On October 15, the New England Congressional delegation held a half-day energy summit to discuss ideas for the region's energy future at the Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts. Eighteen of the 22 House members from the delegation were present, including Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), who provided a keynote address on the "Outlook for Energy Legislation this Session;" other Members of Congress moderated various panels throughout the session. A primary focus of the day's discussion was, as Members grapple with energy and climate issues, what issues Members of Congress should focus on from a regional perspective.
House Ways and Means, Select Revenue Measure Subcommittee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Ludlow) was scheduled to moderate the tax panel, "Providing Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy Production," but Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) filled in at the last minute due to a scheduling conflict. Chairman Neal invited Glenn Steiger, General Manager of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), to talk about tax incentives for the consumer-owned utility sector, among other things. Other presenters on the tax panel included representatives of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center.
In his comments, Steiger expressed support for Neal's assistance in extending and modifying the Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) provisions, included in the House passed "energy independence" bill highlighting that a number of MMWEC members have applied for CREB allocations. He also explained how public power systems are different and can not avail themselves of various tax incentives available to the for-profit sector. Steiger also spoke in support of other tax incentives, such as those that encourage energy efficiency, fuel cells, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), included in the House-passed energy bill.
The audience of approximately 200 individuals included industry, municipalities, and non-profits.