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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1925 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2135
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adam Gomez
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a moratorium on new gas system expansion.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampdenMike Connolly26th Middlesex2/9/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex2/9/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/9/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/9/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/10/2023Marc R. PachecoThird Bristol and Plymouth2/24/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1925 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2135
By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2135) of Adam Gomez, Mike
Connolly, Rebecca L. Rausch, Jack Patrick Lewis and other members of the General Court for
legislation to establish a moratorium on new gas system expansion. Telecommunications,
Utilities and Energy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act establishing a moratorium on new gas system expansion.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is
2amended by inserting the following definition:-
3 “Combustible fuel facilities”, infrastructure involving the processing, storage,
4transmission, or distribution of combustible fuel sources, including but not limited to oil, natural
5gas, renewable natural gas, and hydrogen.
6 SECTION 2. Section 69J of said chapter 164, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
7by inserting, at the end thereof the following:-
8 No new combustible fuel facility shall be approved, and no expansion of an existing
9combustible fuel facility shall be approved unless required for the safety of the public, until 2026
10at the earliest. 2 of 2
11 SECTION 3. Section 69K of said chapter 164, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
12inserting, at the end thereof the following:-
13 No new combustible fuel facility shall be granted a petition for a certificate, and no
14expansion of an existing combustible fuel facility shall be granted a petition for a certificate
15unless required for the safety of the public until 2026 at the earliest.
16 SECTION 4. Section 30 of said chapter 164, as so appearing, is amended by striking out,
17in line 1 the words “a gas or” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- “an”.
18 SECTION 5. Said chapter 164, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting
19after section 86 the following section:-
20 Section 86A. A town where no gas company exists in active operation, or where no
21person owns or operates the manufacture and sale of gas, no gas company, nor any other person,
22shall dig up and open the streets, lanes, and highways of such town in order to construct a
23combustible fuel facility.