Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S582 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 416 FILED ON: 1/14/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 582
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Bruce E. Tarr
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to sustaining natural and working lands.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 416 FILED ON: 1/14/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 582
18	18	By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 582) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation
19	19	relative to sustaining natural and working lands. Environment and Natural Resources.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
23	23	(2023-2024)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to sustaining natural and working lands.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 21N is hereby amended by inserting at the following new section:-
29	29	2 SECTION 12. (a) The executive office of energy and environmental affairs shall develop
30	30	3policies, programs, grants, loans and incentives to meet the statewide natural and working lands
31	31	4goal as identified in the plan, including, but not limited to, a communities for a sustainable
32	32	5climate program. The executive office of energy and environmental affairs shall apply and
33	33	6disburse monies and revenues as provided in this section.
34	34	7 (b) The secretary shall establish a communities for a sustainable climate program. The
35	35	8purpose of the program shall be to provide technical and financial assistance, including
36	36	9incentives, grants and loans, to municipalities that qualify as sustainable communities under this
37	37	10section. These incentives, grants and loans shall be used to finance all or a portion of the costs of
38	38	11designing, constructing and implementing actions and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
39	39	12emissions and increase carbon sequestration on natural and working lands. 2 of 3
40	40	13 (c) To qualify as a community for a sustainable climate, a municipality or other local
41	41	14governmental body shall comply with eligibility requirements developed by the secretary or his
42	42	15designee. Eligibility requirements are intended to incentivize communities to adopt policies and
43	43	16practices that protect, enhance, and restore carbon stocks on natural and working lands beyond
44	44	17business as usual. The secretary shall set eligibility requirements from among, but not limited to,
45	45	18the following: (1) adopt a municipal tree retention and replacement by-law or ordinance; (2)
46	46	19adopt natural resource protection zoning, as defined by the secretary; (3) collect a reasonable fee
47	47	20to be used exclusively for measures to remedy and offset the generation of greenhouse gases
48	48	21caused by activities that convert forest, wetlands, and agricultural lands for development at a size
49	49	22and scale determined by the secretary; (4) adopt a municipal transfer of development rights by-
50	50	23law or ordinance; and (5) adopt and implement a municipal procurement policy for municipal
51	51	24purchasing and substituting wood products for municipal operations and assets, where feasible,
52	52	25including but not limited to, concrete and steel in buildings. The secretary may waive specified
53	53	26requirements based on a written finding that, due to unusual circumstances, a municipality
54	54	27cannot reasonably meet the requirements and that the municipality has committed to alternative
55	55	28measures that advance the purposes of the communities for a sustainable climate program as
56	56	29effectively as adherence to the requirements. The Secretary may adopt alternative eligibility
57	57	30requirements that provide opportunities to achieve the goals of the program.
58	58	31 (d) The secretary may develop policies to provide for consistency and predictability and
59	59	32to help offset the impacts of municipal ordinances and by-laws upon the private sector under the
60	60	33communities for a sustainable climate program that may be adopted by participating
61	61	34communities, including, but not limited to, grants, loans, incentives and tax credits and expedited 3 of 3
62	62	35permitting for practices and strategies consistent with the goals to reduce greenhouse gas
63	63	36emissions and increase carbon sequestration on natural and working lands.
64	64	37 (e) Funding for the communities for a sustainable climate program in any single fiscal
65	65	38year shall be available, without the need for further appropriation, from sources including, but
66	66	39not limited to: (1) the global warming solutions trust fund established in section 35GGG of
67	67	40chapter 10 of the general laws; and (2) land management and restoration grant, loan and
68	68	41incentive programs administered by the executive office of energy and environmental affairs.