Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Massachusetts's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

This database is for informational purposes only. An up to date and complete list of programs with additional detail can be found at [MA Climate Change Clearinghouse](https://resilientma.mass.gov/home.html) and [Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions](https://www.mass.gov/mitigating-greenhouse-gas-emissions).

massachusetts

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

DCR Awards More Than $400,000 to Seven Environmental Justice Communities to Expand Urban Tree Canopy

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced the agency is awarding more than $426,000 to seven organizations to increase the urban tree canopy in environmental justice communities across the state. DCR is awarding the funding through the agency’s Urban and Community Forestry Environmental Justice Grant Program.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Over $3 Million in Grants to Help Local Communities Tackle Climate Change

The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced it is awarding over $3 million through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Planning 2.0 (MVP 2.0) grant program to assist local communities in preparing for climate change. A total of 23 municipalities and three regional groups, representing another 10 municipalities, will benefit from these funds. The goal is to provide financial support and resources so that communities can create actionable strategies to address climate challenges.

Massachusetts DPU Issues Orders to Make Gas System Enhancement Plans (GSEP) More Affordable

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU)  released orders outlining changes to the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP), a program that incentivizes gas companies to fix pipeline leaks. The DPU’s changes include: reducing total annual repair expenses, slashing interest fees passed onto customers, prioritizing critical leaks, and incentivizing pipe retirement and installing alternatives (such as electric heat pumps), which are more aligned with the state’s net zero goals.


SB 2967: An Act Promoting A Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity and Protecting Ratepayers

The bill includes recommendations from the Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting intended to help expedite the development of clean energy infrastructure across Massachusetts.

The bill would require all cities and towns to approve small clean energy infrastructure project applications through a mandated consolidated permitting process within 12 months. Should a municipality not act within that time frame, the permit would be automatically approved, allowing the project to operate under standard conditions. Small clean energy infrastructure is defined as generation projects under 25 megawatts and clean energy infrastructure storage projects under 100 megawatt hours.

Permitting for large clean energy projects would also follow a consolidated process overseen by a reformed Energy Facilities Siting Board, with approvals due within 15 months of receipt of a complete application.

Directs the Department of Public Utilities to open a proceeding to facilitate right-of-way or pole-mounted electric vehicle supply equipment throughout the commonwealth not later than July 31, 2025, and for electric distribution companies to file plans to establish such equipment throughout the commonwealth by December 31, 2025.

The law also makes improvements to equitable siting and the community engagement process, which has historically been challenging to navigate. Municipalities will be granted automatic intervenor status in EFSB proceedings. A fund to support municipalities, organizations, and individuals who lack the resources will benefit from a new fund to support their needs for qualified legal representation and expert analysis. The EFSB will also require a cumulative impact analysis for projects seeking to site in environmental justice communities, so that no neighborhood becomes overburdened with infrastructure that the entire state benefits from. The Office of Environmental Justice and Equity and the Division of Public Participation at the Department of Public Utilities – both established under Governor Healey – will be enshrined in law.

Section 4 of the law also establishes multiple embodied carbon policies, setting up the state to develop a buy clean program.

The Massachusetts Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (OEJE) is committed to ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of all environmental and energy benefits and burdens. They work with all agencies under the Secretary to ensure every policy and program is designed with equity at the center, ensuring all voices are heard and all voices are shaping the solutions.

Office of Environmental Justice and Equity

The council is required to: develop an embodied carbon reduction plan, which will recommend requiring major building and transportation projects to collect EPDs; use low-carbon materials - especially cement, concrete, steel, glass, asphalt, and wood; recommend a process to set GWP values for these materials on or before January 1, 2026; develop EPD procurement procedures for state government; examine interactions with other laws, including ways to integrate embodied carbon reduction into the state building codes; and study best practices to increase building reuse.

Embodied carbon intergovernmental coordinating council

environmental_justice

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Urban & Community Forestry is soliciting grant applications for the purpose of supporting tree planting efforts on public and private property in disadvantaged communities across the Commonwealth.