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MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY ALLIANCE
 ENVIRONMENT COMES FIRST

 

PROMOTING ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY

Back in 2007, Governor Patrick promised that every effort would be made to avoid building new power plants through the use of energy conservation and efficiency. Yet Western Massachusetts now faces proposals for 815 MW of new generation, 135 MW from the three biomass plants currently in the permitting process (more are proposed).

MEEA asks, what has happened to the governor’s commitment? We still believe that energy efficiency and conservation represent the best new “sources” of energy that will bridge to development of truly renewable energy sources. Recent data from ISO New England, the organization charged with assessing energy needs across the region, indicates that growth in demand has slowed to the point where not as much new generation needs to be built. Energy conservation and efficiency are the best new “sources” of power, leaving ecosystems intact to provide habitat, ecosystem services, and carbon sequestration.

Western Massachusetts does not need the amount of generation capacity currently being built. Just as the western part of the state said no to diversion of Connecticut River water into Quabbin in the 1980’s to meet the ever-growing need for water in the eastern part of the state, we now say no to the exploitation of our forests for energy. Western Massachusetts is not the state’s energy colony. Water conservation decreased Boston’s demand by 30%; energy conservation can eliminate the need for new plants to be built.

ADVOCATING TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN STATE AND FEDERAL ENERGY POLICY

As Massachusetts state policy increasingly promotes alternative energy, many decisions are being made quickly about what technologies to allow and promote. MEEA advocates that the decision-making process be transparent and open, and that Massachusetts and Federal alternative energy policy be science-based. Click below to see what issues MEEA and our allies are working on.  

 

 

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