Bill > S506

This bill aims to assist municipal and district ratepayers by addressing the significant and increasing costs of capital upgrades to public drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. The key provisions are: 1. Any proposal initiated by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) that results in additional costs to a city or town will be considered a "local mandate," requiring the EOEEA to complete a regulatory impact statement before the proposal can become effective. 2. The regulatory impact statement must identify the problem being addressed, the methodology used, the stakeholders affected, the financial impacts (including administrative, permitting, enforcement, capital, compliance, and indirect costs), and the benefits of the proposal. 3. The EOEEA must maintain a notification list of stakeholders and provide them with preliminary notification of any proposals at least 30 days before the notice of public hearing. 4. Proposals from the EOEEA must comply with the Massachusetts Administrative Procedures Act, and entities claiming lack of compliance can petition the superior court for relief. The overall goal is to ensure that local ratepayers are not overburdened by the costs of environmental regulations and that the benefits of such regulations are clearly demonstrated.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S506