Policy

Making Policy in the Absence of Certainty

Biofuels are an important tool to help decarbonize our transportation system, and their role will likely grow in coming years. New tax credits authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act are being finalized; these would offer significant incentives for the biofuel alternatives to conventional jet fuel, so-called “Sustainable Aviation Fuels” or SAF. But it’s not always clear how sustainable these fuels truly are, or whether they offer a significant GHG advantage over petroleum.

Update on the fate of legislative bills

The 2021 Legislative session produced several notable sustainable transportation bills, some signed and some vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom. As the summer recedes into memory, it’s a good time to look at bills that came close to becoming law this year, and may return in 2022, perhaps in modified form. 

Massachusetts will require all car sales to be EVs by 2035

As part of the commonwealth’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the Governor of Massachusetts has released a plan to dramatically reduce carbon emissions over the next decade. A crucial component of that plan includes a requirement that by 2035, all new light-duty vehicle sales must be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).