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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi MassPlanners<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Last year the legislature passed reforms to the way energy projects will be sited and permitted, which the state is now calling the “Grid Equity Act.” There will be a consolidated application and permitting process for most “small” projects
(<25MW solar or <100MW battery storage) and municipalities will issue a single consolidated permit. The new law also requires the regulations to include siting standards to minimize impacts to natural and working lands, biodiversity, resilience, and EJ communities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the first step toward developing regulations to implement this law, the state is holding a series of stakeholder sessions during April and May where you can learn more and provide input:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/2024-grid-equity-act-stakeholder-sessions">https://www.mass.gov/info-details/2024-grid-equity-act-stakeholder-sessions</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The sessions are all hybrid or virtual.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The CPTC Conference included a workshop on this topic. A pdf of the presentation is available on CPTC’s website:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://masscptc.org/index.php/training/annual-conference/2025-conference-handouts/">https://masscptc.org/index.php/training/annual-conference/2025-conference-handouts/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Please spread the word about the stakeholder sessions.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Heidi<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">E. Heidi Ricci
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">(she/her(s))<b><br>
</b>Director of Policy<i> </i>and Advocacy </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
</span></i><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Mass Audubon</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">
<br>
208 S. Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 <br>
<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org"><span style="color:blue">hricci@massaudubon.org</span></a>
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:#FAF9F8">|</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> 781-259-2172 or 781-622-8911 (cell) </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:black"><a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/"><span style="color:blue">massaudubon.org</span></a> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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