Background Information
The Massachusetts Clean Energy & Climate Plan for 2025 & 2030 (CECP) tasks MassDEP with developing a “a high-level program to meet the emissions limit for residential, commercial, and industrial heating” and identifies a Clean Heat Standard (CHS) as a regulatory option for addressing this requirement.
The Massachusetts CECP for 2050 "focuses on the strategies necessary to deploy electrification at the scale and pace required to meet the Commonwealth’s GHG emission reduction goals by 2050" and tasks MassDEP with establishing a CHS to "require gradual reductions in building emissions."
Further, the Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat issued a report in November 2022, recommending that MassDEP initiate a regulatory process to establish a CHS.
In 2023, MassDEP initiated a stakeholder process to inform development of a CHS regulation for Massachusetts. After receiving and considering comments from stakeholders over the spring and summer, MassDEP released a draft program framework in Fall 2023. MassDEP is considering proposing CHS regulations consistent with the information in the framework and welcomes comments on all aspects of program development.
For Current Updates
See the Clean Heat Standard Program Development page.