Supports Funding for Resilience and Energy Efficiency

 

BOSTON – Today the Massachusetts State Senate gave approval to a $1.8 billion housing bond bill, after adopting by a 34-0 vote an amendment by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to allow funds from the bill to be used for projects involving energy efficiency and resilience to climate change. The bipartisan amendment was cosponsored by Senate President Pro-Tempore Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton).

 

“This housing bond bill will provide desperately needed resources for the creation, rehabilitation, and improvement of our state’s public and private housing stocks,” said Tarr, who added that “as we make these important investments, we should include projects that make the affected homes energy efficient and sustainable in terms of climate change.”

 

More specifically, the amendment authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development to spend some of the $1.8 billion bond funding authorized by the bill, “An Act financing the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents”, for “projects involving energy efficiency, sustainability, climate adaptation, and resiliency.”

 

“Massachusetts has been the most energy efficient state in the nation for the past seven years, and it’s only right that our low- and moderate-income residents take part in this success as well,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton), founding chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “Making it easier for folks of all income levels to embrace new technologies in their homes makes sense not only for our environment, but our economy as well. We need to do all we can to help our housing stock take advantage of a clean energy future.”

 

The amended version of the bill will now return to the House for further consideration.

 

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