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Energy Bill Passes Senate, Conference Up Next
The comprehensive Massachusetts energy bill, which passed the House last November, was approved by the Senate last week, albeit in a different form. The two versions of the bill will now go to a conference committee.
The comprehensive Massachusetts energy bill, which passed the House last November, was approved by the Senate last week, albeit in a different form. The two versions of the bill will now go to a conference committee of six legislators (three Representatives and three Senators), who will hammer out the final version. That version will then go back through the House and Senate for final passage.
The Senate version of the bill placed important carbon emission limits on new technologies trying to get financial assistance, such as coal gasification. This compares favorably with the House version, which had relatively weak carbon control language.
There are a great number of differences between the two bills, which could make for a lengthy conference, but it is important for this bill -- the first comprehensive energy legislation in over a decade -- to be done right.