Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Friday, February 24, 2023
Climate Change Roundup: connecting to the grid; CA farmers need help; climate migration has begun
Sunday, October 9, 2022
Now that the Climate bill was signed, what's next? State Rep Jeff Roy joins Ted & I to answer that question and more (audio)
FM #859 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 859 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Monday, October 3, 2022.
We are joined by our special guest, MA State Representative Jeff Roy. The last time Jeff was with us (August) we were all waiting for the governor to take action on the recent climate legislation. It had worked its way through the MA House & Senate, the Conference Committee, back through both the MA House & Senate and sat on Governor Baker’s desk until he did sign it.
In this episode our conversation covered the following topics:
legislation passed, signed, now what's next
electric rate, municipal aggregation, home electricity monitoring
Site visits; White House, Schneider Electric, Andover; Millstone Nuclear Plant in CT
MassSave options
This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well.
If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.
The conversation runs about 53 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted and State Rep Jeff Roy.
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Mass Save to sign up for an energy audit -> https://www.masssave.com/
White House visit - https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1570067557687738370
Millstone Nuclear plant visit ->https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1576180037132292096
See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html
--------------
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
How can you help?
If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like something here, please let me know
Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass on the Norfolk Aggie solar project
Colin Cass
Franklin, MA 02038
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Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass on the Norfolk Aggie solar project |
Friday, July 22, 2022
Massachusetts Legislature Passes Major Clean Energy Legislation
The Massachusetts Legislature today passed a sweeping clean energy bill, An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind. The legislation bolsters green transportation, green buildings, and clean power production, including offshore wind, solar, storage and networked geothermal, while creating thousands of new jobs and economic benefits in the process. This bill builds upon the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill, which was passed earlier this legislative session and overhauled the state's climate laws by putting Massachusetts on a path to reach net-zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
"At the beginning of this legislative session, we codified into law the goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions in Massachusetts by 2050. Today, and as the end of the session nears, the Legislature has again passed historic climate legislation that brings the Commonwealth closer to achieving that ever-important goal," said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). "This legislation will make Massachusetts a national leader in energy generated from offshore wind, while creating thousands of new jobs in the process. I want to thank Chairman Jeff Roy and each member of the conference committee, my colleagues in the House, as well as Senate President Karen Spilka and our partners in the Senate for prioritizing the well-being of our climate, and for working diligently to get this done."
"From searing heat to rising seas, climate change poses a very real threat to Massachusetts residents," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "To leave future generations with a livable planet, Massachusetts must take on the role of a national and international leader in the fight against climate change. Reaching our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require us to take the important steps outlined in this legislation to expand our clean energy capacity, encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, reduce emissions from buildings, and foster high-paying, green jobs for our workforce. I'd like to thank my House partner, Speaker Mariano, Senators Barrett and Creem and all of the conferees for their focus and continued determination to bring this legislation over the finish line, as well as to all of the Senators who played a role in this bill's creation and passage."
"Massachusetts has an opportunity to meet the urgency of the climate crisis through our nation-leading innovation, workforce, and energy resources," said Representative Jeffrey N. Roy (D- Franklin), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. "This timely and comprehensive piece of legislation is carefully calibrated to provide a portfolio of robust clean energy, including offshore wind, and decarbonize our largest-emitting industries, all while attracting a world-class supply chain, intensive workforce training initiatives, and the investment necessary to prepare our electric distribution system for the energy needs of the future."
"The changes we're after make for an unusually long list, because they track the lengthening list of concerns our constituents bring to us," said Senator Michael J. Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. "The climate problem takes many forms, and with this bill we respond in kind. People worried about the issue will find grounds for hope here."
Offshore wind
To incentivize the development of the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts, this legislation establishes a Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Program, administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), consisting of annual tax incentives, grants, loans, and other investments through the fund, and assistance from MassCEC in accessing other state or federal economic investment programs. It also creates the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Trust Fund, which can be used to promote the manufacture, fabrication, and assembly of domestic supply chain components of the offshore wind industry; stimulate increased financing for permanent manufacturing facilities; advance clean energy research, technology, and innovation, and; prepare individuals for offshore wind careers by supporting workforce training at a range of educational institutions and through regional employment boards.
The legislation also establishes a commercial fisheries commission to provide input on best practices for avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating impacts to wildlife related to offshore energy generation and transmission.
"I'm proud of the work that Massachusetts has done today, once again ensuring we are at the forefront of the fight against climate change. This legislation prioritizes offshore wind generation, grid preparedness, electric vehicle incentives, and innovation and job development in the clean energy sector," said Representative Tackey Chan (D-Quincy), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. "I want to thank Chair Roy, Minority Leader Jones, and my fellow conferees for working together to move Massachusetts further into the 21st century green economy."
"We began this session by enacting an ambitious law that requires the Commonwealth to reduce emissions 50 percent by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Now, less than 18 months later, we have passed another landmark climate bill, a far-reaching piece of legislation that touches multiple sectors—transportation, electricity, buildings, and natural gas—and sets us on a path to reach those emissions-reduction obligations," said Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. "Thank you to President Spilka for making climate change a Senate priority, to Senator Barrett and his staff for their tireless work to produce this impressive bill, and to all my fellow conferees for coming together to meet the urgency of the climate crisis."
Solar energy
To support the advancement of solar power, the bill permits agricultural and horticultural land to be used to site solar panels as long as they do not impede the continued use of the land for agricultural or horticultural use, eliminates the so-called 'donut hole' for on-site solar energy net metering to promote residential solar, and loosens the so-called single parcel rule to help expand solar on sites where it already exists.
In addition to wind and solar power, the bill addresses other innovative sources of clean energy such as fusion energy and geothermal power. Acknowledging the harmful health and environmental impacts of utility-scale biomass power plant facilities, this legislation removes biomass from the list of energy-generating sources that are allowed to receive certain state incentives for generating clean electricity. To ensure that the Commonwealth has adequate storage systems to accommodate increasing amounts of clean energy that Massachusetts will be adding to its energy portfolio, this bill directs a study of how to optimize the deployment of long-term energy storage systems.
"The climate bill we have passed today provides a blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts by making critical investments in the offshore wind industry and offering additional incentives to promote more clean energy jobs and research," said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). "I was honored to serve on the conference committee that negotiated the final compromise language. While this is not a perfect bill, it does move the Commonwealth closer towards meeting its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050."
"This legislation responds to a matter of urgency for our state and our world, and does so by creating the robust infrastructure needed to domesticate the alternative energy production we need here, where it can provide not only the benefits of reducing carbon emissions, but also create jobs and economic opportunity for our ports and our residents," said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester). "Passing this bill is important, but we must also not lose the focus we need to source greater supplies of clean energy, store and manage that energy, and deliver it to consumers who depend on it. The bill also takes important steps to ensure that in reaching for the next horizons of alternative energy, we do not jeopardize our irreplaceable commercial fishing industry, which provides food for people here and abroad."
Grid readiness
The legislation also modernizes Massachusetts' electrical grid and energy storage infrastructure. It requires utility companies to proactively upgrade the transmission and distribution grid to improve reliability and resilience and accommodate the anticipated significant shift to renewable forms of energy.
Green transportation
As the transportation sector is the largest source of fuel emissions in Massachusetts, the bill takes steps to encourage the use of electric vehicles, including expanding and codifying the state's MOR-EV electric vehicle incentive program into statute, which provides rebates to individuals who purchase electric vehicles.
Under the bill, the rebate amount will increase by $1,000, to $3,500 for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Moreover, electric vehicle purchasers who trade in their emission-producing vehicles will be eligible for an additional incentive of $1,000. The program may include a point-of-sale rebate model for individual purchases that offers consumers savings at the point of purchase or lease. The bill also makes used vehicles eligible for rebates. Further, the bill directs the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to conduct an outreach campaign to promote awareness about the MOR-EV program among consumers and businesses in underserved and low-income communities, as well as in communities with high proportions of high-emission vehicles.
To expand access to electric vehicle charging stations, this bill convenes an interagency coordinating council to develop and implement a charging infrastructure deployment plan in an equitable and comprehensive manner.
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) would be required to set vehicle electrification and greenhouse gas emission requirements for electric vehicles for transportation network companies. In addition, to ensure that zero-emission vehicle charging remains affordable for consumers, the bill requires all electricity companies to submit proposals to DPU for how they will offer reduced electricity rates for consumers who charge their zero-emission vehicles at off-peak times.
Finally, the bill takes historic steps to address emissions that come from MBTA bus fleets. Starting in 2030, this bill requires every passenger bus that is purchased or leased by the MBTA to be a zero-emission vehicle. By the end of 2040, the MBTA will be required to operate exclusively zero-emission vehicles. Underserved and low-income communities would be prioritized for the equitable deployment of these zero-emission buses.
Building decarbonization
To tackle the difficult issue of emissions from the building sector, the bill creates a 10-municipality demonstration project allowing all-electric building construction by local option. Participating municipalities must receive local approval before applying into the demonstration project. The measure has two important provisos: first, each community must first meet certain affordable housing or multifamily development thresholds; and second, each must exempt life sciences labs and health care facilities from the all-electric requirement.
The bill makes targeted enhancements to the Mass Save program, which provides rebates and incentives for owners and renters related to efficient appliances and other home energy improvements. Under the bill, priority for Mass Save projects will be given to those that maximize net climate, environmental, and equity impacts. Beginning in 2025, Mass Save funds will also be limited in most instances from going to any fossil fuel equipment.
This bill requires DPU to conduct an adjudicatory proceeding prior to approving any company-specific plan under the DPU's future of heat proceedings. In addition, the bill requires DPU to convene a stakeholder working group to develop regulatory and legislative recommendations for how Massachusetts can best align the Commonwealth's gas system enhancement program with the state's 2050 net-zero goal. The working group must submit its final recommendations to the Legislature by July 31, 2023.
Having been passed by the House and Senate, An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind now goes to Governor Baker for his signature.
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Massachusetts Legislature Passes Major Clean Energy Legislation |
Friday, July 1, 2022
The Hill: "No miracle tech needed: How to switch to renewables now and lower costs doing it"
"The world is experiencing unprecedented fuel price increases, energy blackmail between countries, up to 7 million air pollution deaths per year worldwide and one climate-related disaster after another. Critics contend that a switch to renewable energy to solve these problems will create unstable electricity grids and drive prices up further. However, a new study from my research group at Stanford University concludes that these problems can be solved in each of the 145 countries we examined — without blackouts and at low cost using almost all existing technologies."
"Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the greatest problems facing humanity. Roadmaps are developed and grid analyses are performed here for 145 countries to address these problems. The roadmaps call for a 100% transition of all-purpose business-as-usual (BAU) energy to wind-water-solar (WWS) energy, efficiency, and storage, ideally by 2035, but by no later than 2050, with at least 80% by 2030. Grid stability analyses find that the countries, grouped into 24 regions, can exactly match demand with 100% WWS supply and storage, from 2050–2052. Worldwide, WWS reduces enduse energy by 56.4%, private annual energy costs by 62.7% (from $17.8 to $6.6 trillion per year), and social (private plus health plus climate) annual energy costs by 92.0% (from $83.2 to $6.6 trillion per year) at a present-value cost of B$61.5 trillion. The mean payback times of the capital cost due to energy- and social-cost savings are 5.5 and 0.8 years, respectively. "
Friday, May 14, 2021
What do housing choice and brownfields have in common?
In this episode of The Rewatchables, listen from 11 to 29 min. when @MAPCMetroBoston Eric Hove goes over key features of #HousingChoice & multifamily near transit requirement. Detailed look at new laws & what needs ironing out. https://t.co/EK2FwgmAJ4 @massmunicipal @MassEOHED
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhphousing/status/1392555249907421186?s=03)
Join MAPC & @GroundworkUSA for a workshop on repurposing brownfields sites with solar energy installations!
You'll hear about models for B2B projects that advance equity & community benefits, & learn about a new tool to ID potential sites.
Register: https://t.co/ySZTyOS5ax or here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvcu6vqzIrHtUEDaOjJ16fekHd77_S4Wru
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MAPCMetroBoston/status/1392877668631187462
workshop on repurposing brownfields sites |
Monday, March 8, 2021
CommonWealth Magazine: "Home energy upgrades could be challenge"
"THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE has once again sent a comprehensive climate bill to Gov. Charlie Baker, and this time Baker has sent it back with a series of amendments. While the two sides agree on the broad terms of the bill, a major sticking point is an interim goal on the road to net zero emissions by 2050. The bill would mandate that emission levels reach 50 percent of 1990 levels by 2030. The Baker administration (and current state policy) favors a 45 percent goal.
That difference of 5 points almost seems like a rounding error, but it has major implications for everyday residents, especially for homeowners. Among other measures, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides says that extra 5 percentage points would require the complete elimination of heating oil. EEA estimates retrofitting oil-heated homes would cost an additional $3 billion over 10 years. Meanwhile, under either interim target scenario, tens of thousands of homes need to convert from carbon-heavy fuels like oil and gas to renewables like solar and wind."
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CommonWealth Magazine: "Home energy upgrades could be challenge" |
Thursday, December 10, 2020
CommonWealth Magazine: "Confusion over tax status stymies solar projects"
From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:
Franklin just recently made an agreement on a solar farm off Spring St, and also changed the bylaws to limit further large scale solar farms.
"AN OUTDATED LAW and a series of rulings by an obscure tax board are throwing the state’s landscape for solar projects into disarray.
The question revolves around whether commercial solar projects should be exempt from paying municipal property taxes. The lack of clarity is threatening to take revenue away from municipal budgets – and stymy the progress of the solar industry, by making some municipal officials hesitant to cut deals with solar developers.
“It’s a confusing landscape, and that’s created a lot of uncertainty for the companies, and there are a lot of questions about how we can get this resolved,” said David Gahl, senior director of northeast state affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association, a national lobbying group for the solar industry.
Massachusetts legislators are considering passing a law – the subject of lengthy negotiations between municipal officials and solar developers – that would eliminate property tax exemptions to large solar developers. The proposal is in a legislative conference committee that is considering a broader climate change bill.
......
Rep. Jeffrey Roy, a Franklin Democrat, and Sen. Michael Rodrigues, a Westport Democrat, both introduced legislation that would clarify the tax status of solar arrays by limiting the property tax exemption to smaller solar arrays – generally those that produce enough power for the property they are located on. Roy’s language is included in the House version of a climate change bill that is in conference committee.Continue reading the article online
Roy’s amendment, which could be changed by the conference committee, would exempt from property taxes only residential solar projects that produce no more than 125 percent of the energy needed to power the property where they are located. (Rodrigues’s proposal would also include commercial solar projects, but it similarly caps eligibility to smaller projects that power their own or an adjacent property.) “It’s just taking it back to what the original legislation was intended to do, to help homeowners power their homes using solar energy,” Roy said.
solar farm installation at Mount St Mary's Abbey in progress in July 2013 |
Sunday, September 27, 2020
FM #354 Talk Franklin - 9/25/20 (audio)
FM #354 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 354 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
We talk about:
Temporary town clerk, election prep underway
Municipal aggregation, opt out of savings (waiting list for Nexamp)
Micro-enterprise grants – applications available
Business listening session Sep 30, first of series
ThinkBlue winners coming next week
Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 40 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie.
Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/46e1958e-808b-4518-9ac5-6232e9fa129a
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Town Clerk page https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk
Municipal aggregation https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/municipal-aggregation
Micro-enterprise grants https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/micro_enterprise_grants_3.pdf
Business listening sessions https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/business_listening_flyer_-_final_2_1_1.pdf
--------------
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
How can you help?
If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like something here, please let me know
Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Saturday, August 29, 2020
"Talk Franklin": Town of Franklin End of Summer Updates
This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
We talk about:
- Re-opening
- Market study
Listening sessions scheduled
Municipal aggregation starts Nov 1
- FY 2021 Budget
Likely November budget discussion before tax rate hearing in December
- Elections
November election; Ballot questions; Community Preservation Act
- Market Study Listening Sessions https://www.franklinma.gov/economic-development
- Nexamp session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnqi1ExZtSs
- Town budget page https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget
- Town Clerk page https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
How can you help?
- If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
- If you don't like something here, please let me know
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Talk Franklin: A new episode is available |
Friday, August 28, 2020
Nexamp solar presentation available for replay
Did you miss the NEXAMP Community Solar presentation? Find it here https://t.co/0gmRTlSheW
Video link = https://youtu.be/Jnqi1ExZtSs
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Nexamp Shared Solar Farm Information Sessions Scheduled - Aug 25, Aug 26
Franklin residents,
Please find an informational letter regarding a shared community solar farm attached here: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/nexamp_signed_letter.pdf
"We're excited to let you know that residents of the Town of Franklin are eligible to subscribe to a new local shared community solar farm that is being built by Nexamp and going live in Summer 2021. Nexamp will be hosting online information sessions on August 25th and August 26th for all Franklin residents to learn more about how you can tap into these solar farms to reduce your electric bill.
The solar farm, located on Spring Street in Franklin, will add more than a 6.3 MW of renewable energy to National Grid's electricity grid, or enough electricity to power more than 800 homes. This community solar farm falls under Massachusetts' community solar program, which allows residents to subscribe to a share of a local solar farm and go solar without rooftop panels.
Subscribers receive credits on their National Grid electric bill for the energy produced by their solar farm share. Nexamp normally provides these credits at a 12.5% discount but, through a special agreement with the Town of Franklin, Nexamp is offering a special discount rate of 15% to Franklin residents, meaning subscribers can save even more on their annual electricity costs.
There's no upfront cost and no long-term commitment - you can cancel your community solar share with no penalties.
Nexamp and Franklin have worked together to ensure that a portion of the farm has been reserved for Franklin residents. Openings are on a first-come, first-served basis until October 15th. To learn more or to subscribe right now, please visit solar.nexamp.com/Franklin or call Nexamp at 800-945-5124.
You can also join Nexamp at one of the upcoming information sessions to learn more about the program and the special offer for Franklin residents. Each session runs for about 30 minutes and includes a program overview followed by a time of interactive Q&A.
Tues, August 25 7:00 PM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84925478387
Weds, August 26 1:00 PM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85976472137
You can quickly and easily register for either session by visiting the links above. having you join us."
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- Audio segment on municipal aggregation https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HVJSJ7GX
- My notes from the 2/12/20 meeting https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/town-council-meeting-feb-12-2020-recap.html
solar farm installation at Mount St Mary's Abbey in progress in July 2013 |
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
In the News: new solar farm coming; beer distribution deal not moving at State House
"The town’s fifth solar farm is projected to go live next summer.A 6-megawatt solar farm on Spring Street operated by Nexamp will produce enough energy to power 800 Franklin households and could potentially cut about $180 a year from the average Franklin resident’s electricity bill, said Town Administrator Jaime Hellen.
“The big factor is that this is an opportunity for people to assess the amount of energy they’re using day to day,” said Hellen. He said if the average household pays $100 a month on electricity, it could potentially save about $15 a month, which equals to about $180 per year.Subscribers to the solar farm will receive credits on their National Grid electric bill for the energy produced by their solar farm share. Through an agreement with the town, Hellen said Nexamp is providing those credits at a 15% discount rate to Franklin residents. "
- Audio segment on municipal aggregation https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HVJSJ7GX
- My notes from the 2/12/20 meeting https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/town-council-meeting-feb-12-2020-recap.html
"It seemed like a slam-dunk.After years of bitter fighting, craft brewers and beer wholesalers came together at the end of July to announce that they had struck a deal that would allow smaller breweries to more easily end their relationship with a distributor if they felt their brand wasn’t being properly marketed.The sticking point for a decade — how small must a brewery be to be covered by the change — was resolved by setting the threshold at 250,000 barrels. The limit covered every brewery in Massachusetts except Boston Beer Company, brewer of Sam Adams.Everyone was happy, or so it seemed. The agreement was announced over a weekend, and on July 23 the Senate voted unanimously to accept the deal and send the bill to the House. And it hasn’t advanced since. "