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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 287 FILED ON: 1/7/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1053
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Dawne Shand and Bruce E. Tarr
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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 to create a Merrimack River Collaborative.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Dawne Shand1st Essex1/7/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex1/7/2025Francisco E. Paulino16th Essex1/15/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 287 FILED ON: 1/7/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1053
By Representative Shand of Newburyport and Senator Tarr, a joint petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1053) of Dawne Shand, Bruce E. Tarr and Francisco E. Paulino for legislation to
create a Merrimack River Collaborative to monitor, improve, and restore water quality.
Environment and Natural Resources.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to create a Merrimack River Collaborative.
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. There shall be a Merrimack River Collaborative to serve as a coordinating
2entity for efforts associated with the health of the Merrimack River in order to monitor, improve,
3and restore water quality. The Commission shall employ methods and strategies to advance the
4following goals:
5 (i) Convene and maintain a working group associated with addressing water quality in the
6Merrimack River
7 (ii) Improve public education and access to information regarding Merrimack River water
8quality
9 (iii) Advance the standardization and availability of water quality monitoring data along
10the river
11 (iv) Advance knowledge and monitoring efforts of known and emerging pollutants 2 of 3
12 (v) Identify and support legislation and priority implementation projects to improve water
13quality
14 (vi) Connect MRC members and associated communities with grant and other funding
15opportunities aligned with MRC goals
16 The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission shall be charged with managing and
17overseeing the Collaborative in collaboration with the Merrimack River Watershed Council and
18the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments. The Collaborative shall consist of members or
19designees that may include, but will not be limited to, representation from the following: Federal
20and State legislative offices, Municipal Mayors, Town Managers, and Town Administrators as
21well as their Boards of Health and Conservation Commissions representing communities along
22the Merrimack River, State entities including the Department of Environmental Protection,
23Department of Public Health, and the Massbays National Estuary Partnership, Non-
24Governmental Organizations including the Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards,
25Groundwork Lawrence, and Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust, and local Universities
26including University of Massachusetts Lowell and Northern Essex Community College. The
27Commission shall solicit membership from analogous organizations with similar missions along
28the New Hampshire component of the Merrimack River.
29 Appointments to the Collaborative shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective
30date of this act. Each proposed member organization shall be approved by the designated
31convening bodies. Following approval, the chief executive officer of each member organization
32shall appoint themselves or a representative to serve as a member of the Collaborative. Members
33shall not receive compensation for their services associated with Merrimack River Collaborative. 3 of 3
34 The Collaborative may select and contract with independent consultants to assist with
35leading and managing public hearings, collecting, and analyzing data and information,
36completing yearly reports, and any other activities to achieve the goals of the Collaborative.
37 The Collaborative may conduct a series of public hearings to receive testimony and
38collect data. The hearings shall be held in geographic locations bordering the Merrimack River.
39 The Collaborative shall produce an annual report. This report shall address
40accomplishments to date, outline forthcoming efforts as related to the Collaborative’s
41overarching goals, and make recommendations regarding appropriate measures to ensure the
42present and future health of the Merrimack River. The Collaborative shall submit an annual
43report documenting its accomplishments and forthcoming efforts no later than December 15th of
44each year, beginning on December 15th, 2025.
45 This report, together with any proposed legislation, shall be submitted to the clerks of the
46Senate and House of Representatives. The first meeting of the Collaborative shall be no later
47than May 1st, 2025.