Climate Change, Resiliency
About
We imagine a Metro Boston that is prepared for the extremes of climate change. This includes a future where Environmental Justice (EJ) communities and other vulnerable populations can live safely.
MetroCommon 2050 Policy Recommendations
- Prepare for and respond to the threats of climate change.
- Accelerate the transition to a clean energy future.
- Address regional water challenges.
- Decarbonize the building and transportation sectors.
2025 Session | Highlighted Legislative Priorities
- An Act Promoting Resilience Against the Heat-Related Impacts of Climate Change
- An Act Enhancing Homebuyer Awareness by Providing Notice to Persons Purchasing Property in a Flood Zone
- An Act Relative to Building Energy and Decarbonization
- An Act Establishing a Zero Carbon Renovation Fund
- An Act Relative to Ratepayer Protections
Climate Change, Resiliency
2025 Highlighted Legislative Priorities
An Act Enhancing Homebuyer Awareness by Providing Notice to Persons Purchasing Property in a Flood Zone
Bill Number (Sponsors):
H.1345 (Representative Walsh)
S.753 (Senator Fernandes)
Brief Summary of Bill:
Requires brokers and landlords to disclose whether a property experiences flooding, whether it is in a FEMA Flood Zone, or if the owner is required to purchase flood insurance at the point of sale or when a lease is being signed.
An Act Relative to Building Energy and Decarbonization
Bill Number (Sponsors):
H.3529 (Representative Meschino)
S.2294 (Senator Lewis)
Brief Summary of Bill:
Building on the large building emissions reporting requirement that is going into affect this year based on legislation passed in 2022, this bill requires DOER to establish building emissions standards for the largest buildings and empowers municipal leadership by creating a new tier of the Green Communities program.
An Act Establishing a Zero Carbon Renovation Fund
Bill Number (Sponsors):
H.3577 (Representatives Vargas and Cruz)
S.22886 (Senator Gomez)
Brief Summary of Bill:
Allocates $300 million to building decarbonization through a fund administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. The bill would prioritize retrofits in public housing, low-to-moderate income housing, minority and women-owned businesses, and municipal buildings, including schools, to ensure that the most vulnerable populations are not left behind in our transition to clean energy.
An Act Relative to Ratepayer Protections
Bill Number (Sponsors):
H.3534 (Representative Moran, Attorney General Campbell, Mayor Wu)
S.2255 (Senator Crighton, Attorney General Campbell)
Brief Summary of Bill:
The bill bars competitive electricity suppliers from contracting with residents after 2025. It would not impact existing contracts, municipal aggregation, or a company’s ability to contract with government or private sector entities.