Bill > H3298

This bill aims to provide opportunities for natural gas customers to connect to non-emitting renewable thermal infrastructure and establish a gas transition trust fund. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Amending existing laws to require the Department of Public Utilities to actively encourage the transition from gas or other emitting fuels to non-emitting renewable sources of energy. 2. Authorizing the Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center to issue gas transition bonds to finance the replacement of gas infrastructure with non-emitting renewable thermal infrastructure. 3. Establishing the Gas Transition Trust Fund to provide funding for replacing gas appliances with electric appliances, upgrading buildings to connect to non-emitting renewable thermal infrastructure, and retraining workers who work on gas pipeline infrastructure. 4. Requiring the Department of Public Utilities to prioritize safety, security, reliability of service, affordability, equity, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. 5. Expanding municipal aggregation to authorize municipalities to establish district energy systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, consumer costs, and improve public health and safety. 6. Allowing the Department of Public Utilities to approve the use of gas transition bonds to finance the replacement of gas infrastructure with non-emitting renewable thermal infrastructure, such as utility-scale geothermal systems. Overall, the bill aims to facilitate the transition from natural gas to non-emitting renewable thermal energy sources to meet the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.