21 October 2020
The Burlington, VT City Council has banned backyard wood burning fire pits (again). No more S'mores due to concerns about air pollution.
Meanwhile, the same city council is expected to impose a carbon tax on new gas furnaces in order to convince more people to hook up to electric heat.
This is the same electric heat that caused Burlington, VT residents to flee an apartment complex because the temperature inside didn’t get above 45 degrees in December.
This is also the same electricity that comes from the city-owned utility that is fed by the city-owned wood burning power plant.
This is the same wood burning power plant that operates at just 24% efficiency and is the largest emitter of CO2 in Vermont.
15 October 2020
Five Northeast Governors Seek Reform of Market Design, Transmission Planning, and Governance Needed to Achieve States’ Mandates for Clean, Affordable, and Reliable Power
BOSTON — Recognizing the critical role that New England’s regional wholesale electricity market plays in addressing climate change and cost-effectively reducing economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Governors from four Northeast states today issued a statement calling for reforms needed to achieve their states’ respective goals for clean, affordable, and reliable electricity.
“To meet to our Administration’s goal of net zero emissions in Massachusetts by 2050, the Commonwealth needs a regional electricity system that can support the delivery of clean, affordable, and reliable energy to residents and businesses,” said Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. “My administration looks forward to working with our partner states, ISO-New England and stakeholders to build a more transparent, modern and cost-effective power system that will allow New England states to meet our ambitious climate change and clean energy goals while creating a better future for our residents.”
The statement, signed by Governor Baker, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Vermont Governor Phil Scott, calls for reform of the regional electricity market design, transmission planning process, and the governance of the ISO-New England, the independent system operator for the New England power system. A Vision document outlining specific areas for reform will be released later this week through the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), a non-profit entity that represents the collective perspective of the New England states in regional electricity matters.
“When Connecticut deregulated our electricity sector, we were promised competition, lower risk for ratepayers, more affordable electricity, and a system that respects and accommodates our clean energy mandates,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. “What we got is a system that has actively hindered our efforts to decarbonize the grid, and imposed burdensome costs on Connecticut ratepayers to fix market design failures. Working together with our neighboring states, I’m committed to achieving a regional electricity grid that provides the affordable, clean, and reliable electricity that Connecticut families and businesses deserve.”
“It is far past time that New England reforms how its electric grid is managed,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “The wholesale electricity markets must advance and support clean energy laws and policies, as the states demand decarbonization and markets and consumers support more renewables. ISO-New England must keep pace with state priorities and it must be more transparent and accountable in its decision making, broadening its focus to include consumer and environment concerns as well as reliability and cost.”
“Here in Rhode Island, we're committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing our future. I’m proud that we're on track to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030,” said Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “In order to meet our shared clean energy goals and aggressively combat climate change, it’s clear we need to take a regional approach.”
“I’ve long said our work to address climate change can and must also work to make energy more affordable for Vermonters, so I’m pleased to be a part of this regional approach to achieving both of these priorities,” said Vermont Governor Phil Scott. “With a strategic, multi-state approach we can have a greater impact on both climate change mitigation and energy affordability.”
In the coming months, the states will convene open and accessible forums to ensure that all interested stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in further refinement of the principles of the shared Vision.
7 October 2020
October 7, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association advises preparations for a severe winter. Perform equipment maintenance, stockpile fuel, review wood-burning best practices
Sudbury, MA – The Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association today issued a pre-winter alert urging households in the New England and New York region to prepare now for the wood-burning season.
Long-range forecasts call for a severe winter in the Northeast, with lower than average temperatures predicted as well as a potentially major blizzard in February. Over 300,000 homeowners in the Northeast use wood as their primary heating source, with countless others using it as a secondary heating source.
Pre-winter equipment maintenance and cleaning, equipment testing and safety inspections, and stockpiling adequate firewood and wood pellet fuel are critical steps in being prepared for a winter of heavy wood-burning stove or hearth use. Only licensed professionals should perform this work. A comprehensive directory of licensed and verified professionals for wood-burning appliance maintenance is available from NEHPBA.
“Our member retailers and service providers are the most experienced industry professionals in the U.S., and every one of them will say a comprehensive pre-winter routine is critical to safely and efficiently burning wood fuel,” said Joel Etter, President of NEHPBA and Senior Wholesale Account Manager for Hearth & Home Technologies. “October is an ideal time to conduct this routine, and we are advising families and households all over the Northeast how to do this effectively.”
A good checklist for pre-winter inspection and maintenance on wood-burning stoves includes steps such as:
Being prepared for the wood-burning season with adequate stockpiles of properly seasoned and properly stored wood fuel is also a critical step in a good pre-winter routine. All wood fuel should be seasoned for at least six months, stored outdoors and kept up off the ground with a tarp or other covering on top of each stack to minimize absorption of moisture.
A wood moisture meter is also a useful tool – as wood burns best with no more than 20 percent moisture. Buying and burning locally cut firewood also decreases the risk of transporting invasive insects and other pests to your property.
There are a broad range of useful information resources for best practices in burning wood fuel available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Burn Wise program.
“We are about to enter the most important time of the year for our industry – as the process of heating with wood fuel can be challenging and even daunting without the best guidance and expertise,” said Karen Luther, Executive Director of NEHPBA. “New England and New York area households benefit from diverse energy choices, and more households are choosing wood-burning appliances every year.”
NEHPBA and the entire industry are working together with other businesses as well as consumers to ensure that a range of energy choices continue to be available in the Northeast – that includes natural gas, propane and oil heat systems as well as wood-burning appliances.
About the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Since 1985, the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) has represented the interests of the hearth industry in the Northeast. NEHPBA was originally incorporated in January 1985 as the Northeast Solid Fuel Alliance (NESFA) in recognition of the unique demands of business in the Northeast. In June of 1992, NESFA members voted to become the first affiliated member of the national Hearth Products Association (HPA) and became the Northeast Hearth Products Association (NEHPA). In 2002, NEHPA became the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) in conjunction with the merger of the national HPA with the Barbecue Industry Association to become the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), thus recognizing the diversification of the modern industry. The NEHPBA name has remained since 2002.
6 October 2020
Homeowners who live in Cumberland County and own inefficient wood stoves can apply for a voucher worth $1,000 toward a new stove certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as part of the Cumberland County Wood Stove Changeout Program, announced Tuesday by the American Lung Association.The program aims to improve outdoor and indoor air quality by removing older, high-polluting wood stoves and replacing them with cleaner-burning, EPA-certified wood, pellet or gas stoves.
Cumberland County homeowners with a wood stove not certified by the EPA can apply for a limited number of available vouchers.
The vouchers include:
“Replacing older, high-polluting stoves with new ones is an important way for communities to reduce harmful particle pollution and improve air quality,” said Michelle Edwards, the program’s coordinator for the Lung Association in Maine. “The American Lung Association has long been committed to reducing residents’ exposure to wood smoke, and we are proud to continue these efforts in Cumberland County.”
Since 2010, the Lung Association successfully implemented 11 wood stove change-out programs throughout the Northeast, resulting in over 1,000 change-outs to EPA-certified heating sources.
Particle pollution is made of soot or tiny particles that come from combustion. Such particles can lodge themselves deep in the lungs and trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes.
Applications for the vouchers are available online or at participating stores. Once people receive their voucher, they will have 30 days to enter into a purchase agreement with one of the retailers. The retailer then installs the new stove and recycles and makes the old stove inoperable.
In Cumberland County, participating retailers are Embers Stoves and Fireplaces in South Portland, Frost and Flame in Gorham, Goggins Energy in Portland and McVety’s Hearth and Home in Yarmouth. The Lung Association is collaborating on the effort with the Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.
For more program details, go to Lung.org/woodstove or call 800-548-8252.
BY TUX TURKELSTAFF WRITER/https://www.pressherald.com/
1 October 2020
This fireplace season, it’s likely consumers will be spending more time at home than ever before. With uncertainty swirling outside our homes, the hearth is truly the center of warmth, comfort and relaxation in our lives.
This year for #NationalFireplaceMonth, HPBA is conducting a national media relations and social media campaign called “Home is Where the Hearth Is” encouraging people to make the most of their fireplaces this season.
“Home is Where the Hearth Is” will inform consumers on how to prep their fireplaces for the season; encourage they work with specialty retailers and NFI-certified specialists; offer tips on making the most of the fireplace during these uncertain times; provide a playlist of the best songs to enjoy fireside; and, even ask people to share “awkward family photos” together by the fire.
We hope you can take part. We encourage you to share our press release and share these posts throughout October on your channels. Or, follow the HPBA social media pages on Facebook and Instagram pages and on the NEHPBA Facebook page and share. Remember, always use the hashtag #NationalFireplaceMonth.
22 September 2020
As you create your budget for 2021, the NEHPBA Board needs your support, once again, in continuing our very successful and effective campaign to fight on your behalf against gas and fossil fuels bans in the Northeast. We hope that you can once again assist in funding our regional lobbying efforts.
As you know, we have hired O’Neil & Associates, a prestigious lobbying firm with whom we have been very effective in fighting Energy Zero (Net-Zeo/Electrification/Gas Ban) Issues. This has been a valuable and worthy expense to forward our progress. We are asking all members as well as HPBA to help us fund this cause for continuing the fight into 2021. You may or may not know that several members, including dealers, manufacturers and distributors, have agreed to funding help. As you know, there is great concern with the relentless initiative to ban natural gas and fossil fuels in our region. With the help of our lobbying firm we have so far been very successful.
Here is some insight into a few of our winning campaigns:
We are also working on a "Save Our Natural Gas and Propane" campaign hopefully in combination with Propane Gas of New England (PGANE) and HPBA, we are publishing regular press releases on “energy diversity and security”, Joel Etter (NEHPBA President) and I will be participating in a podcast with O’Neil & Associates on this subject in October, and we are closely monitoring legislation in CT regarding greater accountability in the utility sector, natural gas legislation in NY, as well as licensing legislation in VT.
NEHPBA has joined the Mass Coalition for Sustainable Energy (MCSE) and The Empowerment Alliance. NEHPBA had a hand in writing and editing the MCSE letter to the conferees regarding the MA Climate Bill.
We will continue the fight for Clean and Affordable Energy. Please join us. We appreciate any donation either monthly or a one-time sponsorship. https://nehpba.org/donation#!form/Sponsorship
Thank you for your Support. Please let me know if you have any questions at all. I am available via phone and email anytime.
9 September 2020
While life is drastically different this year, one thing is sure—hearth, patio, and barbecue sales have been heating up all year. HPBExpo is your best opportunity to reconnect with the industry and access the latest trends, technology and training that will ensure your customers turn to you when they invest in their homes and businesses.
Held in the heartland of Nashville, HPBExpo’s vibrant location will attract top retailers coming to see suppliers showcase their latest products and innovations your customers will be demanding in upcoming seasons. With the barbecue market poised to grow by more than $3 billion by 2023 and the hearth market by almost $4 billion by 2023, consumers are investing heavily in their homes. Make sure you’re part of it by registering now for HPBExpo.
Join Us for Three Days of:
Registration begins tomorrow, September 10, 2020! Register now. For more information, contact NEHPBA.
20 August 2020
Associated Industries of Massachusetts today alerted members to keep an eye out for their unemployment benefit charge statements for the month of July 2020 and to file any protests to those charges within 30 days.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) all COVID-19 related benefit credits will be reflected on the July 2020 Benefit Charge Statement. Employers are asked to wait until they have received these charges to initiate claims protests. Currently, employers have 30 days from the date of their July statement to protest any claims through the DUA.
AIM has been fielding questions from employers who received charges for the consecutive months of March, April, May, and June as well, but we have been informed that the July 2020 statements will be most relevant and up to date.
According to the federal CARES Act, reimbursing employers (those who pay into the system on a per-claim basis versus contributory employers who pay through a traditional payroll tax) are liable for 50 percent of their COVID-19 related unemployment charges. The same legislation shields contributory employers paying into the system through payroll taxes from covering COVID-19 claims by charging them to each state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund. State legislation passed into law this May allows reimbursing employers in Massachusetts 120 days from the date on their July statement to complete payment on the UI charges made to their accounts.
Although contributory employers are not liable for COVID-19 claims, AIM encourages all employers to thoroughly review their benefit charge statements and to protest any incorrect charges they see.
The state’s employers ultimately fund the UI Trust Fund, which has been bearing the brunt of an unprecedented surge in unemployment claims since March.
According to the Massachusetts Trust Fund Outlook Report from May 2020, the status of the Fund will become insolvent into 2024, at least, especially if the federal government takes no further action. The Fund is expected to be in the red by $3 billion at the end of this year, $6 billion at the end of 2021 and 2022, and insolvent still by about $5.22 billion at the end of 2024.
The same report indicates employer contributions stand to increase by $6 million in Fiscal Year 2021 through automatic employer rate increases that are based on the Fund’s overall financial condition. Massachusetts remains a state with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.
Employers currently have only 30 days to file all benefit charge protests. Due to the influx of claims related to COVID-19, protests must be submitted online through an employer’s individual UI Account by logging in and selecting “Benefit Charge Activity,” followed by “Benefit Charge Protest.”
In order to file a successful protest, employers must have access to the claimant’s full name and Social Security Number. The employer must complete all fields marked with a red asterisk and enter the reasons for protesting in the available text box while leaving the “Mail Date,” and “Document ID” fields blank.
The “Last Day Worked” entered in the protest must match the last day reported by the claimant whose benefits charges are being protested. In order to access this information through the DUA, employers are directed to email the Department at EmployerCharge@detma.org with “Last Day Worked Inquiry” specified in the subject line of their email.
Reimbursing employers are asked to email UIEmployerReports@detma.org with any additional questions. All other inquiries and concerns are again directed to EmployerCharge@detma.org.
The DUA has additionally made the following resources available for employers seeking to understand their UI responsibilities:
AIM has continued to advocate on the federal level for direct, immediate financial relief to state UI Trust Funds and additional forgiveness for non-profits and reimbursing employers who are still liable for 50 percent of their UI bills.
To read more about the condition of the UI Trust Fund and AIM’s comments to the Globe, please click here (paywall).
To access additional AIM guidelines and resources on how to protect your business from unemployment insurance fraud, please see our previous UI blog post – Be On Alert for National Unemployment Insurance Scam
Source: BUDGET, TAX, & FINANCE ECONOMY NEWS
6 August 2020
August 6, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEHPBA: Preserving access to natural gas and other fuel sources is critical for emergency readiness in major weather events
Sudbury, MA – The Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association today said that widespread power outages being experienced across New England highlight the critical nature of energy diversity and the risks of over-dependence on electric power for household and commercial heating, cooking and cooling.
More than 220,000 households were without power in Massachusetts following Tropical Storm Isaias late Tuesday night, while approximately 50,000 lost power in New Hampshire. Rhode Island reported over 100,000 households without power after the storm, and a staggering 700,000 homes were still without power Thursday morning across Connecticut, leaving work crews scrambling to restore service and state officials furious at utility response times.
“Tropical Storm Isaias is a summer weather event, but it’s a vivid illustration of how huge sections of the power grid can be knocked out in a matter of minutes at any time of the year,” said Joel Etter, President of NEHPBA and Senior Wholesale Account Manager for Hearth & Home Technologies. “Winter Nor’easters, blizzards and ice storms are something we are all too familiar with in New England. When the grid goes down in those conditions, over-reliance on electric power can be dangerous.”
NEHPBA is part of a cross-section of industry associations and advocates fighting to maintain energy diversity in the marketplace – as special interests support initiatives to ban natural gas, complicate regulations around propane and wood-burning fuel products and limit choices for home-heating systems. The industry is working together with other businesses as well as consumers to ensure natural gas continues to be available in New England and the Northeast as part of a complete range of energy choices.
Banning new natural gas connections or curbing existing use dramatically will hurt Americans when costs of living are already high. The over-reliance on electric power for heating and cooking exposes households to higher risks when major weather events knock out the grid.“New England households need diverse energy choices to maintain financial stability, and to protect families when the region’s electric power infrastructure sustains massive failure– as we are seeing today,” said Karen Luther, Executive Director of NEHPBA. “It happens in the summer and it happens in winter. It happened this week and it will happen again.”
About the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Since 1985, the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) has represented the interests of the hearth industry in the Northeast. NEHPBA was originally incorporated in January 1985 as the Northeast Solid Fuel Alliance (NESFA) in recognition of the unique demands of business in the Northeast. In June of 1992, NESFA members voted to become the first affiliated member of the national Hearth Products Association (HPA) and became the Northeast Hearth Products Association (NEHPA). In 2002, NEHPA became the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) in conjunction with the merger of the national HPA with the Barbecue Industry Association to become the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), thus recognizing the diversification of the modern industry. The NEHPBA name has remained since 2002.
29 July 2020
With hot and humid conditions enveloping New England, demand for electricity across the region hit its highest level so far this year at about 6:30 p.m. Monday.
This year’s peak experience in many ways highlights how the regional power grid is changing and how far it has to go to fully decarbonize.
ISO New England, the organization that oversees the regional power grid, had forecast this summer’s peak usage would hit 25,500 megawatts between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Actual usage came in at 24,736 megawatts, more than 300 megawatts higher than last year’s peak but nearly 1,600 megawatts lower than 2018.
The all-time peak usage in the region was 28,130 megawatts on August 2, 2006. Peak usage has been stagnant or dropping in recent years, primarily due to energy efficiency efforts that have helped curb overall electricity demand by 3,300 megawatts and small-scale solar and wind installations that reduce demand for power from the grid.
COVID-19 is also playing a role this year. Energy usage appears to be higher in residential homes as more people stay at home but lower in commercial and industrial facilities. Overall, ISO New England estimates, COVID-19 has cut energy demand by 3 to 5 percent.
Peaks have out-sized importance because the region needs enough power plants to meet demand when demand is at its highest point. Lowering the peak is beneficial since it means the region can get by with fewer power plants.
Peaks used to occur in the afternoon, when temperatures hit their highest levels and air conditioners are going full tilt. But the deployment of solar panels on roofs across the region has pushed the peak into the early evening. During the afternoon, the behind-the-meter solar installations produce the most power. As the sun begins to set, however, solar power production falls off and the region becomes more and more dependent on large-scale power generators.
There is lots of talk on Beacon Hill about going 100 percent renewable, but Monday’s peak experience illustrates how far the region has to go. The regional power grid handled Monday’s surge in electricity demand easily, but in doing so it relied primarily on power generated by natural gas (70 percent), nuclear (16 percent), hydro (8 percent), renewables (5 percent), and even a bit of oil and coal. The oil and coal plants tend to come online only when demand is at its highest.
Most energy analysts want to decarbonize the economy using electricity. Cars and trucks, for example, would shift from gasoline to electricity. Electricity would also be used for heat and hot water in homes and commercial buildings. Brookline took a step in this direction recently by approving a bylaw banning pipes carrying natural gas and oil in all new construction. Attorney General Maura Healey, while sympathetic to the bylaw’s intent, rejected the measure because it conflicted with three state laws.
If the region’s power grid doesn’t go green, the shift to electricity won’t pay many environmental dividends. That’s why the state is pursuing the purchase of offshore wind and hydro-electricity from Canada, to help reduce reliance on natural gas and other fossil fuels.
As of Tuesday morning, however, the power grid was relying most on natural gas. According to ISO New England’s real-time information, the grid’s power was coming primarily from natural gas (74 percent), with the balance from nuclear (19 percent), renewables (5 percent), and hydroelectricity (2 percent).
Commonwealth Daily Download, By Bruce Mohl
22 July 2020
Over 69 million American households rely on natural gas utilities to provide energy to appliances inside their homes. Another 5.7 million more commercial and industrial businesses are supplied through the same local gas utilities to meet their daily needs. This feat is made possible by hundreds of thousands of individuals employed by gas utilities and their extended supply chains. However, job creation and economic development don’t end with the actions of utilities or by producers. Through this service, job opportunities exist across the entire U.S. economy through the direct, indirect, and induced effects of supplying energy to homes and businesses.
In addition to the 138 thousand individuals employed by natural gas utilities, companies that supply these utilities create associated natural gas jobs too, and the grand sum of all employed individuals encourages additional economic activity through the consumption of goods or services by individuals. These companies also provide a critical intermediate service for other businesses to operate. This analysis will determine both the total impact on employment from the natural gas direct use supply chain as well as to uncover the extent to which utility jobs stay local.
Based on the findings from the REMI model, in 2018, over 3.4 million jobs were connected to the direct use of natural gas. These jobs added $408 billion to GDP and paid $152 billion in personal income. The model also indicated a strong relationship between natural gas utilities and the local economy, with as much as 83 percent of all employment remaining local. Also, the prospects for new sales and the more specific inclusion of converting electric homes to natural gas have positive economic growth beyond the potential savings sustained by individual households.
Want to be part of the solution and part of the conversation? Contact Northeast HPBA.
Click here for the full report.
AGA.org
15 July 2020
BOSTON, JULY 15, 2020.....About a dozen House lawmakers joined climate and environment advocates Wednesday morning to drum up support for a bill that would require the executive branch to prepare a formal plan to reach the shared goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka this year each declared their support for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a policy that climate activists have long been pushing. Both branches have passed climate bills but the 2050 target still hasn't been formalized by the Democrat-controlled Legislature with time set to run out on the session in two weeks, unless lawmakers waive their own rules.
"I personally think it's the best bill that is in the Legislature right now," Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, House chairman of the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee, said of Rep. Joan Meschino's bill to require a 2050 emissions reduction roadmap.
Meschino's bill (H 3983) would codify the target of net-zero emissions by 2050, require the establishment of interim 2030 and 2040 targets, require the Baker administration by the end of 2021 to file a plan detailing how Massachusetts can meet the 2050 target, and require that the plan be updated every two-and-a-half years. The bill was reported out of Pignatelli's committee favorably almost a year ago and has been in the House Ways and Means Committee since.
"We're all well aware of the climate crisis. The issues present as public health, public safety, environmental justice, environmental health, social justice. However, the solution is an economic one. It is the decarbonization of our economy," Meschino said during a virtual rally hosted by 350 Mass, Conservation Law Foundation, Mothers Out Front, Elders Climate Action Massachusetts and others. "And if we're going to accomplish those goals, then we need a plan. And that is why I filed this bill. I filed the 2050 roadmap because we need a plan to achieve our goals."
The 12-year-old Global Warming Solutions Act requires an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2050, but the Baker administration is already working on its own roadmap to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 with the help of "experts and stakeholders," the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has said. The administration intends to release its plan to meet the state's carbon reduction goals by the end of this year.
Meschino said she thinks of her bill as making a series of critical updates to the Global Warming Solutions Act and noted that Baker's energy and environment secretariat "has begun to do some of the work around the backcast analysis," in which the schedule of emission reductions is detailed and then paired with the strategies proposed to achieve them over time.
"I think that this bill is one of the single most important pieces of legislation that we're going to put through this year. It's going to be transformative of the way that we live, and it's going to be transformative for our economy," Meschino, a Hull Democrat, said.
Though the bill is in the House Ways and Means Committee, Pignatelli advised advocates to focus their lobbying efforts on DeLeo and Rep. Tom Golden, the chairman of the House Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy who is spearheading a review of climate and environmental bills.
"I think that's where these decisions are going to be made," he said.
And though formal sessions of the Legislature are currently due to end after July 31, Pignatelli said he expects that lawmakers will get another crack at passing climate legislation and other bills later this year.
"Everything has been kind of thrown off the rails, like I said. We normally would be done by the end of July. I truly believe that we will be called back into session sometime this fall. We don't even have a state budget at this point. So, under normal circumstances, we'd all be scrambling for the last two weeks of this session to get this bill across the finish line. I still would love to see that happen on Joan's bill," he said. "But if it doesn't, I don't feel any of us should feel the collective, 'oh my God, we lost another time.' So I think that the advocacy should continue, whether it's the next two weeks, or the next few months."
Legislative leaders haven't announced plans to attempt to extend formal sessions, although at this point it appears nearly impossible for the branches to pass an overdue annual budget through both branches this month.
Rep. Michelle Ciccolo of Lexington said that Meschino's 2050 roadmap bill is one of the top 10 bills that she would like to see get across the finish line this session, whether the vote comes before July 31 or sometime between August and January.
"Toward that end, I've been sending letters and emails to [House] leadership, making phone calls and actually asking them to look at extending the session," she said Wednesday. "I'm fully in favor of us coming back after the election, after the primaries, staying late into August, whatever it is that we need to do to make sure that we get this across the finish line."
Rep. Kay Khan, chairwoman of the House Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, said she would be happy to raise the subject of Meschino's bill with both DeLeo and Golden.
"I think that carbon neutrality by 2050 is within our reach and it is our responsibility to our children -- and I'm lucky enough to have seven grandchildren and I think about them every day and the importance of moving forward and to get this done -- and the roadmap bill lays out a very big yet promising goal and path ahead," Khan said. "It is designed to accelerate our progress toward net-zero emissions by pushing us to exploit and explore all possible avenues toward reaching that goal, and the time is now."
Climate legislation had figured to be a central focus of the legislative session's home stretch since the House and Senate had each passed major climate-related bills before most business was put on pause.
The House last July approved a roughly $1.3 billion bill -- the so-called GreenWorks bill -- centered around grants to help communities adapt to climate change impacts, and at the end of January the Senate overwhelmingly passed a suite of climate bills that called for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and set deadlines for the state to impose carbon-pricing mechanisms for transportation, commercial buildings and homes.
Golden has said that the House "is eager to move forward" on climate legislation, and he and his Senate counterpart, Sen. Michael Barrett, are in agreement that the Legislature ought to pass a climate bill into law by the end of 2020.
"The House of Representatives has taken an approach for some time with GreenWorks," Golden said at the end of June. "I'm looking forward to working with Senator Barrett on moving our vision as well as the Senate's vision towards a final, rectifying a final piece of legislation. I think it's vitally important that we finish this before 2020 ends."
Want to get involved? Want to get involved in the conversation? Contact Northeast HPBA today!
statehousenews.com, by Colin A. Young7/15/20 3:02 PM
30 June 2020
Northeast HPBA is pleased to announce that on July 8th, 2020 at 3 p.m. we will be having a Zoom Q&A session with a member of Governor Baker's Administration to discuss the future of Energy in the Commonwealth. This Q&A session is specifically for NEHPBA and MCSG members! David Ismay, Undersecretary for Climate Change in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has committed one hour to meet with our membership to discuss the 2050 Roadmap. While this conversation will be focused on Massachusetts, we feel as though it should be of interest to all members, as what starts in MA often spreads throughout the northeast and the country.
We anticipate a constructive conversation with Mr. Ismay. We will provide additional details closer to the event, including the Zoom link to participate and more information on how you will be able ask questions of Mr. Ismay regarding the 2050 Roadmap. Please RSVP here and let us know whether or not you will attend. We will send you the registration link as the event gets closer.
We look forward to the information Mr. Ismay will provide us at the Q&A and hope you all will be able to join.
Thank you,
Karen and Joel
3 June 2020
EPA’s latest sell-through proposal was published in the Federal Register on May 22nd, starting a 45-day comment period with written comments due on July 6, 2020. HPBA issued a statement in response to the proposal on May 15th when a pre-publication draft was made public.
What is in the Proposal
Public Hearing Information
A public hearing (virtual) will be held on Monday, June 8th from 9:00 am EDT to 3:00 pm EDT.
HPBA Webinar on Testimony and Public Hearing
HPBA will hold a webinar on Thursday, June 4th at 2:00 pm EDT to provide information and answer questions for members who wish to testify at the public hearing.
HPBA Webinar on Written Comments
HPBA will hold a second webinar on Wednesday, June 17th at 12:00 pm EDT for members who want to provide written comments, which is most important.
Source: HPBA Communications
28 May 2020
Once again the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) is holding a vote that could pass a State-Wide Net Zero stretch code (now called "EZ" stretch code for "Energy Zero"). Please sign and submit this letter to the chair of the BBRS and help stop this new building code from passing and having a dramatic effect across Massachusetts!
There is a lot of support for this from environmental advocates and this type of policy has already passed at the city level in Brookline, MA. This means it's even more important for our industry to stand up and make our opposition heard.
Click the link and fill out the form to send an email opposing this effort.
12 May 2020
As we quickly approach the Step 2 effective date (May 15th), some businesses still have some Step 1 stoves left in their inventory. MAHPBA Board Members came up with an idea to address this, and HPBA reached out to the EPA and received official word that a simple donation program could be set-up with qualifying non-profit organizations. These approved non-profit organizations will manage the ownership and distribution of the stoves to identified homeowners in need.
To participate in Stoves to Home, we ask that you complete a donation form before May 15th.
For more information about the pre-approved non-profit organizations, how to donate products, FAQs, and to submit a donation form, please visit the Stoves to Homes page on the HPBA website.
Please contact Shannon Good if you have any questions on the donation form, and Rachel Feinstein if you have any questions for HPBA.30 April 2020
Congratulations. You did it. You not only found a bank to accept your Paycheck Protection Program application, but the bank managed to get it to the U.S. Small Business Administration before the program ran out of funding. Lots of your peers are still scrambling to secure PPP financing. Not you. That money’s already in your bank account.
Now comes the hard part.
Out of necessity, the federal government created and opened up PPP in a hurry, before it had figured out exactly how the program would work. For that reason, you applied for PPP loans in a hurry. Many of your peers — maybe you — were ordered closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Getting that loan was a matter of survival. Now that you have the financing, you need to stick to the SBA’s rules, to ensure as much of the loan is forgiven as possible. But that’s not easy: The SBA is still clarifying the terms of forgiveness, even as you’re planning to comply with terms you signed weeks ago.
Experts say you might be in for a shock.
“I think many borrowers thought this was going to be fully forgivable, and I dare say, many of them are going to be surprised,” said Jim Browne, a Boston-based partner with the professional services firm Withum.
Just because the application process was a little fast and loose at the start doesn’t mean banks and the government won’t be bigger sticklers going forward.
“On the back end, there’s going to be more diligence than on the front end, in terms of how this money was expended,” Browne said.
The Business Journal spoke with bankers, accountants, lawyers and entrepreneurs about what business owners should do to ensure they avoid run-ins with lenders and bureaucrats and keep the amount of the loan they need to pay back as small as possible. Here’s the advice they shared.
Don’t be afraid to hire back employees, even if the work’s not there
Many Massachusetts business owners are in a quandary. Their businesses are closed entirely, because they’re considered nonessential, or they’re operating in a much-diminished capacity because customers are stuck at home. They’ve laid off most (or all) of their employees, because the business just isn’t there.
But under PPP rules, they must spend now 75% of the loan on payroll costs in the eight weeks after they receive the loan, if they want it to be forgiven. (The clock starts ticking as soon as the money hits their bank account.)
To reach the 75% threshold, they can hire back their one-time employees, but those workers may make more under the stimulus program’s enhanced unemployment benefits than they would on the job. And at the moment, there might be little to no work for employees to actually do.
Or they can forget about forgiveness, and treat the financing as a true loan rather than a grant. While the interest rate is only 1%, that may still be a big risk, given how much uncertainty there is around how long businesses will stay closed, and what revenue will look like once they reopen. The loan must be paid back in two years.
To avoid that risk, experts urge business owners to consider staffing back up, even if under normal circumstances they wouldn’t add to payroll.
“I’m advising them to bring them back as soon as they can, because obviously, the whole purpose of the program is to get people off unemployment,” said Thomas Petrocelli, a Wakefield accountant.
Employers should think creatively about how to use staffers. ThinkLite LLC, a Natick-based lighting company that received a PPP loan through Needham Bank, has employees taking online courses during work hours to learn new skills, or working on new research projects, Chief Operating Officer Danny Wadhwani said.
If most or all of the loan is not forgiven, it’s not necessarily the end of the world, given the low interest rate, accountants said. But owners should make that decision knowing the risks.
“If I have to pay that back at 1% over two years, I’m going to do that if it means we can stay alive,” said Joe Caligiuri, owner of Dedham training facility Stadium Performance, who plans to bring back all of his employees by July 1.
Keep careful track of everything
It’s essential that businesses document every penny they spend of the PPP money. The loan is supposed to be reserved for payroll expenses, as well as mortgage interest, rent and utility costs. If they send a rent check to their landlord, they should copy the check ahead of time and file it away. The same goes for electronic invoices.
Business owners might consider setting up a separate bank account for the loan to make the divide between the PPP money and other funds even clearer, though accountants say that’s not strictly necessary.
A good audit trail is important not just for accuracy’s sake, but for speed. Banks faced a glut of applications at the PPP’s kickoff. In a few weeks, they’ll face a glut of borrowers seeking sign-off that their loans are forgiven. Given how busy lenders will be, a misstep could mean significantly more time to achieve that sign-off.
“If you can put yourself in a position where everything is organized and they can easily see what you’ve done, it’s going to make the process so much smoother,” Nutter attorney Joshua French said.
Keep your counselors on speed dial
Even nearly a month after the PPP launched, there’s still a lot of uncertainty around how loan forgiveness will work. More guidance is expected, but the SBA’s previous attempts at clarification have left a lot of questions, according to experts.
With so much still up in the air, business owners should be in regular contact with their bankers, accountants and lawyers for any updates on the SBA’s thinking. Withum’s Browne recommends reaching out to them daily, or every other day.
At a minimum, businesses should check in with their bank a week or two before the PPP’s eight-week run time is up, according to Salem Five CEO Ping Yin Chai.
Remember, it’s about more than maintaining payroll
One thing that is certain: There’s more to achieving forgiveness than keeping the same headcount. If you cut pay for employees making less than $100,000 a year by more than 25%, that will hurt the amount of the loan that you can recover.
It’s important to note that, when calculating change in headcount, a firm can compare its current staffing level to either its full-time equivalent headcount in the first two months in 2020, or the same metric for Feb. 15, 2019, to June 30, 2019. If a business had been in growth mode prior to the pandemic, and its headcount was low last year, that will help it out now.
Given the changes caused by the pandemic, employers might also consider whether it makes sense to hire employees with new skill sets, rather than re-hire only laid-off workers. ThinkLite, for instance, plans to hire web developers to bolster its ecommerce platform, since remote work will be more popular in a post-pandemic world, Wadhwani said.
It’s a weird time. But don’t get too weird.
The federal government got blowback when larger, publicly traded companies secured PPP loans before many small businesses did. Officials have indicated that going forward, they will be scrutinizing loan recipients more closely. So no, you shouldn’t go investing the loan money in the stock market, or paying dividends to shareholders.
French has a simple test for deciding whether an expenditure will draw “the quadruple P — the PPP police,” as he calls them. Ask yourself, would I be doing this right now if it wasn’t for the PPP? For instance, if you’re thinking about giving employees big bonuses just to hit that 75% payroll threshold — would you be handing out big bonuses this spring if not for the loan?
“If it’s not something you would have done normally, then I’d be nervous about doing it now,” French said.
bizjournals.com
27 April 2020
Plan to join the CVC Success Group April 27 through May 1, 2020 as we continue our free virtual training presentations with CEUs for the coming week. Read on for the details of each class we will present live in the coming week. Our webinars are presented for the training of the industry workforces.
Sales Training Monday, April 27, 2 PM EST
Join the Retail Guys Training with instructor Tim Reed presenting his program entitled “Win More Showroom Sales” a perfect class for anyone in sales or sales management, with a showroom or for those who operate without a showroom. So even if you don’t have a showroom the tactics Tim will share will be a benefit for you.
To register for the free class, click the link https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3389727684660026640. Once you submit, you will receive your private link to attend the session.
Gas Training Wednesday, April 29, 2 PM Eastern Time
This will be another gas training with industry veteran Bob Wise teaching live. You can ask your questions of Bob during the interactive presentation. This class will be one that will provide you answers on how to address field issues you may encounter during installations, service calls, and callbacks.
To join the class, simply click the link https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2732416543831406096. Once you submit, you will receive your private link to join the class as it goes live at 2 PM Wednesday, April 29.
Chimney Training Thursday, April 30, 2 PM Eastern Time
This will be a course for anyone in the chimney industry. This will be presented by Jerry Isenhour & Tom Urban. In this class we will be sharing methods of how service technicians will communicate and do their jobs in the new next of the changes the market will require.
To attend this class, simply click the link https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1757912791063879184.
Office Training Friday, May 1, 2 PM Eastern Time
This will be a presentation of The History of Chimney Service In America. This class is a documentary of the chimney service industry and can relate how technology has changed the industry. An excellent class for any member of the chimney and hearth industries to increase their understanding of where we have been and where we are going.
To join the class, click the link https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5923380707056150544. You will receive a private link to join the class will be emailed directly to you.
All CVC Success Group live training is conducted using GoToWebinar, attendance at classes is tracked electronically, and CEUs are provided utilizing a code word system. Upon completion of a class, once you have submitted your code words and request for CEUs, CVC will prepare an attendance certificate that is sent to you and filed with the certifying agency you are certified by.
CAN’T MAKE THE CLASS?
The CVC live classes are recorded and then stored in the CVC Base Camp library of courses joining the over 600 courses that are in the CVC Library. Want more information, simply click on www.cvcbasecamp.com or contact us at info@cvcsuccessgroup.com and we will forward your information on how to subscribe, with learner seats starting at $39.00 a month for 60 days, it is the most cost-effective online learning platform available.
We are CVC Success Group, and we are here to assist industry members through these challenging times. If you have ideas on how we can provide this assistance, please reach out to us at info@cvcsuccessgroup.com
We are all in this together!
Members of the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) and its regional Affiliates are the leading companies that produce, sell, or service appliances and accessories in the hearth and barbecue industries in North America. Join today to take advantage of all the benefits your company will receive.
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