Bill > S79

This bill aims to promote sustainable development across the Commonwealth by requiring disclosure of climate risks and implementation of adaptation measures in various government processes and regulations. Key provisions include: 1. The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs must require climate risk disclosure and adaptation measures as conditions for approving permits, authorizations, and financing. The Secretary will also adopt a climate projections dataset to be used consistently across the state. 2. Applicants for state grants, loans, or funding must demonstrate that their projects include adaptation measures to address climate risks over the economic life of the project. 3. Requests for proposals for state capital projects must require proposals to include adaptation measures and disclose the climate assumptions used. 4. Investor-owned electric, gas, steam, and water companies must identify climate risks to their facilities and present evidence of how they are addressing those risks in their operations and budgets. 5. The Board of Building Regulations and Standards will study the feasibility of updating building codes to address climate risks. Overall, the bill aims to incorporate climate resilience into various government decision-making processes to promote more sustainable development and protect public health and safety.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S79