State Representative Jeff Roy responded to the Mass Fiscal Alliance claims as published in the CommonWealth Magazine and Franklin Observer.
We had shared the article on Wednesday (link -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/07/beacon-hill-roundup-agreement-reach-on.html) including a disclaimer for readers to be aware of the dark money funding Mass Fiscal Alliance. A similar disclaimer had not accompanied the CommonWealth article nor the similar item also posted to the Franklin Observer.
Hence Representative Roy's response:
"You undermine your credibility when you run hit pieces like the one this morning featuring Mass Fiscal. As you are well aware, Mass Fiscal is nothing but a right wing extremist group that refuses to disclose its donors, lacking the very transparency it complains about.
If you had carefully reviewed the facts, you would have learned that the climate bill took one of the most transparent paths to passage over the past 14 months. I am happy to share the real story with you at any time. In summary, it began last April with a series of meetings with stakeholders, culminated in a 120 report in the fall of 2021 which was provided to you (and not shared with your readers I might add), and resulted in a bill that followed the recommendations in the report which was released by the TUE Committee in a public hearing in January 2022. From there, it went to Ways & Means where it underwent 8 more weeks of public vetting which resulted in more changes and improvements before the bill hit the House floor on March 3, 2022. The Senate took it up on the floor on April 15, 2022. Over the next several months, the bills were merged and finalized into one bill through the conference committee process. That process included participation from the Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate who both approved of the report by signing the jacket on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.
Here are some links to 45 press reports that demonstrate our transparency on the climate legislation:
- Massachusetts lawmakers OK compromise climate change bill, WBUR (7/22/22)
- Massachusetts passes 'landmark' climate bill to decarbonize multiple sectors, add 5.6 GW offshore wind, Utility Dive (7/22/22)
- State Legislature advances new climate bill after months of negotiations, Boston Globe (7/21/22)
- Here's what's in the Legislature's energy/climate change legislation, Commonwealth Magazine (7/21/22)
- Massachusetts lawmakers OK compromise climate change bill, AP News (7/21/22)
- Compromise climate bill coming down to the wire, Commonwealth Magazine (7/20/22)
- Baker, negotiators eye path to energy bill compromise, WGBH News (5/5/22)
- Massachusetts Senate to hear offshore wind energy bill, The Center Square (3/9/2022)
- Offshore wind bill sails through House, Commonwealth Magazine (3/4/2022)
- House approves plan to expand offshore wind, The Daily News (3/4/2022)
- House pushes for Massachusetts to become the center of U.S. wind production, WGBH (3/3/2022)
- Offshore wind is the future for Massachusetts, Boston Globe (3/2/2022)
- In race for offshore wind jobs, Mass. is falling behind. So now what?, Boston Globe (3/2/2022)
- New offshore wind bill drops electric bill charges, Commonwealth Magazine (3/1/2022)
- House rallying behind new supports for offshore wind industry, New Bedford Light (3/1/2022)
- Mass. Climate Legislation Overview & Update, sessions on March 2 and March 15, WaylandeNews (2/22/2022)
- Training offshore wind techs through virtual reality, ABC6 News (2/11/22)
- All around Massachusetts, cities and towns want to go fossil fuel free. Here's why they can't., Boston Globe (1/19/22)
- Rep. Roy hopes for a vote 'sooner rather than later' on offshore wind policy bill, Wicked Local Franklin (1/18/22)
- Sweeping offshore wind bill headed toward House, Commonwealth Magazine (1/13/22)
- Beacon Hill eyes utility charge to fuel offshore wind, The Salem News (1/13/22)
- Offshore wind policy fight takes center stage, Commonwealth Magazine (1/12/22)
- Energy panel readying offshore wind proposal; price cap may fall in pursuit of broader benefits, The Standard Times (1/12/22)
- Baker urges state to pass offshore wind investment to help meet climate goals, Boston Globe (1/11/22)
- A first step on offshore wind, Commonwealth Magazine (11/19/21)
- Could hydrogen be the newest green power source for Mass.?, Boston Globe (11/9/21)
- Beacon Hill eyeing tradeoffs on offshore wind, Commonwealth Magazine (10/18/21)
- Codcast: The great offshore wind debate, Commonwealth Magazine (10/18/21)
- The great offshore wind debate, Commonwealth Magazine (10/18/21)
- Baker shifts thinking on offshore wind, Commonwealth Magazine (10/14/21)
- Baker scraps wind price cap in $750-million Clean Energy Bill, 22News WWLP (10/14/21)
- State Rep. Roy charged with spinning the wheel on offshore wind policy. Franklin legislator plans to put a bill out this session, Franklin Country Gazette (9/28/21)
- Two of four possible bidders compete in latest round of Mass. offshore wind contracts, Boston Globe (9/23/21)
- Turbine tour shows House plans to spin wheel on wind policy, 22News WWLP (9/21/21)
- Massachusetts House lawmakers preparing bill to revise offshore wind policy, Boston Business Journal (9/21/21)
- These lawmakers wrote the climate bill. They're worried the state won't achieve it, Boston Globe (9/8/21)
- State lawmakers are pushing on energy policy. Here are 4 issues to watch, The Berkshire Eagle (8/9/21)
- Vineyard Wind signs labor agreement for offshore wind project; 500 union jobs guaranteed, Standard Times (7/17/21)
- Vineyard Wind developers sign deal with unions to build $2.8b project, Boston Globe (7/16/21)
- Federal officials approve first large, offshore wind project in U.S. 15 miles off coast of Martha's Vineyard, Boston Herald (5/11/21)
- Legislature passes landmark climate bill, Country Gazette (3/23/21)
- Mass. lawmakers approve climate change bill, Milford Daily News (3/20/21)
- Climate bill back on Baker's desk, Boston Herald (3/19/21)
- Legislature approves climate bill, sends back to Governor Baker, Boston Globe (3/19/21)
- Rep. Roy appointed chair of committee on Beacon Hill, Franklin Country Gazette (2/16/21)
Please share these stories with your readers so they get a better picture.
In light of the foregoing, and as you can see, there was no lack of transparency and thus your reporting is simply wrong. You should have reached out for comment. But now that you have the truth, you ought to fix the story. And you ought to share with your readers the press release that we sent you last week so they know what the climate bill is all about.
Finally, I received hundreds of letters and held over 100 meetings on the climate bill over the course of 14 months. Not once did I hear from Mass Fiscal. That should tell you all you need to know. When you have a chance, ask the folks at Mass Fiscal what the quarrel is with the bill.
Respectfully yours,
Jeff
| Jeffrey N. Roy State Representative Chair, Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy State House Room 43 - Boston, MA 02133 | |
| 617-722-2030 (w) | |
