Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker vetoed a landmark climate bill, despite supporting most of its provisions including a 2.4GW increase in offshore wind procurement, but signalled he would work with legislators on a modified version that addresses his concerns.

The upscaled 5.6GW offshore wind target in the bill would place Massachusetts behind only New York (9GW) and New Jersey (7.5GW) – all by 2035 – among US states with commitments to procure electricity from that sector.

Companies holding six leases with at least 10GW of wind resource capacity in federal waters off the state’s southern coast have been lobbying for the higher target that would open multiple development opportunities beyond the 1.6GW now under contract.

The bill also increases Massachusetts’ renewable portfolio standard by three percentage points each year from 2025 through 2029, resulting in a 40% mandate by 2030 which Baker also supported.

Lawmakers earlier in January overwhelmingly passed the 57-page An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy and sent it to Baker for signature into law one day before the legislature ended its two-year session.

Lacking time to send an amended bill back to reach a potential compromise with Democrats who have large majorities in both houses, Baker's options were to sign it, let it die unsigned after 10 days – a 'pocket veto' – or veto it, which he did on the tenth day.

In a letter to the legislature, Baker, a Republican, said he differed with them on “how these goals should best be achieved”, referring to some requirements in the bill’s emissions reduction roadmap that he said could have uncertain ramifications on the state’s $590bn (2019) economy as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The bill sets interim emissions levels every five years starting in 2025 using 1990 as the benchmark. Baker said the 50% mandate for 2030 risks imposing “undue expense and unnecessary economic impact on Massachusetts households and businesses – including those that can least afford it”.

He cited a state analysis showing it would cost Massachusetts $6bn more to reduce emissions by that level than 45% which he favours. Net-zero requirements for buildings could discourage construction of affordable housing that the state needs, he added.

Baker’s other objections were that some of the bill’s mandates were not supported by “scientific and detailed data analysis”, and did not provide local governments the tools necessary to adapt to the ongoing and future impacts of climate change.

Since taking office in January 2015, Baker, a former business executive, has supported executive and legislative actions to reduce carbon pollution in the state while securing procurements of hydropower and offshore wind.

What’s next?

Zachary Gerson, counsel at Foley Hoag in Boston, told Recharge that with the new legislative session now underway, lawmakers now have several options.

These include both houses “quickly passing the same (or a similar) bill with a veto-proof majority or the new legislature working to quickly pass a bill that addresses whatever concerns the governor may have,” he said. “How quickly those options could be pursued would depend on the political will behind the bill and the extent of the governor’s concerns.”

House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Silka joined environmental groups in criticising Baker for vetoing the bill and pledged to get it back on his desk soon.

“What that says to me is that the House and Senate would like to get, quote, 'a significant bill' done on this issue. So would we,” said Baker.

Wind

Vetoed: Massachusetts bill that would raise offshore wind goal knocked back by governor