POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker calls for immigration aid

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View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by NEW: BAKER ASKS FEDS FOR MIGRANT AID — Gov. Charlie Baker is asking the feds to boost housing, work and legal assistance for refugees and asylum-seekers amid a "marked increase" in migrants entering Massachusetts — and criticism from some local officials over his administration's handling of it. The nearly 50 migrants Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had flown to Martha’s Vineyard in September represent just a fraction of the 4,334 people Massachusetts-based resettlement agencies have helped in the past fiscal year. The state’s shelter system has also seen a “significant increase” in the number of migrant families seeking shelter since July, Baker wrote in a Monday letter to the heads of the departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services. Baker is asking federal agencies to expedite and streamline the process for migrants to secure federal work authorization and to increase funding for housing and legal assistance through the Office of Refugee Resettlement. He also wants federal officials to extend more support to groups including Cuban and Haitian migrants, asylum seekers, certified victims of human trafficking and those with temporary protected status. “Massachusetts is proud to welcome individuals and families seeking asylum and refuge and is dedicated to helping families live with dignity, but additional federal support is required,” Baker wrote. More resources, Baker said, would help “relieve the strain” on public services. And he said a “faster path to legal employment would not only provide these individuals with a path to self-sustainability but would also aid Massachusetts employers who are eager to hire amidst the current workforce shortage.” Baker’s request comes after local leaders complained that his administration sent dozens of migrants to hotels in Methuen, Kingston and Plymouth with little advance warning and left their municipalities scrambling to provide food and other aid . Mike Kennealy, the state housing and economic development secretary, has cited Massachusetts’ obligations as a “right-to-shelter state” and said some families have been placed in hotels or motels “due to capacity constraints” on the state’s emergency shelter system. The governor’s letter also follows one from the all-Democratic congressional delegation that asked FEMA to step up Emergency Food and Shelter Program aid for local organizations helping migrants. Taken together, these developments underscore how the immigration issues that often seem like they're playing out far away are permeating Massachusetts and presenting challenges for this gubernatorial administration and the next one. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Tax rebate checks start heading out the door today. Beacon Hill appears to be rumbling to life on big-money bills. Election Day is one week away. And today is the last day to apply to vote by mail. Turnout has already surpassed 13 percent through early voting, the secretary of state’s office said Monday afternoon. TODAY — Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attend the 39th Annual Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery at 11 a.m. at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall. Polito attends a celebration marking the 1 millionth passenger at Worcester Regional Airport at 9:30 a.m. Rep. Seth Moulton kicks off a “Yes on 1” canvass at 4:30 p.m. at the Salem train station. Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark joins the Alliance for Business Leadership for a conversation on women in the workforce at 6 p.m. in Boston. Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Did you know the key to good health is right under your nose? Delta Dental of Massachusetts is helping communities across the state improve their oral health and understand that a healthy smile is a powerful thing. Your mouth is the window to better overall health and happiness – open wide and let your dentist help protect you from health conditions like depression and cardiovascular disease. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Anthony Amore now has the backing of a fourth Republican governor. Except this one’s from New Hampshire. Granite State Gov. Chris Sununu has endorsed Amore for auditor, saying his “experience has earned him a reputation of success well beyond the borders of the Bay State.” Sununu last waded into a Massachusetts race when he backed Chris Doughty for governor over eventual Republican nominee Geoff Diehl. Sununu’s endorsements show how moderate Republicans are rallying around Amore and other more centrist GOP candidates across New England, including Rhode Island’s Allan Fung, in hopes of preserving their dying breed of politicking. And Baker is doubling down on his support for Amore after MassDems Chair Gus Bickford called on the governor to rescind his endorsement over allegations related to Amore’s divorce. The two Republicans will hold a rally at 6:45 p.m. in Swampscott. — FROM THE OPINION PAGES: The Attleboro Sun Chronicle editorial board has endorsed Maura Healey for governor. The Boston Globe editorial board has endorsed Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux for Bristol County sheriff over incumbent Tom Hodgson. — MONEY, PLEASE: Heroux told Bolts Magazine for a story published yesterday that he was led to believe he "was going to get a million dollars in my campaign account from donations all over the country” for taking on Hodgson. But as of his mid-September interview with the magazine, Heroux said he was “struggling to raise money.” Since then, outside groups have come to Heroux’s aid. The Working Families Party had put $234,368 behind Heroux as of Monday, according to OCPF. Everytown for Gun Safety has poured $196,608 into the race, split between digital advertising in support of Heroux and in opposition to Hodgson. Gov. Charlie Baker-aligned Massachusetts Majority PAC has answered that by spending about $76,525 in support of Hodgson. — "Healey, Diehl decline to release tax returns in race for Mass. governor," by Steve Brown, WBUR: "Maura Healey, the Democratic nominee for governor, released several years of tax returns when she was first running for attorney general in 2014. ... But both Healey and Republican Geoff Diehl declined WBUR's request to release last year's tax filings. The campaigns said they might change their minds if their opponent releases the documents first." — “How are Mass. gubernatorial candidates planning to address widespread student learning losses? Mostly they aren’t,” by Julian E.J. Sorapuru, Boston Globe: “State education leaders said it could take at least five years for students to catch up to the achievement levels of their peers before the pandemic. Charting a path to lift the state’s students will be among the most pressing objectives for Governor Charlie Baker’s successor. Yet neither major party gubernatorial candidate has offered fleshed-out plans to address pandemic-specific education losses.”   NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS  – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — “On target: ed reform money reaching poorer districts,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The low-income, heavily immigrant city of Chelsea is getting over $2,600 per pupil more in state education aid than it did two years ago. That translates to nearly $19 million in additional funds each year going into the district’s $118 million budget. Mary Bourque, a former Chelsea superintendent and now director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, called that a prime illustration that the Student Opportunity Act, a landmark rewrite of the state’s public education funding formula, is working.” — “Mass. tax refund checks begin going out this week,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Bay Staters will start receiving their tax refund checks in the mail or via direct deposit this week, though a lengthy distribution process will span through mid-December. The initial batch of refunds will be shipped out on Tuesday, as the Baker administration begins the process of returning nearly $3 billion in excess tax revenues to Bay Staters as required by a 1980s tax cap law known as Chapter 62F. … Taxpayers can expect a refund that equates to about 14% of their fiscal 2021 personal income tax liability — a 1 percentage point jump over earlier estimates from the Baker administration.” — MAKING THE LIST: State Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, has landed on Out Magazine’s list of 100 national and international LGBTQ+ policymakers and advocates. Read his write-up . VAX-ACHUSETTS — “Worcester urges indoor mask wearing, citing RSV rise,” by Jeff A. Chamer, Telegram & Gazette: “In a citywide advisory, health officials are urging all residents to wear masks when indoors and around others, especially children at least 2 years old because they are most impacted by RSV.” FROM THE HUB — “Transit police officials blast DA Hayden for dismissing misconduct charge against their own officer,” by Evan Allen and Andrew Ryan, Boston Globe: “For more than three years, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office was steadfast in asserting that Transit Police Sergeant David Finnerty had committed a crime by doctoring a police report to cover up an officer’s beating of a homeless man. But this month, on the eve of trial, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden abruptly reversed course. He dropped the charges against Finnerty, saying prosecutors had learned of new evidence and were acting ‘in the interest of justice.’ … The DA’s decision has renewed scrutiny of Hayden’s handling of police prosecutions, and pitched his office into a high-stakes standoff with top transit officials, who suggested Hayden tanked the Finnerty case in retaliation for their previous criticism of Hayden’s administration.”   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:     FROM THE DELEGATION — ‘TOO MUCH BITTERNESS’: After the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Sen. Ed Markey called to reduce political tension, Rep. Ayanna Pressley said the best response “is accountability” through voting and Rep. Jake Auchincloss warned that GOP candidates "need to be mindful of their rhetoric on election night." — “As Trump appeals to the Supreme Court, Neal confident committee will get tax returns,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said Monday he’s confident the U.S. Supreme Court will allow the House Ways and Means Committee to access former President Donald Trump’s tax returns. Trump filed an emergency appeal Monday, a response to his most recent loss in court where he had attempted to prevent the Treasury Department from giving his tax documents to the House committee.” SCOTUS WATCH — “Justices appear poised to curtail affirmative action in college admissions,” by Bianca Quilantan and Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: “A majority of the justices sounded inclined to further restrict the use of race in college admissions during arguments in two high profile cases at the Supreme Court Monday. Students for Fair Admissions, led by longtime affirmative action opponent Edward Blum, challenged race-conscious admissions practices at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard University.” — “Alito appeared to reference Elizabeth Warren when he asked about 'family lore' on Native American ancestry during Supreme Court affirmative action case,” by Rebecca Cohen, Insider: “Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito appears to reference Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a line of questioning about Native American ancestry as the Supreme Court hears a major case on affirmative action. … Alito asked North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park — who is defending affirmative action policies at the University of North Carolina — what is preventing students from claiming heritage they don't have. ‘It's family lore that we have an ancestor who was an American Indian,’ Alito offered.” HEALEY WATCH — “14 Mass. Dunkin’ stores settle child labor violations for $145K,” by Tréa Lavery, MassLive: “The owners of 14 Dunkin’ stores in Lowell, Worcester, Grafton, Millbury, Westborough and Leominster will pay more than $145,000 to settle over 1,200 child labor law violations, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office announced Monday.” MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — "With new marijuana law poised to take effect, confusion reigns over local fees," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "When Massachusetts lawmakers passed a package of reforms to the state’s marijuana business laws over the summer, their intent seemed clear: To crack down on municipalities charging cannabis operators unjustified 'impact' fees, which are ostensibly meant to offset the negative effects of a marijuana business. But now, with the law scheduled to take effect next week, there is widespread disagreement over its implementation — and a likelihood that many cities and towns will for the time being continue to collect impact fees that exceed the new legal limits. A few communities have even stopped approving new cannabis facilities until state regulators provide guidance." — “Pot tax revenue getting higher; up 27%,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “In a new report, the Cannabis Control Commission says the state collected nearly $225 million in sales and excise tax revenue through May on retail marijuana sales during the past fiscal year. That’s a roughly 27% increase over the previous fiscal year when the state collected more than $176 million from excise and sales tax on pot sales, the agency said.”   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S 2nd ANNUAL DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/16: The United States is facing a defining moment in the future of its defense, national security and democratic ideals. The current conflicts and developments around the world are pushing Washington to reshape its defense strategy and how it cooperates with allies. Join POLITICO for our second annual defense summit, “At a Crossroads: America’s Defense Strategy” on November 16 in person at the Schuyler DC or join online to hear keynote interviews and panels discussing the road ahead for America’s national security. REGISTER HERE .     FROM THE 413 — “UMass soliciting ideas to change flagship’s seal,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Since World War II, the imagery on the official seal used for the University of Massachusetts flagship campus is nearly identical to what appears on the state flag, with a Native American standing against a shield and below an arm wielding a Colonial-style sword. With UMass officials looking at gaps in the visual identity for the flagship campus, and creating a stronger connection to the region, a change is being pursued to the seal.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Provincetown ‘Lady of the Dunes’ identified after nearly 50 years,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The ‘Lady of the Dunes’ now has a name: Ruth Marie Terry. Terry, of Tennessee, was 37 when someone killed her and left her body in the Provincetown dunes on July 26, 1974. The case is a Massachusetts legend, the source of widespread speculation for now nearly half a century. Until this point, Terry was the oldest unidentified homicide victim in state history, according to the feds, who are asking anyone with information to contact them or state police.” — “Eversource CEO asks Biden to take emergency action on New England natural gas supply,” by Ross Cristantiello, Boston.com: “The head of Eversource is sounding the alarm to President Biden, urgently requesting that he use emergency powers to ensure New England residents will have enough fuel to stay warm and avoid blackouts this winter.” — “Patients face delays as hospitals struggle to fill 19,000 jobs, report finds,” by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, WBUR: “Massachusetts hospitals are struggling to fill an estimated 19,000 job openings, and the staffing shortages are forcing long waits for patients, according to a new report. The analysis from the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association describes a health system in crisis, with too many sick patients and not enough workers to take care of them.” — “Clash over 'social causes' — D-R only school board to pull out of state group,” by Daniel Schemer, Taunton Daily Gazette: “Over the summer, the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee voted not to renew its membership with the state advocacy group the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC), making it the only school committee, out of 300-plus member districts in the state, not to belong to the group. Is the reason financial? No. Is the reason political? Yes. … Committee Vice-Chair Aaron Morse initiated the discussion at the Nov. 9, 2021 meeting, saying there’s ‘zero neutrality’ from MASC, often silencing conservative viewpoints.” MEDIA MATTERS — “Daily Hampshire Gazette to move headquarters, will remain in Northampton,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The company’s move to a 7,000-square-foot building at 23 Service Center Road, only a few hundred yards from the 115 Conz St. headquarters where it has been based since October 1975, means that the Gazette will continue to call home the city where its first paper was printed in 1786. … only about one-quarter of the current site is being used by the newspaper.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — “Trump endorses NH GOP Senate candidate, dings him for waffling on election claims,” by Caroline Vakil, The Hill: “Former President Trump formally endorsed New Hampshire Senate hopeful Don Bolduc (R) on Monday while also dinging him for flip-flopping on his views on the 2020 election.” Trump has now endorsed all three of New Hampshire’s GOP congressional nominees after sitting out the state’s primaries. But only one, Bob Burns, who’s challenging Rep. Annie Kuster, has actually posted the former president’s endorsement on Twitter (where Trump remains banned). Bolduc’s campaign didn’t appear to address the endorsement yesterday. Karoline Leavitt, the former Trump White House press aide challenging Rep. Chris Pappas , lists several endorsements from Trump campaign alums on her website but not the one she received from the former president himself.   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Delta Dental of Massachusetts connects with communities statewide to highlight the importance of oral health. Your oral health is a key predictor of overall health — with direct links to diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other medical conditions. So, this fall, remind your loved ones – and yourself – to show your mouth some love. Get back to the dentist and remember to practice at-home preventive oral health habits like brushing and flossing regularly. Because the key to good health is right under your nose. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Erin Hearn of J Strategies, Molly Horan, Hannah Smith and Siri Uotila. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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Sen. Cyr: 'Lot of work to do' considering expansion of PFAS monitoring

Chris Lisinski  State House News Service

Published Jun 2, 2021 

Massachusetts regulators may need to expand PFAS monitoring into waste disposal, landfill and the atmosphere amid concerns about potential health risks from the chemicals, the head of the state Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday.

The most recent regulatory updates for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, targeted drinking water because it is already a "well-understood exposure pathway and an area where we could make an important, immediate impact," DEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg told lawmakers and other officials.

Other states have broadened their focus, Suuberg said, adding that DEP is watching those efforts closely as it plans next steps to tackle the so-called "forever chemicals."

"We're mindful of the fact that waste disposal facilities, landfills are areas we might need to be looking at," Suuberg said in response to a question about expanding monitoring efforts. "The list of areas that we could look at is daunting, but I would say probably you're right – air is an area that all of us are going to need to take a look at."

Amid what Suuberg called "growing attention" about the presence of PFAS chemicals, a new intergovernmental task force kicked off its work Tuesday to analyze their impact in Massachusetts and craft recommended steps to limit contamination.

State Sen. Julian Cyr, one of the group's co-chairs, said Tuesday that members have "a lot of work to do."

"Increasingly, we're concerned that PFAS may affect most every town in the Cape and Islands District," Cyr, a Truro Democrat, said. "We all recognize that these forever chemicals, particularly their presence in the groundwater in a place like Cape Cod or on Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket – we only have a sole-source aquifer. There's not another option."

The man-made chemicals do not decompose entirely in the environment, and they are found in a range of products, from firefighting foams to nonstick cookware to food packaging. They have also been found to leach from packaging into Anvil 10+10, a pesticide the state has used to combat mosquito-borne illnesses, creating thorny problems for some communities.

Experts caution that exposure to PFAS chemicals can cause health problems, particularly in those who are immunocompromised, pregnant women and infants, Suuberg said.

During the task force's first meeting, Suuberg recounted recent developments in government efforts to rein in PFAS contamination. A "turning point" came in May 2016, Suuberg said, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency updated its health advisory with a lower PFAS concentration threshold of 70 parts per trillion.

Massachusetts went even further than federal guidelines. Late last year, DEP issued final rules for soil and groundwater cleanup and implemented final regulations setting the maximum contaminant level in drinking water for six PFAS compounds at 20 parts per trillion.

Since implementation of that new standard, a growing number of water systems have detected concentration of the compounds at levels requiring notification and response.

Fifty-one public water systems, which range in scope from covering entire towns to serving individual housing developments, have found PFAS chemicals at a concentration above the maximum contaminant level in at least one test, according to a DEP online map.

In North Attleboro, for example, one well tested above the PFAS threshold and has since been taken out of service by the town's water department, which is "investigating treatment options for possible future use of the well," according to DEP's website.

Suuberg said 600 public water systems, including 25 of the largest ones, have been sampled to test for PFAS. Most reported no issues, but the department is working with 23 of the community water systems with excessive PFAS levels, he said.

"Each one requires an individualized approach to figure out what the short-term answers will be to minimize PFAS exposure as well as developing long-term plans," Suuberg said.

Coletta, the DEP spokesperson, said Tuesday afternoon that the Abington/Rockland Water System had implemented sufficient PFAS treatment and then tested below the concentration threshold, pushing the list that Suuberg referenced down to 22.

The Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker included funding in two supplemental budget bills to support sampling for PFAS contamination. Suuberg said the state has made $180 million available for 16 projects, mostly through the Clean Water Trust.

Over the coming months, members of the task force plan to dive into how PFAS chemicals affect the environment, who is responsible for contamination and remediation, and what steps Beacon Hill can take to address the growing concern.

The PFAS Interagency Task Force, created in the fiscal 2021 state budget via a Rep. Kate Hogan amendment, must complete its work and file a report by Dec. 31.

Baker submits amendments to climate change bill

Doug Fraser   Cape Cod Times

Published Feb 9, 2021 

State legislators are now mulling over Gov. Charlie Baker’s amendments to their climate change bill that he returned to them over the weekend.

Baker did not sign the original bill that landed on his desk at the tail end of the legislative session last month, and lawmakers refiled the bill at the end of January with no changes.

“This reflects the great work we’ve done with the Legislature working in a collaborative environment over the last three weeks to strengthen our efforts to tackle climate change while protecting families,” said state Secretary of Energy and the Environment Kathleen Theoharides, who called the collaboration a “very productive conversation.”

State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, however, was not pleased with amendments that he felt weakened accountability.

"(T)he Legislature established benchmarks to hold the Commonwealth's executive branch accountable to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We set these standards high to fend off the existential threat that climate change poses to communities like ours," Cyr said.

Initially, Baker complained he was rushed into signing the bill without time to make his own amendments. His administration both lauded the intent of the bill while criticizing it for potentially causing too much economic pain for too little gain over what was proposed in its own plan.

In his letter to legislators Sunday, Baker thanked them for their work and for giving him the opportunity to make amendments. His administration had initially been critical of the climate change bill for increasing the emissions reduction benchmark to 50% by 2030 instead of the 45% they had recommended.

In a prior interview, Theoharides said the additional 5% required a lot more effort, including hundreds of thousands more electric vehicles, a new low-carbon fuel standard that was far tougher than any in the U.S., and completely eliminated petroleum-based heating fuels.

In his amendments, Baker proposed a compromise of between 45% and 50% emissions reductions by 2030, with the exact amount set by the administration, depending on the level of technological advances that could provide for greater emissions reductions. The 2040 target was amended to a goal of between 65% and 75%.

“It is a legally binding target that sets you up for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but makes it not overly costly for the Commonwealth,” Theoharides said.

Other amendments included a compromise on the goal for the procurement of offshore wind. Baker proposed the state authorize up to 4,000 megawatts of power from offshore wind farms, 800 more than the 3,200 megawatts proposed by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008. Legislators had proposed adding 2,400 megawatts.

Baker also proposed an amendment to imposing emissions limits on sectors of the economy like transportation and building. Instead of a strict limit, his amendment makes the emissions reduction a target to be used for planning, provided the overall emission reduction goal is met. Theoharides said this will give some flexibility to the process if some sectors can achieve greater emissions reductions due to technological advances while others find it harder to comply.

Worried about the impact on affordable housing of a so-called “stretch” building code in the original bill that required new homes to have net-zero emissions on affordable housing, Baker’s amendments stressed energy-efficiency. Transition to a new code would be overseen by the state Department of Energy Resources and would not be mandatory until 2028.

Theoharides said the administration agreed with much of what the legislators proposed on environmental justice and decided to strengthen it by adding that the Department of Environmental Protection, when permitting certain projects, take into account the cumulative environmental impacts on the community of other projects. 

“If you are permitting projects in areas with existing pollution, and you are adding to that, it is unlikely to be able to be permitted,” Theoharides said.

“We believe the administration went in good faith and was really thoughtful about how they prepared the amendments,” said Caitlin Peale Sloane, senior attorney and interim director of the Massachusetts Conservation Law Foundation. 

But Sloane was concerned about the language in the proposed amendments, particularly in making emissions reductions “limits” instead of a minimum. She believed that industry should be shooting for a target that will deal with the emissions and climate change problem, not one that is believed to be technologically feasible. Hard goals inspire innovation, she believes.

“Industry will step up and adapt to meet them,” Sloane said.

Sloane worried about delaying the implementation of a new building code until 2028. 

“The Governor’s own clean energy climate plan makes it clear that you are at a cost parity to build a net-zero house vs. a new house that uses fossil fuels,” she said. It’s more expensive to retrofit a home with fossil fuel heating systems than to build a clean energy home, Sloane said.

“The technology is out there for both market-value and affordable homes,” she said.

"I hope a compromise can be reached that reconciles the concerns of the administration, but the bill is actionable as written and urgently needs to become law," Cyr said.