MassSave Restructuring Legislation – 2023
Despite its high ranking among energy efficiency programs across the country, MassSave has not been successful in being accessible to everyone.
Just some of the long-standing problems with the program include:
– trouble getting an audit scheduled
– finding a participating contractor
– finding accurate or detailed information on energy efficiency incentives
– getting the rebates you’re owed
– understanding interconnected multi-agency processes for lower income customers
– lack of meaningful incentives for renters that can truly help cut demand for heating
Both Senate bill S.2082 and House bill H.3160 call for a Board of diverse stakeholders and Executive Director to run MassSave, instead of leaving our energy efficiency programs in the hands of the for-profit utility companies.
Hearings for both these bills are scheduled separately for the House and Senate members of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on July 13, 17 and 19th. These hearings are held both in person and virtually. See dates, times and locations under each bill listed below.
**NOTE – Because of the recent fire in the Statehouse in July, the final hearing for these MassSave restructuring bills is being moved to October. Stay tuned to this page for information on the date and new deadlines for submitting written testimony.**
Note that if you want to testify virtually, there is a registration deadline before each hearing. Those registration dates, with whom you should file a request to testify and the deadline for submitting written comments are on the info pages linked below each hearing’s listings.
Please contact your legislators by July 13, asking them to support these bills!
EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATOR
Use this EMAIL TOOL to ask your Massachusetts State Legislators to co-sponsor the bills. Use the pre-written comments if you don’t have much time, or edit them or write and replace the text with your own.
» tinyurl.com/SaveMassSave
CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR
If you’d like to back up your email with a call or prefer to call, please use this script below as a leaping off point – extend it longer if you’d like, including personal reasons you’d like to see these bills pass. If it’s after hours, it’s fine to leave a message.
Find your State Rep and Senator and their contact information here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
Call your Rep & Senator with your message. (basic verbiage below)
“Hello. My name is ____________ and I live in _____________. Energy efficiency is a crucial tool in being able to meet our state’s climate goals as well as save ratepayers money. Making sure this program works for all Massachusetts residents is key. Please support H.3160 and S.2082 – acts to restructure MassSave to bring them in line with our state’s climate goals.”
TESTIFY AND/OR FILE COMMENTS
Please consider testifying at the hearings coming up for these bills July 13, 17 & 19th, and/or submitting written comments about your experiences with MassSave and how you’d like to see the program improve. Spoken testimony is limited to 3 minutes, but written comments may be of any length. You may also file more than once if you feel a need for additional comments after filing.
• Please also consider filling out our Questionnaire:
» MassSave Experience Questionnaire
We’re gathering accounts of peoples’ experiences with using the MassSave program. Whether used for any upcoming hearings on the restructuring bills, or to help make changes to the program in the regulatory process, knowing details of where the program is working or not working is valuable. It can be anonymous if you like, or you can sign up as willing to testify at a hearing to support the restructuring bills.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE BILLS
Bill H.3160
An Act bringing Mass Save in line with climate goals
Filed by Representative Fernandes of Falmouth, proposes that the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) govern and oversee the Mass Save program.
• House Hearing scheduled for 07/13/2023 from 10:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-1
» Details on how to testify and/or submit written comments
Register to do so by filling out this form by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11th
(Also on July 13, H.3694 – Clean Heat Standard Bill , also very important!)
• Senate Hearing scheduled for 07/17/2023 from 09:30 AM-01:00 PM in A-2
» Details on how to testify and/or submit written comments
Register to do so by filling out this form by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14th
It has a very similar proposal for restructuring Mass Save, putting control of the program in the hands of a board, with an executive director in charge of day to day operations.
View this proposal at the Mass Legislature site – https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H3160
Bill S.2082
An Act to establish a clean heating initiative in the commonwealth and reorganize the energy efficiency programs known as MassSave
Filed by Senators Michael J. Barrett, Lindsay N. Sabadosa, Jason M. Lewis, Joanne M. Comerford and other members of the General Court
• House Hearing scheduled for 07/19/2023 from 10:00 AM-01:00 PM in B-1
» Details on how to testify and/or submit written comments
Register to do so by filling out this form by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 17th
• Senate Hearing scheduled for 07/17/2023 from 09:30 AM-01:00 PM in A-2
» Details on how to testify and/or submit written comments
Register to do so by filling out this form by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14th
This legislation seeks to establish a clean heating initiative in the commonwealth and reorganize the energy efficiency programs known as MassSave. Most significantly, it proposes to put control of the MassSave program in the hands of a board made up of a diverse group of stakeholders, and for the day to day operations of the program to be in the hands of an Executive Director.
View this proposal at the Mass Legislature site – https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S2082
— Social media / email toolkit for the Email tool, asking for legislators to support these bills. (Please copy & paste, and share before July 13
Very short form:
Please use this email tool to call on your Massachusetts State Legislators to co-sponsor bills to restructure MassSave. » tinyurl.com/SaveMassSave
If you’ve had experience with MassSave, we’d like you to share any details on how it went and if anything went wrong. » tinyurl.com/MassSaveExperiences
More info about the MassSave restructuring bills » tinyurl.com/MassSaveBillInfo
Twitter length:
Tell Your Legislators – Restructure MassSave! Support new bills to restructure Massachusetts’ state energy efficiency program, taking it out of the for-profit utilities’ control. Send your letter here » tinyurl.com/SaveMassSave. More info at tinyurl.com/MassSaveBillInfo #SaveMassSave
Email / Facebook length:
Tell Your Legislators – Restructure MassSave!
Newly proposed bills could be a game-changer.
Ever have trouble engaging with MassSave? Can’t find a contractor, finding out last minute you don’t qualify or have a stack of pre-repairs that aren’t covered, not able to get your rebates? There are two new bills – one for the Mass State Senate, one for the House, that would restructure Massachusetts’ state energy efficiency program, taking it out of the for-profit utilities’ control, and putting switching program operations. Executive Director who’s accountable to a diverse board.
Use this link to send a letter to your legislators to support these bills.
https://tinyurl.com/SaveMassSave
Energy efficiency is crucial to cutting climate-destroying emissions and demand for gas & electricity and saving you money on your utility bills. These bills could be a game changer!
If you’ve had experience with MassSave, we’d like you to share any details on how it went and if anything went wrong. » tinyurl.com/MassSaveExperiences