Advocacy Update: PACE Amendment

By USGBCMA Communications, More Green Buildings!

Last week, a combined residential (R-) and commercial (C-) PACE amendment was filed as part of the House Energy Bill (H4377).  It was one of only 6 amendments (of approximately 70 in all) to pass and ultimately be included in the existing energy bill.  The bill was then passed in a vote of the full House.  The amendment would establish a PACE program for both residential and commercial properties (with different structures appropriate to each market sector).  Notably, renewable energy was eliminated from the bill’s language as requested by the Administration.  The bill will direct Mass Development toward the responsibility of developing an energy efficiency-focused PACE program to serve a broad cross section of the residential and commercial market statewide (pending adoption of the program by municipalities individually).

The bill will now go to the Senate for approval (and potential amendment).  If the Senate passes the energy bill, it will go to Conference Committee to iron-out any discrepancies between the bills before advancing to the Governor for signature into law.

The Advocacy Committee of the USGBC MA Chapter has closely monitored the development of this bill and the C-PACE Coalition which it has led stands ready to support the bill’s passage in the Senate and execution by the Governor.  While the Chapter and the Coalition would like to see the renewable energy language added back into the bill, the Chapter will be pleased to see the efficiency-focused PACE amendment stay in the energy bill and will support the development of a PACE program to meet the goals of such legislation.