[Save] Editor's Call to Lobby for Green Building in MA
Michael Charney
cambclimact at aol.com
Tue Nov 4 15:16:04 EST 2003
Dear Enviro Calendar Subscriber,
On rare occasion I exploit editorial perogative for important civic
notices. Please vote and lobby! ~ See below.
Normal programming resumes shortly. - mc, ed., publshr
To: All MA Enviro's & Green Building Supporters.
IT'S CLUTCH TIME !
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.*
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.
The Economic Stimulus Bill will be taken up by the full Senate at Noon,
Wednesday, November 5, so time is of the essence.
To find your State Senator's contact info use:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
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!
EXPLANATION & DETAILS:
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.
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.
It is our best and likely the only opportunity this session to have our
legislation debated and possibly adopted by the full Senate.
So PLEASE ACT NOW. Make you support count ASAP! So, by fax, phone,
horseback (and less effectively, email), LOBBY NOW!
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.
Also, see the Q&A on our GBC website http://www.gbreb.com/greenbuildings
- which basically still applies.
But it is enough simply to tell your Senator to vote for Amendment #65
to the Economic Stimulus Bill.
Note: Supporting Amendment #65 is not an endorsement of S.2127 which
has attracted at least 64 and surely more, other amendments.
Note also: The House version of the Economic Stimulus Bill does not
include a Green Building amendment. So there is no second chance.
Thank you for your help.
Please forward this letter to colleagues, and call and fax now!
Yours truly,
Michael Charney, Co-chair, Green Building Coalition
CambClimAct at aol.com
617-492-6614
*Formerly S.2124, and also described as "An Act to Promote Job Creation,
Economic Stability and Competitiveness." Text at:
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st02127.htm
**Text of S.1733 is at: http://www.state.ma.us/legis/bills/st01733.htm
Enclosures: Fact Sheet for S.1733; & Letter from Senator Fargo to
Co-Sponsors of S.1733 requesting endorsement of Amendment now numbered
65.
Massachusetts Green Building Incentive Program
Supported by The Green Building Coalition
Brief Introduction
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:
a. increase energy efficiency,
b. improve indoor air quality, and
c. reduce the environmental impacts.
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.
Environmental Benefits
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.
Economical Benefits
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.
Eligibility Summary
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:
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%).
b. Indoor Air Quality: Ventilation, thermal comfort and air quality
must meet specified requirements.
c. Building Materials: Materials must meet specified criteria regarding
minimum percentages of recycled content and renewable source material
and maximum levels of toxicity.
Tax Credit Provisions
The bill includes the following tax credits spread over a five year
period:
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.
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.
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.
4. Photovoltaic Module Credit Component (solar power): 100% of the
incremental cost for integrating PV modules.
5. Fuel Cell Credit Component: 30% of the incremental cost for
integrating fuel cells.
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
(617) 492-6614, CambClimAct at aol.com
LETTER FROM SENATOR FARGO ANNOUNCING & DESCRIBING AMENDMENT. Note: It
was filed 11/04 and assigned as Amendment #65 to S.2127
FW: Senator Fargo Amendment to the Economic Stimulus Bill
Date: 11/3/2003 4:44:05 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Timothy.O'Neill at state.ma.us
-----Original Message-----
From: O'Neill, Timothy
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 4:19 PM
To: Brewer, Stephen; Creem, Cynthia Stone; Chandler, Harriette-SEN;
Glodis, Guy; Hedlund, Robert; Magnani, David; Melconian, Linda;
Pacheco,
Marc; Shannon, Charles; Tarr, Bruce; Tolman, Steven
Subject: Senator Fargo Amendment to the Economic Stimulus Bill
Dear Colleague,
Thank you for co-sponsoring Senate Bill 1733, "An Act Establishing a
Green
Building Incentive Program". As you know, Senate Bill 1733 addresses
the
need in Massachusetts to promote better energy and environmental
practices
for building design, construction and maintenance. Specifically, this
bill will provide tax credits to building developers, owners and
tenants
who, for commercial and multi-family residential buildings, invest in
measures to increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and
reduce negative environmental impacts.
The benefits of this legislation are substantial. Energy use will
decrease, as green building design and technology heating and cooling
costs are cut dramatically. Alternative energy sources will reduce
fossil
fuel use, thereby reducing air, land and water pollution in
Massachusetts.
Additionally, burning less fossil fuel will better protect our health
by
reducing power plant emissions that cause lung and heart disease,
contaminate our food and water supply, and harm developing children.
This
legislation also contains several key economic incentives. Worldwide,
quality green commercial and residential space is increasingly
recognized
as a competitive advantage. Green development practices will
strengthen
the Massachusetts building industry and economy, as competition
increases
amongst architects, engineers, builders, developers and providers of
green
building products and services. An investment in Green Buildings today
will pay dividends in the future.
In light of the fact that the Economic Stimulus Bill before the Senate
will promote increased development in the corporate sector and in the
housing market, I will file Senate Bill 1733 as an amendment to the
Senate
economic plan. Therefore, please consider signing on as a co-sponsor
of
this amendment, and together we will help promote environmentally sound
development and further support a growing sector of our local economy
dedicated to the creation and implementation of clean, efficient energy
products.
I have included the bill text and a fact sheet for Senate Bill 1733.
If
you would like to sign onto this amendment, please contact Tim O'Neill
at
722-1572 before 10:30 A.M. tomorrow. Thank you again for your
continued
support.
Best Wishes,
Senator Susan C. Fargo
3rd Middlesex
<<Email Green Building Incentive Program .doc <<Green Building
Incentive Program-Fact sheet.doc
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