enos and Worth Robbins
And from our neighbors in Vermont:
How One State’s Net Metering Expansion Offers A Model To The Nation
April 10, 2014 By Andrew Savage, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, AllEarth Renewables
“While battles rage with utilities taking on both solar customers and businesses around the country,Vermont has quietly expanded its net metering program by nearly four-times without so much as a skirmish.”…
