I was pleased yesterday to vote for Senate 3050, An Act to build resilience for Massachusetts communities. For me, the key goals of the basic bill were:
- Funding infrastructure to protect homes and businesses from flooding due to the heavier rainfall and higher coastal storm surges we are seeing with ongoing climate change.
- Reducing single use plastics, which are a major source of pollution across the globe; the bill limits single use plastic bags and utensils (see details below).
- Protecting people from PFAS, the highly toxic “forever chemicals.” The bill includes funding for PFAS clean-up and I offered an amendment to make funding available for development of safer alternatives to PFAS.
We approved almost 200 amendments to the bill on the floor. Many of these pertained to local matters. Among the more significant amendments that I was pleased to support were the following:
- Funding for PFAS Free Firefighter Gear (Amendment 1)
- Additional plastics reduction measures
- Banning black plastic for food service (Amendment 47)
- Prohibiting hotels from providing plastic-packaged toiletries (Amendment 22)
- Studying feasibility of banning polystyrene (Amendment 84)
- Increased regulation of “SGARs,” rodenticides that too often kill pets and birds of prey who eat poisoned rodents (see note*)
- A study to advance the possibility of a Massachusetts Climate Bank (Amendment 4)
- Drought management to allow the state to respond better to drought conditions, which are increasingly common. (Amendment 5)
- Support for public shade trees and municipal reforestation (Amendments 6 and 7)
- Indoor air quality improvement (Amendment 249)
Over the past few days, I heard from many constituents in support of a proposal to ban artificial turf fields. The sponsor of the amendment that spoke to this issue elected to withdraw it from consideration.
The bill now moves to the House for further revision. Ultimately, a conference committee will resolve differences between the versions approved by both branches.
The inventory of major bill provisions below was prepared by the Senate Press Team.
Investing in a Resilient and Accessible Environment
[The items below are bonding authorizations. The total amount authorized is $3.64 billion. Actual borrowing is always limited by debt management considerations so that the total authorization will not likely be spent.]
- $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, supporting climate resiliency planning in cities and towns
- $450 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to protect access to clean water across the Commonwealth, in addition to $120 million for PFAS remediation in public and private wells
- $789 million for properties and roadways owned and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
- $521.6 million for state and municipally owned dams across the Commonwealth
- $130 million for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program including $5 million for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP) to increase access to healthy, affordable food
- $225 million for coastal infrastructure and resilience
- $125.5 million to support resource conservation and preservation initiatives, including $5.5 million for the Healthy Soils Grant Program
- $50 million for MassTrails Grants, including $10 million for accessibility upgrades that protect access to trails for all Massachusetts residents
- $30 million for tree-planting initiatives across the Commonwealth
- $20 million for capital investments to support the growth and economic competitiveness of the Commonwealth’s agricultural, commercial fishing and cranberry-growing sectors
- $20 million to support the biodiversity goals of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
- $15 million for a pilot program to advance the deployment of geothermal technology in furtherance of the Commonwealth’s 2050 net zero goals
Prioritizing Active Solutions to Environmental Risks
Reduces Wasteful Single-Use Plastics. Prohibits single-use carry-out plastic bags at retail stores. Allows for reusable plastic bags without charge and allows for recyclable paper bags with a 10-cent fee (5 cents going into a state Plastics Environmental Protection Fund and the other 5 cents retained by the retailer). Bag fees are not required at certain small businesses with a single location and 10 or fewer employees. Exempts nonprofits and charities such as food pantries from all of these requirements when distributing food, clothing, or other items at free or reduced costs. Additionally prohibits retailers from proactively providing customers with disposable utensils and other food service ware unless requested by the customer or made available for self-service. Prohibits state agencies in most instances from purchasing single-use plastic bottles smaller than 21 fluid ounces. Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a statewide program for bulk plastic recycling.
Encourages Positive Ecological Projects. Reforms permitting requirements to reduce timelines for qualifying projects, including nature-based projects that include ecosystem, marsh and wetland restoration.
Fast-Tracks Culvert Replacement Projects. Authorizes expedited permitting and timelines for municipal culvert replacements.
Informs Home-Buyers of Potential Flood Risks. Requires that home sellers and landlords inform prospective homebuyers and tenants about the flood risk of a residential property, along with any history of flooding on the property. Sellers and landlords would be required to disclose documentation of past flood damage or mitigation, details of flood insurance, and whether the property is located in a flood plain.
Maintains Public Beach Access. Preserves waterfront access for the general public in the event of shifting sands. Declares that public land continues to be public even if a neighboring barrier beach—a narrow strip of sand or dunes—shifts its location through natural processes and moves onto an existing public beach.
Lines Up Support for Dairy Farmers. Authorizes the Milk Producers Security Fund to support dairy farmers through grant programs.
Investigates Nitrogen Pollution Solutions. Establishes a special legislative commission to study and recommend solutions for essential wastewater infrastructure improvements in response to nitrogen pollution in southeastern Massachusetts.
Creates Support Program for Municipal Projects. Establishes a Resilience Revolving Fund to support resilience projects through low-interest loans to municipalities, public water and wastewater districts, and tribal governments.
Regionalizes Western Mass. Flood Strategy. Establishes the Connecticut River Valley Resilience Commission to empower communities to collaboratively develop a regional strategy to address flood risk and update infrastructure.
* Note: The SGAR Amendment, Amendment 3-R1, creates a local option for cities and towns to restrict the use of anticoagulant rodenticides (whether first- or second-generation) by licensed applicators, e.g. professional pest control providers, provided that they follow a new standardized process and set of rules to permit limited, short-term use of those chemicals in public health emergencies. The bill directs the Department of Food and Agriculture (MDAR) and its pesticide board to create the process and standards for that emergency exception. Towns and cities that have already filed home rule legislation asking permission to regulate those chemicals would automatically be considered opted-in.
Plastic bags are recyclable at Whole Foods, Target, and Star/Shaws.
No need to ban.
And frozen foods come in plastic bags.
Should we ban them too?
I also understand the FIRST MOVE is being made by the legislature to restrict the miles people can drive their cars.
This is how it starts though people like Will deny it.
Someday, no bags at any stores. You must bring your own APPROVED kind.
Stalinism.
Will, if you had the billions of $ spent on illegal aliens by Mass., what would you do with it?
Refund it to taxpayers or spend it on bicycles for everyone?
Extremely aggravating! This state, and many other Blue states have turned into the KINGS that they so say they oppose. I agree with the prior comment, this is just the trojan horse to restrict peoples activity by restricting how far and how much they can travel. This is turning into a pure Communist state. Could you imagine what our Founding Fathers would say if they were told they could only go certain places because we want you to use what we think you should be doing for transportation or whreer you shuld shop etc. (just like the COVID rules that made no sense and allowed hundreds to shop at big stores but all small businesses with less people needed to be shut down) Disgusting. Going to cost a fortune. I am handicapped and travel to Boston a lot and not easy to take train. It took me 6 hrs roundtrip for a 5 min appt. I cannot afford to be penalized because the Kings have decided they know what is best for all. Then you can take all the extra money from fines for driving people are penalized with, and give it to the illegals instead of the struggling veterans and elderly AMERICANS. Telling the people in this state we cant have plastic bags (what are all the dog and cat owners going to do because that is what many pick up their waste with; now they will just leave the poop everywhere), and forcing poor people to buy bags (the paper ones that rip especially in the rain) is costly for someone on a fixed income. All politicians seem to be so out of touch with real Americans lives and listen to a radical few big mouths. You shut down any talk that contradicts or you listen, but it goes right out your other ear. That is why everyone is just giving up and moving to other states because it is clear in this state and other Blue states, that you hate America and Americans. This state is so gerrymandered it is ridiculus (and I know you have an articel all about how it is not and that is a bunch of crap, excuse my language) Half this state leans to the right for policies , but noone is heard. Only radical socialist/Communist polices now
If my grocery store wants to express their First Amendment right to show their appreciation with a plastic bag then government should step the heck off!
The heavy duty plastic bags from Star Market are not single use for me. I use them as one layer in my triple layers of garbage bags. There is a rat outbreak don’t you know.
Wow. That’s so generous of Beacon Hill.
The indoor air quality that needs regulation is banning smoking tobacco or marijuana in multi-unit buildings. The state needs to address this. I voted to make marijuana legal to prevent people being arrested for it not to make the entire city reek of it especially having it come into my apartment. I regret that vote.