Commonwealth passes 5 new energy bills

On Aug. 2nd, 2008, Gov. Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts legislation passed five "green" bills. The passage of these initiatives puts Massachusetts at the forefront of energy and environmental policy in the United States. The measures include: The Green Communities Act, Oceans Act, Clean Energy Biofuels Act, Global Warming Solutions Act, and Green Jobs Act.

These first-in-the-nation policies mean gasoline tax exemptions for cellulosic biofuel, mandating a blended biodiesel, investments in and development of wind, wave, and tidal power generation while protecting state waters. The Global Warming Solutions Act mandates greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050.

For more information please check out the Boston Globe article "Green, with Envy."

For a transcript from the Energy Bill Signing or the press release, visit the Boston Government website.