Bill > S446

This bill aims to preserve public trust rights in land affected by ocean erosion. It proposes amending the existing Massachusetts General Laws to state that where a barrier beach has moved landward or laterally due to sea level rise, storms, or other natural processes, the portion of the barrier beach that has relocated into the former bottom of a Great Pond shall remain in public ownership. The bill includes provisions to ensure this change does not violate private property rights under the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights or the U.S. Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment. The bill also outlines a process for the public to petition the state Department of Environmental Protection and Attorney General to hold a hearing and investigate disputes related to the location of a Great Pond's former bed or other relevant facts.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S446