Deal on climate change bill negotiated

Vote expected soon

After six months of private talks, legislative negotiators on Sunday afternoon reached an agreement on a major bill to accelerate the state’s pace toward addressing the global problem of climate change.

The bill would establish in state law a “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions limit for 2050 and establish statewide emissions limits every five years over the next three decades.

Within that plan, the bill creates mandatory emissions sub-limits for six sectors of the economy: electric power, transportation, commercial and industrial heating and cooling, residential heating and cooling, industrial processes, and natural gas distribution and service.

And within the 2050 “net zero” target, the bill says gross emissions by 2050 must fall at least 85% below 1990 levels. The statewide emissions limit for 2030 shall be at least 50% below the 1990 level, according to the bill, and the limit for 2040 must be at least 75% below the 1990 level.

The six-member conference committee’s report will be put before the House and Senate for up-or-down votes during the final two days of sessions.

The bill’s chief negotiators — Rep. Thomas Golden of Lowell and Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington — called the proposal “the strongest effort of its kind in the country” and the first major update to the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act.

“This bill is a climate toolkit, assembled over the course of months, to protect our residents, and the beautiful place we call home, from the worsening of an existential crisis,” they said. “Its particulars owe much to the advocacy of thousands of citizen activists in Massachusetts. To these activists, we say thank you. We heard you.”

The bill calls for utilities to purchase an additional 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind generation, raising the total state authorization to 5,600 megawatts. The state this year expects to hear from Joe Biden’s new administration about the prospects of two offshore projects already in the works.

The legislation is also designed to ensure that at least 40% of the state’s electric power will be renewable by 2030, by making incremental changes in the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard each year from 2025 through 2029.