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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 658 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 638
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Mark C. Montigny
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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
resolve:
Resolve establishing a coastal waters wastewater financing commission.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and PlymouthChristopher M. Markey9th Bristol1/22/2025Mark D. Sylvia10th Bristol2/10/2025 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 658 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 638
By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 638) of Mark C. Montigny,
Christopher M. Markey and Mark D. Sylvia that provisions be made for an investigation and
study by a special commission (including members of the General Court) to establish a coastal
waters wastewater financing commission. 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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Resolve establishing a coastal waters wastewater financing commission.
1 Resolved, Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a
2special legislative commission to study and recommend specific revenue sources to fund
3essential wastewater infrastructure improvements in response to nitrogen pollution in
4southeastern Massachusetts near the Buzzards Bay watershed area specifically in the towns of
5Acushnet, Carver, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Lakeville, Gosnold, Marion, Mattapoisett,
6Middleborough, New Bedford, Plymouth, Rochester, Wareham, and Westport.
7 The special legislative commission shall consist of 23 members and include the chairs of
8the joint committee on environment and natural resources, who shall serve as co-chairs; the
9secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs or a designee; the secretary
10of the executive office of administration and finance or a designee; the executive director of the
11Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District or a designee; the president
12of the Buzzards Bay Coalition, Inc. or a designee; the executive director of the One Southcoast
13Chamber, Inc. or a designee; 1 resident of the southeastern region to be appointed by the senate 2 of 3
14president; 1 resident of the southeastern region to be appointed by the speaker of the house of
15representatives; and 1 person to be appointed by the select board or mayor of each of the 14
16affected communities.
17 All appointees shall be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this
18resolve. The co-chairs shall convene the first meeting of the special commission within 45 days
19of all appointments being made.
20 In the course of its deliberations, the commission shall make it a priority to examine the
21financial need of reducing nutrient pollution to the south coast’s coastal waters including the
22costs to (i) expand sewer infrastructure to connect more septic systems to sewerage, (ii)
23expanding capacity and upgrading the level of treatment at existing wastewater treatment
24facilities (iii) constructing additional wastewater treatment facilities to address expanded service
25areas, (iv) reducing combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges, and (v) upgrading septic
26systems to nitrogen reducing systems. Further, the commission shall examine (i) potential
27funding sources to finance wastewater infrastructure improvements and (ii) best practices for
28municipal financial policies and procedures.
29 The commission shall develop funding and financing recommendations to address
30wastewater infrastructure needs and to reduce nitrogen pollution in the southeastern region near
31the Buzzards Bay watershed area. The recommendations shall identify fair and equitable means
32of financing wastewater infrastructure improvements to address nitrogen pollution. The
33commission shall have the authority to work with outside experts to conduct necessary reviews;
34provide guidance on potential action plans; and provide economic analysis of financing sources.
35The experts shall be specialists in the fields of tax and revenue, nutrient pollution, water quality, 3 of 3
36wastewater infrastructure, and any other fields that may be useful to implement the commission’s
37tasks.
38 The commission shall hold not less than two public hearings in the southeastern region to
39assist in the collection and evaluation of data and testimony. Experts may attend the public
40hearings to provide testimony and any other relevant information regarding the fulfilment of the
41commission’s objectives.
42 The commission shall prepare a written report detailing identified funding sources and its
43recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those
44recommendations into effect. The commission shall submit its initial report to the governor, the
45secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the clerks of the senate and
46house of representatives, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and
47the joint committee on environment and natural resources not later than 1 year after the effective
48date of this act.