'The renewable energy century:' Officials tout green side of Inflation Reduction Act

Kevin G. Andrade, Standard-Times
·2 min read
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NEW BEDFORD — City, state, and federal officials converged on the solar farm at Sullivan's Ledge Wednesday to talk about the opportunities for green energy presented by the newly signed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

"New Bedford can take advantage of every wind and solar tax break inside that bill to continue its national leadership," Senator Ed Markey said, "in showing the 21st century is the renewable energy century.

"New Bedford has been leading the way," he continued. "It doesn't displace but it joins the fishing industry as an iconic representation of what the City of New Bedford is all about."

From Superfund to green energy

Sullivan's Ledge, a site off Hathaway Road, was originally a 200-foot-deep quarry.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the site was filled with machinery containing carcinogenic toxins.

In 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency decided to leave the contaminated soil at the Superfund site in place. Instead, they capped the contaminated soil with  six inches of topsoil, 30 inches of clean soil, and a liner separating the cap from the dump.

In 2014, solar panels were put in place following approval by the EPA in December 2013.

Senator Edward J. Markey, city council president Ian Abreu, Mayor Jon Mitchell, Ward 6 councilor Ryan Pereira and State Representative Tony Cabral walk past a solar farm panel during Senator Markey's visit to the city to tout the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy investments.
Senator Edward J. Markey, city council president Ian Abreu, Mayor Jon Mitchell, Ward 6 councilor Ryan Pereira and State Representative Tony Cabral walk past a solar farm panel during Senator Markey's visit to the city to tout the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy investments.

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'Local government can step in'

Mayor Jon Mitchell said that passage of the act will help New Bedford to continue its efforts toward the mitigation of the effects of climate change.

"It's an expression of the national sentiment," he said, "held by a growing consensus of Americans that we got to act with urgency against climate change."

The bill includes incentives to purchase electric cars and funding at the local level to put infrastructure in place for such vehicles.

The sun shines down on Mayor Jon Michell as he and Massachusetts Senator Edward J. Markey speak about the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy investments, during a stop at the solar farm on Hathaway Road.
The sun shines down on Mayor Jon Michell as he and Massachusetts Senator Edward J. Markey speak about the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy investments, during a stop at the solar farm on Hathaway Road.

City Councilor Ryan Pereira said that the power to move against the climate crisis is as much in the hands of local officials as it is in the Federal government.

"It's the local officials having their finger on the pulse, knowing what is needed," he said. "My district has a lot of three-tenement family houses where you're not going to have everyone being able to fit into the driveway.

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"Knowing that that is a problem .... and that we're going to need those charging stations, that's where local government can step in."

According to ChargeHub, there are currently 12 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city.

Also present was state Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral and City Council President Ian Abreu.

Contact Kevin G. Andrade at kandrade@s-t.com and follow him on Twitter: @KevinGAndrade. Support local journalism and subscribe to the Standard-Times today!

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Sen. Ed Markey touts Inflation Reduction Act green side in New Bedford