September 25, 2025
Representative Christine Barber
Chair, Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
24 Beacon St., Room 167
Boston, MA 02133
Senator Rebecca Rausch
Chair, Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
24 Beacon St., Room 215
Boston, MA 02133
RE: Business Opposition to House Bill 1014/Senate Bill 588 An Act establishing a climate change superfund
Dear Chairs Barber, Chair Rausch and members of the Committee,
The undersigned businesses and associations – representing virtually every aspect of
Massachusetts economy – write to express our strong opposition to House Bill 1014 and Senate
Bill 588 “An Act establishing a climate change superfund.”
If adopted, this legislation would impose sweeping retroactive liability on fossil-fuel companies
in an attempt to fund climate change adaptation projects. The companies subject to the legislation
would be assessed payments based on their estimated impact as determined by a climate-cost
study assessing the economic repercussions of emissions within the state. It would create a
system that levies retroactive fees solely against one segment of the economy – the fossil fuel
industry – for activities that were and remain legal, but the impact would be felt by almost every
sector of the business community.
Most alarming is the fact that the legislation could significantly increase the costs of living and
doing business in Massachusetts to a degree that could devastate the commonwealth’s economy.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform recently analyzed the proposal and determined that this legislation could significantly raise prices for Massachusetts residents. The
report determined that for every billion dollars in fees assessed under the bill consumers would
pay $167 more in transportation costs, $61 more in pass-through costs from business and $41
more in electrical bills, totaling $276 per household. Last session’s version of the legislation
proposed a $75 billion fee which would create an average household burden of $20,682 on
Massachusetts families at a time when affordability is the primary issue in the state.
A recent study of similar legislation proposed in California conducted by the California Business
Roundtable also determined that the climate superfund charges would ultimately be passed along
to the consumer though significantly higher prices for gasoline, natural gas, and electricity.2 This
study concluded that the California proposal would increase the annual household burden on
families up to $3,400 with the sharpest impact falling on renters and low-income residents.
Gasoline prices would rise by 43 percent and natural gas rates would increase 117 percent for
industrial users and 52 percent for households.
The Healey Administration as well as the House and Senate have wisely made the cost of living
a central part of policy decisions this and last session. Adopting this legislation would singlehandedly undermine all those efforts. The steep spike in energy costs could cripple industries like
manufacturing, trucking, logistics, and construction, among others. Based on analysis done for
similar legislation, Massachusetts residents could see double digit (percent) increases in
electricity rates, which would make the state even more unaffordable.
We ask that you please put the consumers first when considering the merits of this proposal and
not give this bill a favorable report. House Bill 1014 and Senate Bill 588.
Respectfully,
Brooke Thomson, President and CEO
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
Greg Reibman, President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
Marc Brown, EVP Government Relations and Advocacy `
Consumer Energy Alliance
James E. Rooney, President & CEO
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Paul D. Craney, Executive Director
Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance
Christopher Carlozzi, State Director
National Federation of Independent Business
Tamara Small, CEO
NAIOP Massachusetts, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association
Karen L. Arpino, Executive Director
NEHPBA
Peter A. Brennan, Executive Director
New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketers Association
Jon B. Hurst, President & CEO
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
Kevin Week, Executive Director
Trucking Association of Massachusetts
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