What to do about natural gas will be one of the biggest—and toughest—challenges facing a new state-appointed commission on decarbonizing the building sector in the Bay State.
A 22-member panel appointed by the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker (R) will be tackling that and other thorny issues during the next 10 months, with buildings and homes accounting for roughly a third of all greenhouse-gas emissions in the state. The Baker administration has tasked the commission to come up with recommendations on how the state will meet its obligations under the Global Warming Solutions Act passed last March. The legislation calls for Massachusetts to slash emissions below 1990 levels by 2030, ratcheting that up to 75% by 2040, then to zero net emissions by 2050.