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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2330 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3945
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Judith A. Garcia
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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 promote urban agriculture in environmental justice communities.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Judith A. Garcia11th Suffolk1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2330 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3945
[Pin Slip]
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 promote urban agriculture in environmental justice communities.
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. Subsection (d) of section 29A of chapter 23G of the General Laws, as
2appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out clause (12) and
3inserting in place thereof the following clause:-
4 (12) preference shall be given to projects located within an environmental justice
5municipality or located within 1 mile of an environmental justice municipality, as defined in
6section 62 of chapter 30.
7 SECTION 2. Section 62 of chapter 30 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
8amended by inserting after the definition of “Environmental burdens” the following definition:-
9 “Environmental justice municipality”, a municipality that meets 1 or more of the
10following criteria: (i) the annual median household income is not more than 65 per cent of the
11statewide annual median household income; (ii) minorities comprise 40 per cent or more of the
12population; (iii) 25 per cent or more of households lack English language proficiency; or (iv)
13minorities comprise 25 per cent or more of the population and the annual median household 2 of 2
14income of the municipality in which the neighborhood is located does not exceed 150 per cent of
15the statewide annual median household income; provided, that the secretary may determine that a
16municipality shall not be designated an environmental justice municipality upon finding that: (A)
17the annual median household income of the municipality is greater than 125 per cent of the
18statewide median household income; (B) a majority of persons age 25 and older in the
19municipality have a college education; (C) the municipality does not bear an unfair burden of
20environmental pollution; and (D) the municipality has more than limited access to natural
21resources, including open spaces and water resources, playgrounds and other constructed outdoor
22recreational facilities and venues.