Joint Committee Hears Testimony on $3 Billion Massachusetts Climate Bond Bill

BOSTON — January 13, 2026 — Massachusetts lawmakers heard sweeping testimony on the $3 billion Mass Ready Act climate bond bill at a January 13 Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets hearing. Acting Senate Chair Paul Mark and House Chair Michael Finn presided as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper outlined the bill's core investments: more than $600 million for flood protection, $764 million for DCR infrastructure, $385 million for drinking water and wastewater, $120 million for PFAS remediation, and $315 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program. Bonnie Maple of DEP told the committee the state revolving fund hit a historic high of $1.4 billion in disbursements last year, driven by federal IIJA funds that are set to sunset, and warned the program is already oversubscribed. Advocates from the MVP Coalition, citing letters from 16 regional organizations and 40 cities and towns, pushed to raise the MVP authorization from $315 million to $500 million, while Dan Zakin of 350 Mass cautioned that precedent from the Affordable Homes Act suggests only about 38.7 percent of authorized funds will actually be spent.