Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1000 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3297 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1000
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Christopher M. Markey
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 establishing a coastal waters wastewater financing commission.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christopher M. Markey9th Bristol1/17/2025Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth1/22/2025Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol2/4/2025Mark D. Sylvia10th Bristol2/10/2025Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol2/18/2025Steven J. Ouellette8th Bristol3/11/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3297 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1000
18	18	By Representative Markey of Dartmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1000) of
19	19	Christopher M. Markey and others for an investigation by a special commission (including
20	20	members of the General Court) relative to specific revenue sources to fund essential wastewater
21	21	infrastructure improvements in response to nitrogen pollution on the south coast of
22	22	Massachusetts. Environment and Natural Resources.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act establishing a coastal waters wastewater financing commission.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, there shall be established a
32	32	2special legislative commission to evaluate and identify specific revenue sources to fund essential
33	33	3wastewater infrastructure improvements in response to nitrogen pollution on the south coast of
34	34	4Massachusetts specifically in the towns of Acushnet, Carver, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Lakeville,
35	35	5Gosnold, Marion, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, New Bedford, Plymouth, Rochester, Wareham,
36	36	6and Westport.
37	37	7 The special legislative commission shall consist of 27 members and include the house
38	38	8and senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment, who shall
39	39	9serve as co-chairs, the chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee or a designee, chair of the
40	40	10House Ways and Means Committee or a designee; the secretary of energy and environmental
41	41	11affairs or a designee; the state treasurer or a designee; the secretary of administration and finance 2 of 3
42	42	12or a designee; the Executive Director of the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic
43	43	13Development District or a designee; the Executive Director of the One SouthCoast Chamber or a
44	44	14designee; the President of the Buzzards Bay Coalition or a designee; 2 people to be appointed by
45	45	15the president of the senate; 2 people to be appointed by the speaker of the house of
46	46	16representatives; each of whom shall be from the south coast region; and 1 person to be
47	47	17appointed by the Select Board or Mayor of each of the 14 affected communities.
48	48	18 All appointees shall be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this
49	49	19resolve. The co-chairs shall convene the first meeting of the special commission within 45 days
50	50	20of all appointments being made.
51	51	21 In the course of its deliberations, the commission shall make it a priority to examine the
52	52	22financial need of reducing nutrient pollution to the south coast’s coastal waters including the
53	53	23costs to (i) expand sewer infrastructure to connect more septic systems to sewerage, (ii)
54	54	24expanding capacity and upgrading the level of treatment at existing wastewater treatment
55	55	25facilities (iii) constructing additional wastewater treatment facilities to address expanded service
56	56	26areas, (iv) reducing Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) discharges, and (v) upgrading septic
57	57	27systems to nitrogen reducing systems. Further, the commission shall examine (i) potential
58	58	28revenue sources, including but not limited to new fees or taxes for funding needed wastewater
59	59	29infrastructure improvements, (ii) the finances of cities and towns to make recommendations for
60	60	30improvements to financial policies and procedures.
61	61	31 The commission shall develop funding and financing recommendations to address
62	62	32wastewater infrastructure needs and to reduce nitrogen pollution on the south coast. The
63	63	33recommendations shall identify fair and equitable means of financing wastewater infrastructure 3 of 3
64	64	34improvements to address nitrogen pollution. The Commission shall have the authority to work
65	65	35with outside experts to conduct necessary reviews; provide guidance on potential action plans;
66	66	36and provide economic analysis of financing sources. The experts shall be specialists in the fields
67	67	37of tax and revenue, nutrient pollution, water quality, wastewater infrastructure, and any other
68	68	38fields that may be useful to implement the Commission’s tasks.
69	69	39 The commission shall hold public hearings to assist in the collection and evaluation of
70	70	40data and testimony. Experts may attend the public hearings to provide testimony and any other
71	71	41relevant information regarding the fulfilment of the commission’s objectives.
72	72	42 The commission shall prepare a written report detailing identified funding sources and its
73	73	43recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those
74	74	44recommendations into effect. The commission shall submit its initial report to the governor, the
75	75	45secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the clerks of the senate and
76	76	46house of representatives, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and
77	77	47the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture not later than 1 year after
78	78	48the effective date of this act.