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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 604
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Dylan A. Fernandes
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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 natural carbon sequestration.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Dylan A. FernandesPlymouth and Barnstable 1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 604
By Mr. Fernandes, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 604) of Dylan A. Fernandes for
legislation to promote natural carbon sequestration. Environment and Natural Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 537 OF 2023-2024.]
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 natural carbon sequestration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 21N of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after section 3B, the
2following section:-
3 Section 3C. The Secretary shall, in consultation with the department and the coastal zone
4management office created in Section 4A of Chapter 21A, develop a quantified net positive
5statewide carbon sequestration and storage goal for natural and working lands as defined in
6Section 1. In consideration of Massachusetts’ substantial coastline, the Secretary shall study the
7sequestration capacity of its salt marshes, seagrasses, and waterways in developing the
8Commonwealth’s carbon sequestration goal. The sequestration goal shall be determined in
9agreement with the statewide greenhouse gas emission reductions goals as established by the
10Secretary.