S.148 - An Act Authorizing Municipalities to Expend Certain funds for the Acquisition of Land to be Used for Rail Trails

 This bill would expand the Communities Preservation Act to allow municipalities to purchase land intended for rail trails. Enacted through the FY21 Budget

S.527 - An Act improving municipal water infrastructure

This bill applies a $.70 fee per 1,000 gallons of water withdrawn for private and commercial uses in Massachusetts. Fees would be kept in a separate account dedicated to drinking water, wastewater, or stormwater infrastructure; 75% of which will be redistributed to municipalities for water infrastructure projects and 25% would go to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust.

S.258 - An Act Protecting Pollinators by Eliminating Harmful Products

This bill would ban the use of harmful pesticides called neonicotinoids, which peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown to negatively impact pollinator health. IT would also ban the sale of blooming or flowering plant, plant material or seed that has been treated with a neonicotinoid shall be sold within the Commonwealth.

S.529- An Act protecting water systems through the labeling of flushable wipes

This bill would establish standards for classifying wipes and require those that do not meet dispersible standards to be labeled accordingly. A provider would need to submit a form to the Department of Environmental Protections verifying that the flushable wipe meets the performance standards and/or comply with the labeling 76 requirements.

S.524 - An Act preserving open space in the commonwealth 

This bill would ensure no net loss of Article 97 protected lands. Known as the Public Land Preservation Act, the PLPA is a long-standing land conservation bill that ensures that if a city or town decides to develop municipal property, that the same amount of land is set aside in the municipality, avoiding a “net loss” of open space. The bill passed the Senate in 2018 and the House in 2020 but has not yet become law.

S.525 - An Act relative to plastic bag reduction

This bill will ban single-use plastic carryout bags at point of sale. Establishments will be able to provide recycled paper bags, compostable plastic bags, or durable, reusable bags for customers at the point of sale for $0.10 or more. The bill passed the Senate in 2019.

S.530  - An Act relative to maintaining adequate supplies through effective drought Management

This bill would codify the Drought Management task force, allow the EEA secretary to establish outdoor watering restrictions, and give municipalities the power to enforce these restrictions.

S.531 - An Act relative to critical wildlife habitat management

This bill would increase the cost of a wildlands conservation stamp from $5.00 to $7.50 and $2.50 from the sale of each stamp will be dedicated to habitat management on Fisheries and Wildlife-owned land. In order to fish, trap, hunt or otherwise utilize any lands owned or managed by Fisheries and Wildlife, one would have to purchase a stamp unless otherwise specifically authorized.

S.1331 - An Act relative to the effective enforcement of municipal ordinances and bylaws 

This bill would allow municipalities to seek the imposition of civil penalties in court when they obtain equitable enforcement of a local law or regulation. Local municipal boards, including conservation commissions, are vested with the authority to administer a variety of important land use and other bylaws, ordinances, and regulations, and need adequate tools to enforce these bylaws.

S.1332 - An Act encouraging municipal recycling and composting

This bill requires cities and towns to establish programs for recycling and composting. All such programs must require that all residents, schools, and businesses separate recyclable materials from their solid waste.

S.1333 - An Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by permitting local option all-electric buildings and homes ordinances

This bill would allow municipalities to vote on a ban on new fossil infrastructure within their city/town. This bill is in response to the Attorney General’s ruling that municipalities did not have the legal authority to prohibit new fossil fuel infrastructure.

S.1853 - An Act providing for climate change adaptation infrastructure and affordable housing investments in the Commonwealth 

This bill, backed by the Housing and Environment Revenue Opportunities (HERO) Coalition, would provide $300 million in new revenue for both Climate response and Housing action. Since Massachusetts’s current Deeds Excise Fee is less than half the fee in neighboring states and has not changed since 1969, this bill would raise the fee from $4.56 per $1,000 to $9.12 per $1,000 of assessed value. Half of the revenue would be used for climate mitigation and resilience, and half for affordable housing programs to aid working-class homeowners, low-income renters, and people experiencing homelessness.

S.2165 - An Act Increasing Solar Rooftop Energy

This bill requires rooftop solar panels to be installed on new residential and commercial buildings and sets specific energy requirements for each type of building. The bill allows for some exemptions or reductions for buildings that may have equivalent substitute renewable energy systems.

S.2166 - An Act Relative to Ensuring Gas Safety and Consumer Fairness

This bill would strengthen the state law concerning the repair of gas leaks, including leaks near school zones. It would require more transparency from the Department of Public Utilities and gas companies regarding leaks and disallow companies from charging ratepayers for lost and unaccounted for gas.

S.2167 - An act to increase funding and enhance the mission of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

The bill increases funding for MassCEC by tripling the Renewable Energy Surcharge on electricity and creating a new Renewable Energy Surcharge for natural gas. It establishes a new program at MassCEC focused on assisting municipalities in pursuing renewable energy goals. The bill also clarifies and codifies MassCEC’s focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as its focus on the key areas of transportation, buildings, grid modernization and offshore wind.

S.2168 - An Act Ensuring Access to Solar Energy for all Communities

This bill removes key barriers to solar for low-income communities. It allows any electricity customer to receive solar bill credits on their electric bill regardless of where they live. It requires a portion of all future solar, storage, electric passenger vehicle, and residential renewable heating programs developed by DOER to be set aside for low-income residents, environmental justice populations, and residents and providers of publicly assisted housing.

Enacted through An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy

S.2169 - An Act supporting solar distribution

This bill would eliminate the net metering cap on Class I net metering facilities, thereby maintaining access to the benefits of solar for low-income communities and those otherwise unable to install solar on their rooftops. It would also align state policy, to require fair value and fair compensation for goods and services received by utilities.

S.2170 - An Act Investing in a Prosperous, Clean Commonwealth by 2030 (IPCC 2030)

This bill sets a frame around the need for the Commonwealth to reach emission targets according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, by 2030. It would (i) Set net emissions targets to zero for 2030 and negative after that; (ii) Mandate the procurement of new offshore wind and solar capacity, while increasing the accessibility of solar to low income and environmental justice communities (iii) Increase investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and transitions new vehicle sales to Evs (iv)Invest in and electrify the MBTA, RTA, and fleets used for a public purpose (v) Establish a net zero building code while harmonizing building efficiency standards across the commonwealth, and retrofits all publicly assisted housing by 2030 and (vi) Protect workers from fossil fuel industries, allowing them to choose to retrain or to collect a pension early while guaranteeing that jobs created as a result of the energy transition are union jobs with wage and benefit parity.

S.2171 - An Act removing barriers for Municipal Power Communities to become Green Communities 

This bill would allow cities/towns serviced by a Municipal Light Plant (MLP) to become a Green Community, and pay the fee, without adding the fee to all communities serviced by the MLP. If the community votes to become a Green Community, it would be eligible for Green Community grants.

S.2515 - An Act authorizing the town of Acton to adopt and enforce local regulations restricting new fossil fuel infrastructure in certain construction

The Home Rule petition was passed by the town of Acton during their 2021 Spring Town Meeting. It would prohibit new fossil fuel infrastructure in new building construction and major renovation projects.

SD.2499 - An Act providing for the establishment of sustainable water resource funds 

Water banking at the local level has proven to be an effective tool for mitigating the impacts of water withdrawals on both the natural environment and local and regional water infrastructure systems. This bill would give political subdivisions the authority to collect a reasonable fee to be used to remedy/offset impacts that water withdrawals and discharges have on the natural environment.

SD. 2903 - An Act promoting drinking water quality for all

These bills require the Department of Environmental Protection to issue regulations to create a state private wells code. The code would provide standards for private wells used for human consumption, including requirement of testing for contaminants during the transfer of property. The uniform, statewide private well testing set out in the code will ensure public health and environmental protection across the Commonwealth.