Mothers Out Front, a Massachusetts-wide climate change awareness organization, and state lawmakers called for a transition to renewable energy utilities before the Commission of Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy on Nov. 12.
The For a Utility Transition to Using Renewable Energy (FUTURE) Act is a response to the Columbia Gas catastrophe in Merrimack Valley last year that engulfed 40 houses in flames and killed one resident.
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said that the aftermath from the disaster in their community is far from over. On Sept. 27, just a year after the incident, about 100 residents in Lawrence were instructed by police to evacuate their homes due to a punctured gas main also belonging to Columbia Gas.
“The complacency of large natural gas companies is jeopardizing the quality of life of our residents,” Rivera said. “If we do not take action, we set the precedent that we do not care about their lives either.”
The Act seeks to minimize gas leaks and the use of toxic greenhouse gases, such as Methane, through requiring utility companies to transition to forms renewable thermal energy by 2050. According to Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Essex, one of the bill’s sponsors, passing FUTURE would also stimulate the local economy through the rapidly growing solar electric industry.
“The FUTURE Act is the most comprehensive and transitional proposal yet,” Ehrlich said. “Transition is the most important thing right now and the Act shows that it can be done.”
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is optimistic that a switch to clean energy sources will curtail lack of oversight and training within utility companies. In 2017, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities reported that nearly 12,000 of the 27,731 gas leaks across the state remained unrepaired, Walsh said.
“I’ve been committed to lowering carbon emissions and greenhouse gas use since I started in 2006,” Walsh said during an interview. “Not only is it an environmental issue but it’s a public safety issue, so this act will be a step in the right direction.”
Massachusetts ranked Third Most Eco-friendly State in America since 2015, according to Walsh, and passing FUTURE would ensure that the state maintains its high standards of sustainability.
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