Reps announce energy reduction, efficiency plan

REVERE-State Reps. Kathi Anne Reinstein and Mark Falzone support a plan drafted by top legislators and Gov. Deval Patrick to give drivers who purchase hybrid-fuel vehicles a $2,000 income tax deduction.The legislation sponsored by Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi also seeks to spur energy savings by giving incentives to individuals, business owners and municipalities to invest in energy-saving technologies and aims to reduce energy consumption at the state-level.It provides a 15 percent or $300 tax credit to Massachusetts businesses to offset the cost of purchasing a solar water heating system, and low-interest loans and grants for cities and towns to finance energy-saving improvements locally.”This legislation will usher Massachusetts into a new era of energy efficiency and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the Commonwealth as a whole,” Reinstein said.Falzone said the bill will help provide “greater security for families in our community and less dependence on foreign oil.””We now have an important start in Massachusetts to meet our need for lower energy costs, more high quality jobs in green industries, and fewer greenhouse gases that impact global warming,” he said.Under the legislation, the state would lead by example, replacing state-owned and operated vehicles with more fuel-efficient vehicles. Hybrid vehicles run on battery-generated electricity as well as combustible fuel.The bill creates a Department of Clean Energy, under the supervision and control of the Commissioner of the Division of Energy Resources, to ensure oversight of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in Massachusetts.The legislation also establishes a pilot program requiring distribution companies to enter into a cost-effective renewable energy contract for 10 to 15 years to help make Massachusetts a national leader in renewable energy generation.It also mandates that distributors consider all available energy resources when purchasing power and requires them to buy the most cost-effective and stable resources.