Overview
On November 21, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed into law An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers (2024 Climate Act). In addition to other provisions that advance the clean energy transition, the 2024 Climate Act contains historic and comprehensive reforms of the state’s siting and permitting processes for clean energy infrastructure. The Commonwealth is required to promulgate regulations and guidance to implement these reforms by March 1, 2026.
The reforms to the siting and permitting processes were based on the recommendations of Governor Healey’s Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting. The law establishes a 12-month deadline for municipal permitting and requires municipalities to issue a single permit at the end of their process. Similarly, state permits will be issued together by the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) after a 15-month period. Appeals will be directed the state Supreme Judicial Court, ending the years-long appeals process that has delayed vital infrastructure.
The law also makes improvements to equitable siting and the community engagement process, which has historically been challenging to navigate. Municipalities will be granted automatic intervenor status in EFSB proceedings. A fund to support municipalities, organizations, and individuals who lack the resources will benefit from a new fund to support their needs for qualified legal representation and expert analysis. The EFSB will also require a cumulative impact analysis for projects seeking to site in environmental justice communities, so that no neighborhood becomes overburdened with infrastructure that the entire state benefits from. The Office of Environmental Justice and Equity and the Division of Public Participation at the Department of Public Utilities – both established under Governor Healey – will be enshrined in law.
This infographic visualizes the new siting and permitting process for clean energy infrastructure, and upcoming engagement opportunities.
Background
To meet its required emissions limits set out in the Commonwealth’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan, Massachusetts will need to build a significant amount of new energy infrastructure in the coming decades, including new solar and wind generation, storage, transmission, and distribution infrastructure; however, the deployment of new clean energy resources and infrastructure is often delayed by siting and permitting challenges. By streamlining this process, building in better opportunities for meaningful stakeholder engagement, and strengthening protections for the environment and overburdened communities, the Commonwealth can ensure that needed clean energy infrastructure is built more quickly and responsibly.
The Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting (Commission) was established by Executive Order 620 in September 2023 and was tasked with reducing permitting timelines, ensuring communities have input in the siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure, and ensuring that the benefits of the clean energy transition are shared equitably. On Friday, March 29, 2024, the Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting provided its final recommendations to Governor Maura Healey.
Spring Stakeholder Sessions
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 the public 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.
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 the 2024 Climate Act Stakeholder Sessions webpage approximately one week prior to the specified stakeholder meeting on that topic. The dates, locations and topics of the sessions are listed below:
| Stakeholder Session | Topics | Date/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard Conditions for Consolidated Permits and Procedural Regulations | Thursday, April 10, 2025, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Hybrid: One South Station, Boston, MA 02110, 3rd floor, Large Hearing Room |
| 2 | New Applications | Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Virtual only |
| 3 | Prefiling Engagement Requirements, DPU and EFSB Intervenor Support Grant Program, and Guidance on Community Benefits Plans | Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Hybrid: Roxbury Community College, Student Commons Room 3, 1234 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02120 |
| 4 | Cumulative Impacts Analysis and Site Suitability Criteria | Monday, May 5, 2025, at 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Hybrid: Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 |
You can find more information on these sessions, zoom links and the straw proposals on the 2024 Climate Act Stakeholder Sessions webpage.
Next Steps
Through March 2026, the Commonwealth will be working to develop regulations and guidance to implement the siting and permitting provisions of the 2024 Climate Act. This webpage will be updated with more information on implementation timelines and opportunities for public engagement. Any questions can be emailed to energypermitting@mass.gov.
Information on guidance and regulations being developed by the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) can also be found on the EFSB Permitting Dashboard webpage.