http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/13/dimasi_to_present_plan_to_tune_up_energy_policy/Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi will propose today the overhauling of key pieces of the state's energy policy to reduce electricity demand and push communities to develop more energy-efficient and green projects, such as wind turbines.
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The financial help would come in two ways. First, communities would receive financial and technical assistance from a $10 million to $20 million fund that electricity companies pay into to help meet renewable energy goals. The communities would also get seed money to build renewable projects and invest in energy efficiency through existing ratepayer surcharges. DiMasi's staff said that not all money from the funds would go to communities, but did not have firm figures on how much.
Massachusetts, like many other states, requires an ever-increasing percentage of the electricity used in the state to come from new renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, with a goal of 4 percent by 2009. The market-based program requires companies that sell electricity to homeowners and businesses to buy a certain amount of green credits each year from new renewable plants in New England.
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DiMasi also proposed a slew of smaller programs, such as a $1,500 tax credit for taxpayers who buy a hybrid or alternative fuel car and an extension of tax credits enacted last year for homeowners to buy energy efficient heating items and businesses to install solar water heating units.
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