| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 82 FILED ON: 1/7/2025 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 660 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Bruce E. Tarr |
|---|
| 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 to protect coastal resources. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and MiddlesexSteven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/27/2025 1 of 3 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 82 FILED ON: 1/7/2025 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 660 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 660) of Bruce E. Tarr and Steven |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | George Xiarhos for legislation to protect coastal resources by establishing the Massachusetts |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Coastal Erosion Innovation Center. Environment and Natural Resources. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 585 OF 2023-2024.] |
|---|
| 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 to protect coastal resources. |
|---|
| 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 Preamble - Whereas, Massachusetts has approximately 192 miles of coastal shoreline, |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 2which provides incalculable benefits to the economy, character and quality of life for residents |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 3and visitors, and whereas changing climatological conditions and sea level rise directly threaten |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 4public and private property, infrastructure and natural resources and critical habitats, and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 5whereas new and continuing threats demand innovative solutions, and whereas the possibility |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 6exists to develop and deploy such solutions using natural resources and processes, the legislature |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 7deems it necessary to enact the following legislation. |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 8 SECTION 1. There is hereby established the Massachusetts Coastal Erosion Innovation |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 9Center, whose purpose shall be to develop, identify, research, advance and deploy innovative |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 10means, methods, technologies and approaches for protecting and strengthening the resilience of 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 11the state's coastal shoreline, including but not limited to beaches, marshes, dunes and public and |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 12private property and infrastructure. The center shall be administered by the Executive Office of |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 13Energy and Environmental Affairs, and shall consist of representatives of the Office of Coastal |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 14Zone Management, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 15Conservation and Recreation, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | 16the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, whom shall meet at intervals of not less |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 17than 6 months for the purposes set forth in Section 3, provided that such meetings shall be open |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 18to public observation, provided further that the center may elect to receive written or oral |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 19testimony with proper notice given. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 20 SECTION 2. In carrying out the provisions of this act, the center shall be advised by an |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | 21advisory group appointed by the governor, comprised of 3 members representing municipal |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | 22officials, selected from a list submitted by the Massachusetts Municipal Association, 3 members |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 23representing environmental advocacy organizations in the commonwealth, 3 members |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | 24representing owners of coastal property in the commonwealth, 3 members whom shall have |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | 25expertise in engineering, construction, or architecture, 1 member with expertise in coastal |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | 26geology, and 2 members representing the taxpayers of the commonwealth. Said advisory group |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | 27shall meet not less than every 3 months, and at the request of the Innovation Center, and shail be |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | 28chaired by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The center shall also, to the |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 29greatest extent possible, consult and coordinate with the New England District of the United |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | 30States Army Corps of Engineers. |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | 31 SECTION 3. The center shall identify, develop, and research, in consultation with one or |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 32more institutions of higher learning or research in the commonwealth, innovative methods of |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | 33protecting coastal resources, with prioritization for natural approaches such as thin layer marsh 3 of 3 |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | 34deposition, living shorelines, vegetation, eradication of invasive plant and shellfish species such |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | 35as green crab, and any other relevant methodology. The center shall produce an annual report of |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | 36its activities, which shall be filed with the clerks of the House and Senate , and posted |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | 37electronically for public inspection. |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | 38 SECTION 4. The center is hereby authorized and directed to receive applications for, and |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | 39approve, applications for innovative pilot projects to protect coastal shorelines and/ or promote |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | 40their resiliency, which may not otherwise be eligible for permitting. permits for such projects |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | 41shall not exceed 20 in number in any given calendar year, and be for no longer than 3 years in |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | 42duration, provided, however, that a permit may be extended for not more than an additional 3 |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | 43years. In reviewing and granting such permits, the center shall consider the potential impact of a |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | 44project, the size and scope of its potential benefits, its cost- effectiveness, and its consistency |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | 45with state and federal regulations. The center shall consider applications made by applicants |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | 46including but not limited to municipalities and regional groups of municipalities, non-profit |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | 47organizations and research institutions, private property owners and collaborations thereof, and |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | 48individuals. No application shall be approved unless it contains provisions for appropriate |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | 49engineering and design, monitoring, and any restoration work necessary at the expiration of the |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | 50resulting permit. Such permits shall be posted in a conspicuous location at the site of physical |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | 51activity they authorize, and shall be posted electronically so as to enable public inspection. The |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | 52department of environmental protection shall promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | 53of this section, which shall exist coterminously with the existence of the center. |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | 54 SECTION 5. The provisions of this act shall expire on December 31, 2035, unless |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | 55otherwise repealed, modified or extended. |
|---|