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2024 Climate Act Stakeholder Sessions

The Commonwealth is working to implement comprehensive reforms of siting and permitting processes for clean energy infrastructure, as required by climate legislation signed into law in November 2024.

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Overview

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (“EEA”) Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (“OEJE”), Energy Facilities Siting Board (“EFSB”), Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”), and Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) invite you to attend stakeholder sessions to learn about implementing the siting and permitting changes required by law for energy facilities, provide written and/or oral comments, and ask questions on numerous straw proposals (topics below).  An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers (“2024 Climate Act”) requires several agencies to propose regulations for comments.  Staff from EEA, EFSB, and DPU prepared the straw proposals to elicit input from the public, public officials, other agencies, community-based organizations, and potential project applicants ahead of issuing proposed regulations later this year.  Each straw proposal will be available on this website approximately one week prior to the specified stakeholder meeting on that topic. There will not be an opportunity to discuss any pending or future proposals about specific projects.

In November 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed into law the 2024 Climate Act, which makes many changes to the way that energy infrastructure is sited and permitted in Massachusetts. One major change is that the 2024 Climate Act requires the EFSB to issue a single consolidated permit for large infrastructure that comprises all state, regional and local permits that a “clean energy infrastructure facility” would otherwise be required to obtain to commence construction and operation.  EFSB, in coordination with other EEA organizations such as the OEJE, DPU, and DOER, is required to promulgate regulations and guidance to implement reforms related to siting and permitting by March 1, 2026.  DOER will be promulgating regulations by the same date related to the municipal consolidated permitting process for small clean energy infrastructure siting and permitting.

The 2024 Climate Act also establishes the DPU and EFSB Intervenor Support Grant Program (“Program”) to provide financial assistance to eligible entities who are unable to participate in proceedings before the DPU and EFSB because of financial hardship.  DPU seeks input on a straw proposal relating to both EFSB and DPU proceedings in advance of proposing regulations that will become effective by March 1, 2026.

A copy of the full notice can be accessed from the following links:

English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese

Stakeholder Comment

To collect oral comments and answer questions on the straw proposals described below, OEJE, EFSB, DPU, and DOER will conduct three hybrid stakeholder sessions and one virtual stakeholder session:

NoTopicsDate/TimeLocationSlidesComment Deadline*
1Standard Conditions for Consolidated Permits and Procedural RegulationsThursday, April 10, 2025, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.Hybrid: One South Station, Boston, MA 02110, 3rd floor, Large Hearing RoomEnglish | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | VietnameseThursday, April 24, 2025
2New ApplicationsThursday, April 17, 2025, at 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.Virtual onlyEnglish | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | VietnameseThursday, May 1, 2025
3Prefiling Engagement Requirements, DPU and EFSB Intervenor Support Grant Program, and Guidance on Community Benefits PlansThursday, April 24, 2025, at 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.Hybrid: Roxbury Community College, Student Commons Room 3, 1234 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02120English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | VietnameseThursday, May 8, 2025
4Cumulative Impacts Analysis and Site Suitability CriteriaMonday, May 5, 2025, at 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.Hybrid:  Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor Center, 221 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | VietnameseTuesday, May 27, 2025

* Note that written comments on each topic will be most useful if submitted two weeks after the relevant stakeholder session.

Remote attendees for all sessions can join by clicking this link from a computer, tablet, or smart device.  For audio-only participation attendees can dial in at (646) 828-7666 (not a toll-free number) and then enter the Webinar ID:161 000 0543.  For each hybrid stakeholder session, there will be light refreshments.

EFSB, DPU, DOER, and OEJE also welcome written comments on the straw proposals.  Written comments on each topic will be most useful if submitted two weeks after the relevant stakeholder session (i.e., latest by May 19, 2025 for the topics from Stakeholder Session 4).  Any person seeking to comment must file their comments by email or email attachment sent to the following email addresses: sitingboard.filing@mass.gov.

At each stakeholder session, there will be short presentations of the specific topics for that session.  Attendees will then have the opportunity to ask questions and comment on the straw proposals for those topics.  Pre-registered commenters will speak first and others will speak afterwards.  To pre-register to provide oral comments or ask questions during a stakeholder session (in person, on Zoom, or by telephone), notify ERG at meetings@erg.com.  

Straw Proposals

This section will be updated as straw proposals become available.  

  1. Standard Conditions Proposal (in English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  2. Procedural Regulations Proposal (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  3. New Applications Proposal (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  4. Prefiling Engagement Proposal (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  5. Intervenor Support Grant Program Proposal (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  6. Community Benefits Plan Proposal Slides (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  7. Site Suitability Proposal (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  8. Site Suitability, Cumulative Impacts Analysis Guidance, Cumulative Impacts Analysis Proposal Slides (English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese)
  9. The EFSB is also soliciting written comments on the EFSB Permitting Dashboard.  Please read the following request for comments for more information and specific questions that the EFSB has: English | Arabic | Cape Verdean Creole | French | Haitian Creole | Khmer | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese

Written Comments Received

Standard Conditions

Procedural Regulations

New Applications

Pre-Filing Engagement

Intervenor Support Grant

Cumulative Impact Analysis

Community Benefits Plan 

Site Suitability

EFSB Permitting Dashboard

General

General (Solar)

Accommodations

Available in-person interpretation will include Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese. Virtually the following languages will be provided: ASL, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, Khmer, Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Korean and French.  Additional language interpretation services are also available upon request to Caroline Lemoine at (857) 378 – 1703 or caroline.lemoine2@mass.gov.  Include in your request the language required and your contact information.  To assist us in accommodating your request, please submit it as soon as possible, and at least one week before the particular stakeholder session (i.e., by April 3, 2025 for Stakeholder Session 1).

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) are available upon request. To request an accommodation, please contact:

Melixza Esenyie - Non-Discrimination Coordinator and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,

Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, 
Human Resources, 9th Floor

100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, 
eeadiversity@mass.gov, 617-626-1282.

In your communication, state the accommodations you need and why you need them. Provide contact information in case the Coordinator needs more information.  Provide one week’s advance notice.  The Coordinator will consider but may not be able to fulfill late requests.  

Contact

For further information about the stakeholder sessions or the straw proposals, please send an email to sitingboard.filing@mass.gov or use this comment form.  For periodic updates, please visit this webpage.

Last updated: May 5, 2025

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