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Hi all,<br>
You may be interested in making a quick and simple phone call to ask your
state senator to support Amendment 65 - Green Building Incentive
Program. All you do is call and say you want him/her to support it,
no questions asked!<br>
-Lara<br><br>
PS. If you live on campus, this is your senator:<br>
SENATE PRESIDENT<br>
ROBERT E. TRAVAGLINI<br>
Telephone: (617) 722-1500<br>
<a href="http://www.state.ma.us/legis/member/ret0.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.state.ma.us/legis/member/ret0.htm</a><br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font size=1>To the Green Building
Coalition, All Environmentalists, and Green Building
Supporters:<br><br>
IT'S CLUTCH TIME !<br><br>
If you want Green Building Incentives for Massachusetts, PLEASE CALL
& FAX your State Senator TODAY & TOMORROW to tell them to
support "Amendment #65: To Establish a Green Building
Incentive Program," an amendment to the Senate's Economic
Stimulus Bill, S. 2127.*<br><br>
Amendment #65 was submitted by Senator Susan Fargo and is based directly
on her bill S. 1733 which our Green Building Coalition helped draft,
testified for and supports.<br><br>
The Economic Stimulus Bill will be taken up by the full Senate at Noon,
Wednesday, November 5, so time is of the essence.<br><br>
Find your State Senator's phone, fax or email using this link: <br><br>
<a href="http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php" eudora="autourl">http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php</a><br><br>
<br>
Note: Faxes and calls are best. Email is less effective. If you use
email, please put your "ask" in the Subject Line as well
as in the body. Be sure to tell them you are their constituent!<br><br>
EXPLANATION & DETAILS:<br><br>
While I cannot vouch for the larger Economic Stimulus Bill - a work in
progress and fully in play - I can vouch for Amendment 65 and the
importance of this moment.<br><br>
This is the first time the Green Building Coalition's Green Building
Incentive Bill has effectively gotten out of committee and onto the
Senate floor. <br><br>
It is our best and likely the only opportunity this session to have our
legislation debated and possibly adopted by the full Senate.<br><br>
So PLEASE ACT NOW. Make you support count ASAP! So, by fax,
phone, horseback (and less effectively, email) LOBBY NOW!<br><br>
Reasons to support Amendment 65 are as an economic stimulus and for
environmental, energy security, and public health benefits. See
details provided in the S.1733 Fact Sheet and Senator Fargo's letter
below. <br><br>
Also, see the Q&A on our GBC website
<a href="http://www.gbreb.com/greenbuildings%A0" eudora="autourl">http://www.gbreb.com/greenbuildings
</a> - which basically still applies.<br><br>
But it is enough simply to tell your Senator to vote for Amendment #65 to
the Economic Stimulus Bill. <br><br>
Note: Supporting Amendment #65 is not an endorsement of S.2127
which has attracted at least 64 and surely more, other amendments. All
need to be debated. <br><br>
Note also: The House version of the Economic Stimulus Bill does not
include a Green Building amendment. So there is no second
chance.<br><br>
Thank your for your help. <br>
Please forward this letter to colleagues, and call and fax now!<br><br>
Yours truly, <br>
Michael Charney, MD, Co-chair, Green Building Coalition <br><br>
mcha6677@aol.com <br>
617-492-6614 <br><br>
*Formerly S.2124, and also described as "An Act to Promote Job
Creation, Economic Stability and Competitiveness." Text at:
<a href="http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st02127.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st02127.htm</a><br><br>
**Text of S.1733 is at:
<a href="http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st01733.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st01733.htm</a><br><br>
Enclosures: Fact Sheet for S.1733; & Letter from Senator
Fargo to Co-Sponsors of S.1733 requesting endorsement of Amendment now
numbered 65.<br><br>
<br>
Massachusetts Green Building Incentive Program<br>
Supported by The Green Building Coalition<br><br>
Brief Introduction<br>
The construction and operation of buildings has the single most
environmental impact of any human activity. In order to reduce this
impact, the Green Building Incentive Program will provide tax
credits to building developers, owners and tenants who, for commercial
and multi-family residential buildings, invest in measures to:<br><br>
a. increase energy efficiency,<br>
b. improve indoor air quality, and <br>
c. reduce the environmental impacts.<br><br>
This bill is based on the New York State Green Building Tax Credit
Statute that became law in May 2000. Lead coalition participants in
New York included the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Real Estate
Board of New York, and the New York Environmental Business
Association. The bill also received strong support from labor
communities.<br><br>
Environmental Benefits<br>
The bill will promote better energy and environmental practices for
building design, construction and maintenance, and increase demand for
new, clean technologies and environmentally preferable building products
and services. The bill will also reduce water and energy
consumption and landfill demand, thus addressing a host of environmental
problems including ozone depletion, acid rain, toxins, and climate
change. <br><br>
Economical Benefits<br>
This bill will create industry and public awareness of resource
management that will improve the quality of life for building occupants
in a sustainable and profitable way. The Commonwealth is home to more
businesses involved in energy efficiency and green building construction
than anywhere else in the nation. By enacting this legislation, we will
help to promote this industry, create jobs and continue to maintain the
Commonwealth's unique position as a leader among states. <br><br>
Eligibility Summary<br>
The application must include certification by a licensed architect or
engineer that the base building and/or tenant space meets the criteria
set forth in the legislation. Standards will be developed by state
agencies, including:<br><br>
a. Energy Efficiency: Energy use for new buildings must not exceed
65% of use permitted under the Massachusetts Building and/or Energy Code
(rehabilitated buildings must not exceed 75%).<br>
b. Indoor Air Quality: Ventilation, thermal comfort and air quality
must meet specified requirements.<br>
c. Building Materials: Materials must meet specified criteria
regarding minimum percentages of recycled content and renewable source
material and maximum levels of toxicity.<br>
<br>
Tax Credit Provisions<br>
The bill includes the following tax credits spread over a five year
period:<br><br>
1. Green Whole Building: Up to 7% tax credit on overall capital
costs and up to 8% tax credit if built in an economic development
area.<br><br>
2. Green Base Building (whole building minus tenant spaces): Up to
5% tax credit on overall capital costs and up to 6% tax credit if built
in an economic development area.<br><br>
3. Green Tenant Space: Up to 5% tax credit on overall capital costs
and up to 6% tax credit if built in an economic development
area.<br><br>
4. Photovoltaic Module Credit Component (solar power): 100% of the
incremental cost for integrating PV modules.<br><br>
5. Fuel Cell Credit Component: 30% of the incremental cost for
integrating fuel cells.<br><br>
The Green Building Coalition includes: Abt Associates, Inc., American
Consulting Engineers Council of Massachusetts, Boston Society of
Architects, Building Envelope Committee - BSA, Building Owners and
Managers Association - GBREB, The Cadmus Group, Inc., Clean Water Action,
Committee on the Environment - BSA, DMI - Demand Management Institute,
Inc., Ecology and Environment Professional Interest Council (JFK School
of Gov't), Environmental League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, Greater Boston Real Estate
Board, Green Roundtable, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Massachusetts
Climate Action Network, MassPIRG, New Ecology, Inc., Northeast
Sustainable Energy Association, Renewable News Network, Rental Housing
Association - GBREB. *** For information,
contact Michael Charney at <br>
(617) 492-6614, CambClimAct@aol.com <br><br>
<br><br>
LETTER FROM SENATOR FARGO ANNOUNCING & DESCRIBING AMENDMENT.
Note: It was filed 11/04 and assigned as Amendment #65 to
S.2127<br><br>
FW: Senator Fargo Amendment to the Economic Stimulus Bill <br>
Date: 11/3/2003 4:44:05 PM Eastern Standard Time <br>
From: Timothy.O'Neill@state.ma.us <br><br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: O'Neill, Timothy <br>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 4:19 PM<br>
To: Brewer, Stephen; Creem, Cynthia Stone; Chandler,
Harriette-SEN;<br>
Glodis, Guy; Hedlund, Robert; Magnani, David; Melconian, Linda;
Pacheco,<br>
Marc; Shannon, Charles; Tarr, Bruce; Tolman, Steven<br>
Subject: Senator Fargo Amendment to the Economic
Stimulus Bill<br><br>
Dear Colleague,<br><br>
Thank you for co-sponsoring Senate Bill 1733, "An Act Establishing a
Green<br>
Building Incentive Program". As you know, Senate Bill 1733
addresses the<br>
need in Massachusetts to promote better energy and environmental
practices<br>
for building design, construction and maintenance.
Specifically, this<br>
bill will provide tax credits to building developers, owners and
tenants<br>
who, for commercial and multi-family residential buildings, invest
in<br>
measures to increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality,
and<br>
reduce negative environmental impacts. <br><br>
The benefits of this legislation are substantial. Energy use
will<br>
decrease, as green building design and technology heating and
cooling<br>
costs are cut dramatically. Alternative energy sources will reduce
fossil<br>
fuel use, thereby reducing air, land and water pollution in
Massachusetts.<br>
Additionally, burning less fossil fuel will better protect our health
by<br>
reducing power plant emissions that cause lung and heart disease,<br>
contaminate our food and water supply, and harm developing
children. This<br>
legislation also contains several key economic incentives.
Worldwide,<br>
quality green commercial and residential space is increasingly
recognized<br>
as a competitive advantage. Green development practices will
strengthen<br>
the Massachusetts building industry and economy, as competition
increases<br>
amongst architects, engineers, builders, developers and providers of
green<br>
building products and services. An investment in Green Buildings
today<br>
will pay dividends in the future.<br><br>
In light of the fact that the Economic Stimulus Bill before the
Senate<br>
will promote increased development in the corporate sector and in
the<br>
housing market, I will file Senate Bill 1733 as an amendment to the
Senate<br>
economic plan. Therefore, please consider signing on as a
co-sponsor of<br>
this amendment, and together we will help promote environmentally
sound<br>
development and further support a growing sector of our local
economy<br>
dedicated to the creation and implementation of clean, efficient
energy<br>
products. <br><br>
I have included the bill text and a fact sheet for Senate Bill
1733. If<br>
you would like to sign onto this amendment, please contact Tim O'Neill
at<br>
722-1572 before 10:30 A.M. tomorrow. Thank you again for your
continued<br>
support.<br><br>
Best Wishes,<br><br>
Senator Susan C. Fargo<br>
3rd Middlesex<br>
< Incentive Program-Fact sheet.doc <br><br>
<br><br>
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