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House adopts joint resolution urging CUC, agencies to speed renewable-energy planning; lawmaker urges emergency resiliency declaration and independent audit
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Summary
The House unanimously adopted House Joint Resolution 24‑11 directing the Commonwealth Utility Corporation and other agencies to expedite planning, permitting and deployment of renewable energy and resiliency projects. Representative Haldan urged the governor to declare a resiliency emergency and called for an independent, enforceable audit of CUC before any privatization.
The House of Representatives unanimously adopted House Joint Resolution 24‑11, which directs the Commonwealth Utility Corporation (CUC) and relevant government agencies and public corporations to expedite planning, permitting and deployment of renewable energy, storage and resiliency projects; coordinate energy-security and infrastructure-resilience strategies; and provide public reporting, a corrective-action plan and a rate-payer impact matrix.
Representative Vincent Haldan used miscellaneous business time to press the urgency behind the resolution and broader oversight of CUC. Haldan warned that the federal ‘‘Big Beautiful Budget Act’’ could phase out certain clean-energy tax credits and grants unless projects are awarded and begin construction by the federal deadline, and he said missing the window could cost the Commonwealth ‘‘tens of millions of dollars’’ in forgone investment. He cited what he called a CUC report showing more than $60,000,000 spent on fuel for power generation over one year.
Haldan urged Governor David M. Apatang to issue a proactive resiliency emergency declaration to fast‑track permits and reprogram resources for shovel-ready solar projects at schools, ports, water systems and clinics. He also called for an independent, enforceable audit — ideally led by the Office of the Public Auditor — with full access to records, mandatory cooperation, public reporting in plain language, transaction-level transparency, rate-payer protections and a public-interest test before any privatization or major restructuring of CUC.
The joint resolution was introduced by Representative Vincent and placed by the Committee of the Whole on the calendar for action; a roll call showed all 19 members present voting yes and the Speaker declared the resolution adopted. The House debate and the representative’s remarks emphasized both the opportunity presented by federal incentives and the need for greater transparency and safeguards for ratepayers before structural changes to CUC proceed.
