Assessment
As we transition to a clean energy economy, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is prioritizing environmental justice (EJ) populations. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is embedding EJ and equity into the center of our agencies’ programs, policies, and practices. EEA’s first-ever EJ Strategy, released February 2024, includes agency-specific as well as cross-cutting strategies. OEJE will release annual reports and update the Strategy every three years to reflect feedback and lessons learned. In the past 12 months, OEJE has hired a new Director, Program Manager, and EJ Liaison, as well as provides paid internship opportunities. In addition, OEJE started convening EEA agency’s EJ liaisons and representatives to ensure all agencies across the Secretariat are aligned and coordinated on implementation strategies. OEJE is working closely with the Environmental Justice liaisons and representatives to determine impactful environmental justice metrics for each agency to measure progress and to establish the structures to effectively track them. This effort is a key cross-cutting priority of the EJ Strategy, and these metrics will be incorporated into future report cards.
| Metrics | 2023 Report Value | 2024 Report Value | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) workforce grant budget awarded to programs serving EJ communities[1] | MassCEC awarded 76.9% of $26.1 million in grant dollars to programs serving, in part, EJ communities.[2] | MassCEC awarded 63.59% of $37.9 million in grant dollars to programs serving, in part, EJ communities. | There are no current targets for this metric at this time. OEJE is working closely with EEA agency EJ Liaisons to determine impactful environmental justice metrics for each agency and to establish the structures to effectively track them. |
Energy burden[3] | In 2022, the median household spent 2.9% of their income in energy bills. 19.5% of households pay more than 6% of their income in energy bills The median household that receives food assistance spent 5.7% of their income in energy bills. 48.9% of those households pay more than 6% of their income in energy bills | In 2023, the median household spent 3.0% of their income in energy bills. 19.8% of households pay more than 6% of their income in energy bills The median household that receives food assistance spent 5.6% of their income in energy bills. 48.9% of those households pay more than 6% of their income in energy bills | There are no current targets for this metric at this time. OEJE is working closely with EEA agency EJ Liaisons to determine impactful environmental justice metrics for each agency and to establish the structures to effectively track them. |
| % of annual spend for diverse suppliers.[4] | In 2022, 7.0% of EEA spending went to Minority Business Enterprises (MBE); 25.9% of spending to Women Business Enterprises (WBE) (14% benchmark) | In 2023, 9.4% of EEA spending to MBE; 28.7% of spending to WBE (14% benchmark) | Targets for diverse supplier spend include meeting EEA’s current procurement goal of at least 8% MBE in 2024, increasing to a goal of at least 15% MBE in 2025 and advancing to a goal of at least 25% in 2026. |
| Number of state-supported climate resilience projects led, planned, and/or implemented by or in collaboration with Tribal Nations and Tribally serving (Native serving) organizations | New in 2024 Report Card | 21 from Municipal Vulnerability Program, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and MassCEC EmPower | To be determined as part of ResilientMass Metrics process |
[1] FY24 Funding includes unrestricted state budget funds that were not available in FY23.
[2] MassCEC grantees serving EJ communities are self-reported.
[3] In the 2023 report card, “Energy burden and equitable siting of new energy infrastructure,” was one metric. This year EEA is able to report on energy burden using the American Communities Survey Public Use Microdata Sample and is developing a metric to measure the impacts of siting new infrastructure.
[4] Supplier Diversity Office’s Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report
Additional metrics are being finalized to quantify and measure the impact and progress of environmental justice strategies, including access to open space, food insecurity, urban and rural forestry, extreme heat, siting and permitting of industrial facilities, and others. OEJE is working closely with EEA agency EJ Liaisons and representatives to confirm meaningful metrics for each agency as well as establish the processes to track and assess them. OEJE will present metric updates next year based on updated information.
Challenges
- The Commonwealth must ensure the value of EJ and equity is clearly understood and truly embedded in all agencies, departments, and offices in relation to their targeted missions and goals.
- The Commonwealth must balance meeting the urgency of an equitable clean energy transition with conducting meaningful and equitable engagement and ensuring the voices of the most vulnerable populations are centered, prioritized, and shaping outcomes.
- Cumulative impacts of energy infrastructure and pollution have disproportionately burdened EJ communities and have historically not been assessed.
- Previously agencies have not had frameworks to measure and guide the equitable distribution of benefits and burdens. This will require novel approaches to tracking the impacts of their work.
How we are meeting this moment
- Governor Healey signed An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity, and Protecting Ratepayers (St. 2024 c. 239), which includes historic reforms for the siting and permitting of clean energy to ensure it advances environmental justice, including cumulative impact analysis and community benefit plans.
- OEJE is developing an EEA Office of Environmental Justice and Equity Action Plan to plan, implement, and manage strategies. The Action Plan will recommend changes to specific permits, grants and to further advance equity.
- OEJE has worked with EEA agencies to develop, adopt and fully fund Language Access Plans consistent with and under the Executive Office for Administration & Finance (A&F) Bulletin #16 and Executive Order 615.
- OEJE developed and implemented an EJ & equity tool for agencies to utilize to evaluate Capital Improvement Plans and incorporate EJ and equity principles.
- OEJE is developing grantmaking tools for agencies and continues to coordinate a Justice 40 and Equitable Investment Working Group to advance meaningful engagement with environmental justice communities around the pursuit of and access to federal and state grant opportunities. The Justice 40 and Equitable Investment Working Group meets monthly and includes over one hundred organizations and individuals who represent communities across the Commonwealth, both geographically as well as demographically.
- EEA’s Climate Team established the Community Climate Advisory Council (CCAC) comprised of municipal staff and volunteers, Tribal representatives, Regional Planning Agencies, and community organizations to work with EEA on identifying needs and developing initiatives to advance local climate action.
- OEJE continues to develop trust and partnership with Tribal and indigenous leaders and is engaging with Tribal members, indigenous leaders and agency staff to develop programs and policies that center Tribal and indigenous communities.
- Governor Healey signed Chapter 248 of the Acts of 2024 into law expanding Tribal eligibility for Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grants more broadly to Tribal governments, and EEA created new land conservation grant opportunities specifically for Tribal governments.
- OEJE worked with EJ liaisons and representatives to develop Public Involvement Plans to provide guidance to EEA staff on effective and meaningful public involvement and community engagement.
- OEJE coordinates and works with agencies and offices including Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) as well as public schools, the City of Boston and multi-sector networks to plan and implement an equitable and just clean energy workforce development pipeline.