NHYD Statement on Gov. Sununu's Failure To Sign Clean Jobs Act

New Hampshire Young Democrats Executive Director State Representative Amelia Keane released the following statement on SB 129, the Clean Energy Jobs and Opportunity Act, which became law without Governor Sununu's signature: “In spite of almost a year of hard work and bipartisan compromise in both chambers, Governor Sununu showed his opposition to a clean energy economy future for New Hampshire when he abstained from signing SB 129 into law." "This bill will help grow the solar industry in New Hampshire, which has generated over 1,200 jobs and is one of the fastest growing industries in our state. These are good paying jobs that help attract and retain a younger workforce, protect ratepayers, modernize our electric grid, and decrease our dependency on fossil fuels." “While Governor Sununu has demonstrated a disturbing trend of ignoring common sense clean energy and climate policy, we want to thank Senator Dan Feltes and Senator Jeb Bradley for their bipartisan work to get this renewable energy bill passed."

Details on SB 129: • More than double the solar class II requirements, which will help out solar REC prices in the future and will help create much more solar energy in our state and grow the 1,200 solar jobs we have today. • Raise the biomass REC price to help keep our biomass plants and the 900 jobs that support them intact. • Remove the 10 kW limit on the residential solar rebate program so that we can get more bang for our buck per rebate dollar spent and allow greater electricifation of our transportation or thermal needs (such as solar PV paired with an electric vehicle or heat pump). • Help bring the Renewable Energy Fund benefits to more low-income customers. • Generate years of ratepayer savings from the thermal energy class while giving that market time to grow.