POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Here’s what the IRA did for Massachusetts in the past year

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY AND KELLY GARRITY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IRA — The Inflation Reduction Act turned 1 yesterday, marking a year since the major climate legislation was signed into law. Now, Democrats are in full-on sales mode — promoting one of the Biden administration's signature accomplishments ahead of his reelection bid next year. “The IRA is already a revolution,” Sen. Ed Markey told Playbook, five minutes before walking into the White House for an IRA anniversary event. He called the event “a celebration for this huge, huge climate success.” All eight members of Massachusetts’ fully Democrat delegation voted for the IRA last year. The bill included tax incentives and federal funding designed to lower costs and create jobs, while making advancements toward cleaner energy. Now, a year later, the Bay State has seen six IRA funded energy projects . Four of the projects are in MA-03 , Rep. Lori Trahan’s district. They include an electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Methuen, an EV research facility in Marlborough, an electrolyzer plant near Lowell and a hydrogen electrolyzer factory in Devens. The two other energy projects include an offshore wind terminal in Salem and a solar project in Worcester. The solar project, announced only a few weeks ago, is being built near Holy Cross College, according to E2 data . The funding is only posted for some of the projects, but the new EV facility in Methuen appears to be the largest, with a $45 million price tag. But in comparison to the rest of the country — where states like North Carolina, Texas, Georgia have energy projects that cost $4 billion or more — the Mass IRA funding barely makes a dent. Still, Markey contends that "the IRA is massive in its effect on the country, but on Massachusetts as well." He said he worked on the bill with the intention of ensuring Massachusetts had access to clean energy funding. So what’s next for Massachusetts from the IRA in the next year? Markey said they’re just getting started. The bill will lower electricity costs and create thousands of jobs in Massachusetts, he said, while reducing greenhouse gases and the threat they pose to the state. However, the IRA isn't the Green New Deal. Markey, who got pieces of his sponsored legislation into the IRA last year, said this is a step to bigger climate legislation. He’s hoping to fund a climate corps and pass new transmission regulations in the future. “We still have more work to do,” Markey said. But he added that the IRA is already “much bigger than any of the experts predicted it would be just one year ago.” And for now, it's time to “pah-ty.” “It's time for us to not only celebrate this victory,” Markey said before ending the call to attend the IRA’s birthday party. “But to also ensure that we are going to have an even bigger bill to be passed in the future.” GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . TODAY — State Auditor Diana DiZoglio joins state Rep. Margaret Scarsdale and other local officials for a tour of the 1st Middlesex District in Groton at 10 a.m. Tips, scoops, birthdays? We're at mmccarthy@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com and @Reporter_Mia and @KellyGarrity3 .   A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — MORE TURMOIL IN THE MASSGOP: “The Massachusetts Republican Party is no stranger to infighting, but this is taking it to a new level. The former chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and more than 20 current state GOP committee members are suing the party’s new leader and the very panel the committee members sit on, accusing the party of wrongly killing a lawsuit against its own treasurer,” the Boston Globe’s Matt Stout wrote yesterday . “The complicated and circuitous complaint — filed Tuesday by ex-chairman Jim Lyons against his successor, Amy Carnevale — threatens to resurface an internal battle the party had tried to bury months ago. It’s also likely to further inflame the deep-seated divisions snaking through the GOP at a time when it’s trying to fight fewer battles, not more.” Despite the emerging tensions, the state committee was able to come to a consensus last night on new rules for awarding delegates in the GOP presidential primary. The new plan would shift back to a proportional allocation system, which the state committee had in place before pro-Trump then-Chair Lyons approved a winner-take-all plan for the 2020 presidential primary to protect Trump from challengers — including former Gov. Bill Weld. The new criteria could incentivize GOP hopefuls to make more of an effort in the Bay State during the busy primary season. But it’s not official yet. The proposal first has to be approved by the full state committee at its next meeting in September. — “Campbell, other AGs join call for feds to speed migrant work approvals,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “One week after Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency regarding the migrant crisis, including a call for more expedited federal work authorizations, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and 18 other attorneys general joined in … ’The vast majority of new arrivals in recent months — like many who have come before them — want nothing more than an opportunity to work, and many of our businesses are eager to hire additional workers,’ Campbell and her counterparts from other states wrote in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.” FROM THE HUB — “Special prosecutor appointed in Kendra Lara car crash case as councilor pursues dismissal,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “A special prosecutor has been named to oversee Kendra Lara’s car crash case just as the city councilor moved to toss the charges claiming she was not served a citation at the scene. Worcester Assistant District Attorney Joel Luna was tapped by the Suffolk District Attorney’s office as the prosecutor in the case because the wife of William King, an opponent of Lara’s in the upcoming municipal elections, works in the city DA’s office, a spokesman told the Herald.” — “Boston city officials: district is fully staffed with school bus drivers,” by Emily Piper-Vallillo, WBUR: “With the start of school less than a month away, Boston city officials said they have a fully-staffed team of school bus drivers for the first time since before the pandemic. District leaders hope this will translate to more on-time arrivals and drop-offs for students.” — "City, union reps meet to discuss Boston Mayor Wu’s plan for Mass and Cass," by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “City representatives held a closed-door meeting with first responder unions to discuss how the mayor plans to address the uptick in violence occurring at Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard this summer, her office said."   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S TECH & AI SUMMIT: America’s ability to lead and champion emerging innovations in technology like generative AI will shape our industries, manufacturing base and future economy. Do we have the right policies in place to secure that future? How will the U.S. retain its status as the global tech leader? Join POLITICO on Sept. 27 for our Tech & AI Summit to hear what the public and private sectors need to do to sharpen our competitive edge amidst rising global competitors and rapidly evolving disruptive technologies. REGISTER HERE .     THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Boston City Council ballot drawing listed Kendra Lara as Kendra Hicks,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “A few eyebrows were raised when the Boston Election Department listed City Councilor Kendra Lara as Kendra Hicks at a lottery drawing that determined what order candidates will appear on the preliminary ballot. … Sabino Piemonte, the city’s head assistant registrar of voters, said the discrepancy was just a mistake on his part that was quickly corrected. The incumbent’s name is listed as Kendra Lara on the ballot for the Sept. 12 preliminary election, he told the Herald Wednesday.” — “Voting for Boston City Council elections begins next month. Here’s what you need to know,” by Vivi Smilgius and Maggie Scales, Boston Globe: "The deadline to register to vote in Boston’s preliminary elections is just around the corner and some of the City Council candidates up for reelection made headlines this summer. Eligible Bostonians must be registered to vote by Sept. 2 in order to cast their ballots in the Sept. 12 preliminary election, which will narrow the list of candidates running to be district councilors down to two in each district.  These candidates will then go on to compete in the general election on Nov. 7." THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Methuen seeks funding for storm damage,” by Monica Sager, The Eagle-Tribune: “Mayor Neil Perry announced that the city is working to have the Aug. 8 rainstorm and subsequent flooding designated as an emergency. With the emergency declaration, residents and businesses could possibly qualify for federal and state disaster assistance.” — “Business owner launches political attack on city councilor,” by Matt Petry, Newburyport Daily News: “A city councilor up for reelection this fall has become the target of personal attacks by a downtown merchant whose clashes with another business owner resulted in court action against him. City Councilor Steve Stanganelli, a business owner himself, is calling out a disparaging bumper sticker which he believes contains pornographic imagery and a sign both recently put up at Greenery Designs on Market Street by owner Terrance Gleason.” — “State rejects developer’s plan for shops and restaurants at State Pier,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, New Bedford Light: "The plan to redevelop State Pier into a multi-use space for retail shops, restaurants, offshore wind and a new seafood auction house has been put on hold. MassDevelopment, a quasi-state agency, will issue a new request for proposals for developing the site after its provisional agreement with a group of businesses — which it selected late last year — expired, with the agency not agreeing to the proposed terms." HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Bob Massie, Ari Meyerowitz and Lisa Murray. 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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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: One bridge at a time

 

BY KELLY GARRITY AND MIA MCCARTHY BRIDGING THE GAP — Former Gov. Charlie Baker's efforts to secure federal funding for Cape Cod's aging bridges went nowhere. But under Gov. Maura Healey's new proposal , the state now stands a chance of securing competitive federal grant funding, Rep. Bill Keating, the Democrat who represents the region, told Playbook. “It's gone from an application that was dead on arrival to one that I am quite confident will be successful,” Keating said in an interview yesterday. Healey’s plan , first reported by the Boston Globe , seeks funding for just one of the Cape’s two outmoded bridges, the Sagamore — unlike Baker’s failed attempts to secure billions for both the Sagamore and the Bourne Bridge simultaneously. Perhaps more importantly , the governor has pledged to devote state funds to the massive infrastructure undertaking. In May, Healey promised to commit up to $700 million to the project long-term, and in June included $262 million to replace the bridges as part of her five-year capital investment plan . “The other two proposals were dead on arrival, we found out later, because the Commonwealth didn't put any matching funds in,” Keating said. “We went back and did the post-mortem … we found out there was never a chance.” There are risks to the one-bridge-at-a-time strategy. Construction of both bridges is expected to take several decades, and considering how quickly the cost of the project has jumped in recent years — up from close to $1.4 billion in 2019 to more than $4 billion now — the Bourne Bridge rebuild is likely to see a heftier price tag down the line. But delaying “would be a huge mistake,” Keating said. “If you're not starting to garner the funds now, for the initial phases, then you're putting the whole project further away, and the cost will be greater. Not getting this money now would drive the cost up further.” GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Ron DeSantis didn't seize the opportunity to knock former President Donald Trump over his recent indictment in Georgia during a press call with New England media outlets yesterday. But the Florida governor did slam his GOP presidential rival for a different reason: “I disagree with Donald Trump’s attacks on Gov. Chris Sununu," DeSantis told reporters, many from outlets based in the first-in-the-nation primary state. "I think New Hampshire is the best governed state in New England. I think Chris has done a great job up there and you can see the fact that people flee to New Hampshire, just like people flee to Florida, whether it’s to escape crime, high taxes, you name it." It's the latest play DeSantis has made recently to ingratiate himself with influential governors in early voting states. Last week, the Super PAC backing the Republican presidential hopeful launched ads highlighting Trump's spats with Sununu and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Sununu has made clear he intends to do whatever he can to stop Trump from winning the GOP nomination, but the popular Republican governor has yet to publicly throw his support behind a Trump alternative — and an endorsement doesn't appear to be imminent. Any announcement likely won't come until November or December, he told POLITICO last month , after he gets a chance to "see what they can do." In the meantime, Sununu is joining the candidates on the trail as they attempt to woo New Hampshire voters. TODAY — Healey swears in Stephanie Everett as the new Suffolk County Register of Probate and Family Court at 10:30 a.m. at the State House. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll is in Iowa through Friday for the National Lieutenant Governors Association’s Annual Meeting. Senate President Karen Spilka tours damage from recent flooding in North Andover at 10 a.m. and is joined by state Sen. Barry Finegold , Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and local officials in Haverhill to see the community impacted by a sinkhole from the flooding at 11:20 a.m. Secretary of State Bill Galvin makes an announcement on a new state grant program for organizations providing services to survivors of domestic violence in Springfield at noon. Attorney General Andrea Campbell stops by Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s annual Summer Cookout in Springfield at 2:30 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a press conference about preparations for the first day of the school year at 9 a.m. and delivers remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovated Walnut Park Play Area in Roxbury at 1 p.m. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Planning to try the new Dunkin' Spiked drinks? Let us know: kgarrity@politico.com and mmccarthy@politico.com and @Reporter_Mia and @KellyGarrity3 .   A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — “ Maura Healey silent on level of federal funding Massachusetts needs to combat shelter crisis , ” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “A week after Gov. Maura Healey made a public plea for federal dollars to help with an emergency shelter crisis partly fueled by an influx of migrants, it is unclear just how much money she wants to flow Massachusetts’ way.” — “Healey Veto Would Damage Racial Wealth Gap Efforts, Nonprofits Say,” by James Sanna, Banker & Tradesman: “A $1.5 million cut to a state grant program for first-time homebuyer counseling might seem small, but the nonprofit community developers who use the funds say it could gut their work trying to give aspiring homebuyers of color a shot in the ever-more-expensive Massachusetts housing market.” — “Ballot face-off over gig workers looms,” by Jennifer Smith, Commonwealth Magazine: “Two years ago, Massachusetts braced itself for what was expected to be the most expensive ballot measure campaign in the state’s history. That question, brought by ride-hailing companies to classify their gig workers as independent contractors, was kicked off the ballot by a ruling from the state’s highest court. In just a few weeks, the state should know if the fight and the ad dollars will be back on the horizon. And this time, there could be ballot measures on both sides.” — “AG Grants $1.5 Mil to Expand Maternal Health Workforce, Access to Care,” by Alison Kuznitz, Statehouse News Service (paywall): “Alarmed by 'devastating statistics' of worsening severe maternal morbidity rates, particularly among Black people during labor and delivery, Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced $1.5 million in grant funding to 11 community organizations and health centers Tuesday in a bid to tamp down on racial disparities.” FROM THE HUB — “‘It felt like a win-win-win.’ Boston to launch e-bike delivery program,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “Allston is trying to say goodbye to double-parked delivery vehicles and hello to e-bikes with a new city program launching next month. The pilot program will provide deliveries to and from local businesses in Allston with electric cargo bikes for at least a year starting in mid-September, the Boston Transportation Department announced Tuesday, aiming to reduce car pollution and traffic, and free up space on city streets now occupied by delivery cars that often idle near curbs.” — “‘Hot people and hot places.’ Boston task force eyes targeted approach to gun violence reduction ” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “A new city task force aimed at reducing shootings will focus specifically on the people pulling the trigger and the handful of small locations where an outsize amount of street violence happens. ‘It’s focusing on the micro-places and the micro-populations,’ said Isaac Yablo, Mayor Michelle Wu’s senior adviser for community safety. Or to put it more plainly: ‘Hot people and hot places.’” — “With 10 of Boston’s 18 city-run public pools closed, Michelle Wu addresses high rate of closures,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: “Mayor Michelle Wu emphasized city efforts to make swimming safe and accessible Tuesday, speaking to the high rate of pool closures frustrating residents and announcing funding to expand the Swim Safe initiative into the school year.” — “As new school year looms, Wu touts school bus readiness at BPS,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday, that as the Boston Public Schools prepare to start classes on September 1, the system’s staffing levels are have markedly improved from previous years. ‘I just came from the August Leadership Institute with all of our school leaders and their teams and superintendent and school committee chair this morning,’ Wu said on GBH’s Boston Public Radio. ‘And Superintendent [Mary] Skipper reported that we have 733 bus drivers hired and ready to go, plus another 30 who are [training] right now.’” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Super PAC enters District 5 race with a mission: Anyone but Arroyo,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: “Outside political groups, also known as super PACs, played a big role in the 2021 mayoral race, spending millions to boost their chosen candidates while knocking rivals in mailers and on TV. This year’s off-year municipal election, with low turnout expected, has drawn at least one such group that hopes to make a mark in the four-way preliminary for District 5. The group, calling itself ‘Enough is Enough,’ aims to oust incumbent Councillor Ricardo Arroyo, who has held the Hyde Park and Mattapan seat since January 2020.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “Know anyone who wants to be chief safety officer at the MBTA?,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “The MBTA’s chief safety officer, who has overseen the agency’s most important division for the last three years and helped shepherd the T through nearly unprecedented federal scrutiny after a series of critical safety failures, is leaving, General Manager Phillip Eng announced Tuesday. Chief Safety Officer Ronald Ester’s last day will be August 30, leaving Eng and Governor Maura Healey the daunting task of finding a successor — someone qualified and excited to improve safety at an organization known for its lack of it.”   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S TECH & AI SUMMIT: America’s ability to lead and champion emerging innovations in technology like generative AI will shape our industries, manufacturing base and future economy. Do we have the right policies in place to secure that future? How will the U.S. retain its status as the global tech leader? Join POLITICO on Sept. 27 for our Tech & AI Summit to hear what the public and private sectors need to do to sharpen our competitive edge amidst rising global competitors and rapidly evolving disruptive technologies. REGISTER HERE .     DATELINE D.C. — “Mass. Democrats pressure US Department of Education to curtail legacy admissions,” by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: “When the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action for university admissions earlier this summer, Democrats said it was time to take on a different higher education policy: legacy and donor admissions. Now, Massachusetts senators are calling for the Biden administration to crack down. If institutions of higher education can’t consider a student’s race, Democrats argue, they should not be able to consider familial or financial connections, either.” FROM THE 413 — “Supporting farmers through extreme weather is a priority, new Mass. rural affairs director says,” by Juliet Shulman-Hall, MassLive: “Anne Gobi, the new director of rural affairs in the Executive Office of Economic Development, wants to make sure farmers are adequately supported in Massachusetts, especially following this year’s extreme weather events including flooding in July. ‘You’ve probably heard that saying ‘nothing runs like a deer’; well nobody works like a farmer. It’s 24/7, 365,’ Gobi said.” — “This is what Springfield mayoral candidates are saying about gun violence,” by Jonah Snowden, MassLive  — “Lederman Makes Three Mayoral Candidates on Your TV,” by Western Mass Politics & Insight THE LOCAL ANGLE — “‘Food is the biggest expense’: Mass. families welcome permanent free school meals for students,” by Emily Piper-Vallillo, WBUR: “Household food insecurity in Massachusetts doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Project Bread, a Boston-based anti-hunger nonprofit. But in the spring of 2020 the federal government stepped in to provide all students with free school meals, which included breakfast and lunch.” — “After rocky departure from Harvard, prominent disinformation expert Joan Donovan heads to BU,” by Hilary Burns, Boston Globe: “Joan Donovan spent the past four years at Harvard University’s Kennedy School researching how conspiracy theories, social media algorithms, and media manipulation influence public perception and threaten democracy. But last summer, Donovan was informed by school officials that the Technology and Social Change Project, which she directed, would wind down because of an internal policy that requires all research projects to be led by full faculty members. Donovan was not on a tenure track at Harvard.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — “Poll shows Kelly Ayotte leading New Hampshire governor’s race,” by Steven Porter, Boston Globe: “Former US senator Kelly Ayotte looks like the very early favorite in New Hampshire’s budding 2024 gubernatorial contest, according to an Emerson College poll released Tuesday. The poll shows Ayotte with a big lead over fellow Republican candidate Chuck Morse, and she outperformed each of the Democratic candidates, Cinde Warmington and Joyce Craig, in hypothetical matchups.” — “Former Texas congressman campaigns in Derry, N.H.,” Katelyn Sahagian, Gloucester Daily Times: “Will Hurd, a former congressman from Texas and self-proclaimed dark horse in the Republican race for president, is touring New Hampshire to try to raise enough money and support to appear on the debate stage in Milwaukee on Aug. 23. Standing at his side was Gov. Chris Sununu, who introduced Hurd to the crowd — whether they were there to see him or not. Sununu has said he would support anyone who is running against former President Donald Trump.” HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Kristen Elechko and Justin (JP) Griffin. 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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