Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability Team
The Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability Team, was launched by Council Treasurer Martin Madaus, Chairman, President and CEO of Millipore Corporation, and was formed to develop and implement criteria for public policy positions and to facilitate the sharing and adoption of best practices in energy efficiency and sustainability among members. In July, Mitch Tyson, CEO of Advanced Electron Beams became chair of this Team.
The criteria for evaluating proposed federal or state legislation or regulation are designed to consider comprehensive, long-term aspects that strengthen our state's economic competiveness and technology industries. Policies that qualify include the following:
- Encourage domestic energy production and support US energy security
- Improve energy efficiency and promote sustainability
- Strengthen Massachusetts' economic competitiveness and job growth
- Strengthen Massachusetts' leadership in innovation and clean-energy technology
- Limit costs to business and consumers by avoiding unsustainable taxpayer investments (e.g. permanent subsidies)
- Have a demonstrable positive impact on public health and the environment
- Promote predictable market-based funding sources for clean technology development such as through setting a national price for carbon
At the Team's guidance in June, the Council Board of Directors voted to call on the United States Senate to pass an energy bill that helps to jumpstart the clean energy economy by:
- Establishing a predictable, broad-based mechanism relative to setting a national price on carbon
- Eliminating oil, gas, and coal industry "preference" subsidies that are not market-based and put clean energy development at a competitive disadvantage
- Significantly increasing public and private investments in clean energy R&D and energy infrastructure
At the same time, the Council also called on state government to review existing state renewable energy taxes and utility surcharges that add to the costs of doing business in Massachusetts that may no longer be necessary under federal legislation. It additionally called on the federal government to implement any new law in as efficient a way as possible and to minimize the establishment of any new bureaucracy given budget constraints.
Council members and staff have been in coordinated contact with the offices of Senator John Kerry and Senator Scott Brown as federal energy legislation is considered in the Senate. Council Vice President Jim Rooney co-authored an op-ed in the Boston Globe and was quoted in a related article last week.
See op-ed by clicking here.
See article by clicking here.
EEES Team's work builds on the Council's historic role in helping to shape the state's restructured energy market and in providing nearly $100 million in aggregate energy savings for members through innovative products and services.
The EEES Team has also helped to elevate awareness among the Council of a new energy services management partnership with EnerNOC (see item below).
Education Team
The Education Team, chaired by Jeff Ray, CEO of SolidWorks Corporation, was created to strengthen Massachusetts' P-16 public education delivery system with particular focus on STEM and AP initiatives. It is currently working to help implement the new state Achievement Gap Act that the Council helped to pass as a lead member of the Race to the Top Coalition.
Team leadership has been working with members of the Boston Public Schools and area philanthropies and intermediaries to explore opportunities to leverage member expertise in the mentoring of principals at "turnaround schools." The Achievement Gap Act enabled the identification of 12 turnaround schools in Boston by conferring greater intervention powers in underperforming schools and districts. The Team is also identifying "what's next" in education reform with a focus on STEM.
On June 29, the Education Team hosted a meeting featuring Paul Reville, Secretary of the MA Executive Office of Education, which included discussion of several public policy issues on which the Council has recently registered input.
In May, the Council advocated against a State Senate budget provision to adjust the charter school funding formula in a way in which charter growth would be more vulnerable to budget cuts. That effort was successful, with the proposal eliminated from the final budget agreed to by a House-Senate Budget Conference Committee. See Council statement on charter school funding by clicking here.
The Council earlier registered its concern with pending state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education action to adopt national standards (and potentially assessments) to replace current state standards (and potentially MCAS exam) that by all accounts have been instrumental in strengthening student achievement in the Bay State. In his appearance before the Education Team, Secretary Reville indicated the Commonwealth would not adopt standards or assessments that did not meet or exceed Massachusetts' high bar.
Last week, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education unanimously approved the adoption of national standards. The Council submitted a statement to the Board as part of its deliberation. Click here to view.
The Council also continues to monitor and inform the progress of the state's Race to the Top education stimulus funding application. Massachusetts was named a finalist this week in the second round of the Race to the Top education stimulus funding competition in which it is vying for up to $250 million. US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has given indications that up to 12 states could receive awards during the second round of this competition.
Chris Anderson wrote an op-ed in a recent issue of Mass High Tech on wider education reform issues and opportunities in which the Council is involved. Click here to view.
Defense Technology Initiative
The Defense Technology Initiative Team chaired by Mike Lewis, BAE Systems Vice President and General Manager, was created to better identify and unify the region's defense cluster and enhance business spin-offs. It was born out of the Council's successful stewardship of Hanscom AFB and Natick Soldier System Center during the 2005 BRAC round of base closings; it established and feeds the Hanscom and Natick Science and Technology boards and N.E. Advisory Board.
A key component of preparation for the next BRAC process includes the collection of sound economic data to underpin organizing efforts. To this end, DTI has proposed the development of a New England-wide effort - an economic study - to quantify the full range of resources provided by the defense industry in each state. The initiative in partnership with the Donahue Institute of UMASS, will underscore the critical importance of New England defense resources, illustrating the close alignment of New England resources with Department of Defense action priorities.
On June 30, the Defense Team members hosted an informal roundtable discussion with Rear Admiral Margaret D. Klein, Naval Network Warfare Command Operations Officer at the Council's offices in Waltham. The focus of the discussion was cyber security and the mission of today's Navy. We are currently working on following up the discussion to further engage the Navy in this critical area of interest.
The roundtable with Admiral Klein followed a similar session the Council hosted for members and US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano this Spring. Again, the topic was largely cyber security, and DHS's efforts to connect more deeply with the region's cyber technology community.
US Senator Scott Brown has been active with the Council on a number of fast-paced federal policy issues, and we look forward to a close relationship with him. Of particular interest to the defense technology community, was Senator Brown's committee assignments. See Council statement on Senator Brown's committee assignments by clicking here.
Council Members Benefit with EnerNOC as Preferred Energy Management Partner
Company Helps Stimulate Local Economy by Helping Members Achieve 20% Energy Savings
EnerNOC presented an energy market update to Council members today in conjunction with the most recent Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability team meeting. In addition to an update on energy pricing and why now is a good time to consider renewing your contract with prices at 8 year lows, EnerNOC provided an overview of their product offerings that can help companies achieve 20% in energy savings.
EnerNOC was selected earlier this year as the Council's exclusive energy partner for its ability to help member organizations address all aspects of energy spend, including procurement, peak demand management, overall energy efficiency, and carbon management and reporting, through a comprehensive suite of energy management applications. SourceOne will continue to provide energy management services to members in areas not currently addressed by EnerNOC's offerings.
"For many of our members, energy is a significant operating expense. EnerNOC helps our members think about energy management holistically and create an energy management strategy that will have the most positive impact on their bottom lines," said Christopher Anderson, President of the Mass. High Tech Council. "EnerNOC already has a solid track record of delivering significant value to many prominent Mass. High Tech Council members. By formalizing this partnership, we hope to extend those benefits across our membership base."
For more information, please contact Council Director of Member Services, Daniella DeChristopher, at daniella@mhtc.org or 781-890-6482.
See also the Council's press release on this partnership here.
Council Names Rooney as Vice President
In March, the Council announced the hiring of former Boston Foundation executive James D. Rooney as its new vice president. Rooney is managing the Council's public affairs and is overseeing the development of its board-led public policy teams. He is also point person on education and energy related issues and is helping to manage the Council's wider strategic planning and operations.
Since 2005, Rooney was director of public affairs at TBF, where he led advocacy at the state and federal levels and helped spearhead the Race to the Top Coalition, a Council-supported initiative of education stakeholders that drove the passage of landmark legislation in January. He also led other research and policy initiatives that influenced new state laws across a wide range of issues including taxation and job creation.
Prior to TBF, Rooney was policy director at CEOs for Cities, a national alliance of urban leaders that promotes the competitive advantage of cities. Rooney also served as director of community and government affairs at Brown University, his alma mater; he earned his Master's in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2001.
On June 9, an interview with Rooney appeared in Mass High Tech. Click here to view.
Council Weighs in on State Budget and Economic Development Issues
As part of the recent state budget debate, in June the Council urged members of the state legislature to grant cities and towns the same ability to set municipal health plans outside of collective bargaining, a power enjoyed by the state which is estimated could save budget-strapped cities and towns $100 million per year. The Senate developed a compromise position on this issue as part of its budget that was not ultimately included in the conference committee version passed by the Legislature. The Council will continue its historic advocacy on this issue in conjunction with allied organizations and municipalities as this issue will remain given the state's budget crisis. See the Council's recent statement on this by clicking here.
The Council also played a key role in defeating an effort to change the charter school funding formula mere months after the passage of the Achievement Gap Act reinforced the existing formula. See Council statement by clicking here.
The Council additionally in June applauded House Ways & Means Chairman Charles Murphy for proposing to remove anti-competitive marketing restrictions (known as a "gift ban") on doctors and biopharmaceutical employers as part of an omnibus economic development bill being considered in the House, as well as to extend a Net Operating Loss carryforward period to 20 years and lower the capital gains tax rate to 3% for investments made in Massachusetts-based start-ups as a first step in the state becoming more competitive on capital gains taxes. See Council statement by clicking here.
