On April 20, 2023, Massachusetts announced the establishment of two councils intended to expedite clean energy development in the state. The Commission on Clean Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting (CEISP) will involve stakeholders from a broad spectrum of interests and focus on reducing permitting timelines, providing communities’ input in the siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure, and ensuring that the benefits of the clean energy transition are shared equitably. The CEISP will also be tasked with making recommendations on administrative, regulatory, and legislative changes to existing permitting and siting procedures before the end of the year.
The Interagency Offshore Wind Council (IOWC) will be comprised of the full spectrum of state agencies throughout Massachusetts and will be geared toward advancing the responsible development of offshore wind through greater interagency collaboration. The Department of Energy Resources will serve on the IOWC, along with representatives from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Office of Coastal Zone Management, Division of Marine Fisheries, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Public Utilities, Executive Office of Economic Development, Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, and Executive Office of Education. The IOWC will solicit stakeholder and community input to develop and maintain an Offshore Wind Strategic Plan that will lay out frameworks and progress made to date, identify key drivers and policy goals, and prioritize specific findings and actions necessary for Massachusetts to meet its goals and objectives. More information on this announcement can be found here.