FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOSTON, MA (Feb. 26, 2026) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy association with more than 5,000 members in Massachusetts, issued the following statement in response to the Massachusetts House of Representatives taking up House Bill No. 5151 regarding energy reform later today:

“Today’s energy reform bill includes some positive steps towards affordability like reducing the Mass Save budget and ACP refunds, but until Beacon Hill addresses the carbon reduction mandates, problems will persist,” said Christopher Carlozzi, NFIB State Director in Massachusetts. “Massachusetts policymakers must ultimately reconsider the state’s self-imposed 2030 and 2050 carbon reduction mandates, or real relief from skyrocketing energy bills will become a recurring challenge. Small businesses, which require affordable energy to compete, and residents will continue to face massive energy bills every winter unless lawmakers tackle the underlying cost driver: carbon reduction mandates.”

Last week, NFIB released its new Small Business Energy Survey. The report is based on a nationwide survey of small business owners, providing insight into the types of energy used and how energy costs impact business operations.

The survey shows that small businesses are deeply impacted by energy use and its costs. Owners use a variety of energy sources in operating their businesses, all of which tend to present at least moderate challenges. The data highlights the complexities that small business owners face when managing cost increases and reliability issues for electricity, which is the most common energy source.

Just 8% of small owners reported that their costs had not increased in the last three years.

To download NFIB’s Small Business Energy Survey, click here. Key findings of the survey included:

• Across all major energy sources, about 80% of small business owners reported that energy costs significantly (very or moderately) impact the business.
• Energy costs related to heating and cooling are the most common primary energy cost, followed by operating equipment and/or processes, and in third place, vehicles.
• Two-thirds of small business owners report that energy efficiency is at least somewhat important when replacing vehicles. However, adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles remains very limited.
• Small businesses owners have few good ways to manage increased energy costs. Lower profits (58%) and higher prices (52%) are the most common ways small business owners are absorbing increased energy prices.

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been the voice of small business, advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit www.NFIB.com.