This Focus Area Work Group convened stakeholders to develop a coordinated strategy to reduce and ultimately eliminate the local gas distribution companies’ reliance on the Everett Marine Terminal (EMT) Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility, aligned with DPU Order 20-80 and the state’s climate and clean energy mandates, including those established in the Global Warming Solutions Act.
Overview
The Everett Marine Terminal imports LNG and supports Massachusetts and the New England region by helping to meet energy needs on the coldest of days or if there is a disruption elsewhere in the system. It is one of the longest operating LNG facilities in the United States. The state’s three largest gas utilities executed contracts to maintain the use of the facility until 2030. In its order approving the contracts, the Massachusetts Department of Public utilities (DPU) required that the utilities establish plans to move beyond reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure and natural gas, including the EMT LNG facility, and expeditiously toward electrification and other alternatives, like geothermal.
Report
The Everett Marine Terminal (EMT) Focus Area Work Group (FAWG) developed its final report to the Energy Transformation Advisory Board in June 2026, available below. The report provides background on the issue, describes the FAWG process, presents the LDCs' evaluation of alternatives to EMT, and offers findings and recommendations to the Energy Transformation Advisory Board regarding the future utilization of EMT.
Work Group Process
In response to DPU order 20-80, the Office of Energy Transformation convened the Everett Marine Terminal (EMT) Focus Area Work Group (FAWG) to facilitate stakeholder input on the LDCs' evaluation of alternatives to EMT. The work group launched with a public informational webinar in November 2024 that provided an overview of its purpose, scope, structure, and process. The webinar recording and slide deck are available below.
The FAWG brought together state agencies, the LDCs, environmental and consumer advocates, labor organizations, commercial and institutional representatives, environmental justice and equity advocates, energy providers, and other parties interested in the future of EMT. Through this collaborative process, the work group developed a final report that provides background on the issue, describes the FAWG process, presents the LDCs' evaluation of alternatives to EMT, and offers findings and recommendations to the Energy Transformation Advisory Board regarding the future utilization of EMT. The report is linked above.
The work group concluded its activities with a public webinar on June 25, 2026. The webinar summarized the analysis, findings, and recommendations for maintaining local energy reliability while advancing the Commonwealth's decarbonization and affordability goals. The webinar recording and slide deck are available below.
For questions about the EMT Focus Area Work Group or other efforts of the OET, please email energytransformation@mass.gov
- Everett Marine Terminal Work Group Final Public Webinar Slide Deck 6/25/2026
- Everett Marine Terminal Work Group Final Public Webinar Recording 6/25/2026
- Transitioning Away from the Everett Marine Terminal LNG Facility Work Group Webinar Slide Deck 11/4/2024
- Transitioning Away from the Everett Marine Terminal LNG Facility Work Group Webinar Recording 11/4/2024