Bill > H3336

This bill aims to reform the energy facilities siting process in Massachusetts to address environmental justice, climate, and public health concerns. Key provisions include: 1. Requiring project proponents to develop a preliminary project statement and engage the community, environmental justice director, and siting board director before submitting a formal petition. This statement must include details on the need, risks, benefits, and alternatives for the proposed facility. 2. Expanding the siting board's mandate to minimize negative impacts on environmental justice populations and prioritize renewable energy and climate adaptation in these areas. The board must now review a facility's climate adaptation plans and environmental justice impacts. 3. Modifying the siting board's composition to include more public members with relevant expertise, including at least one member from an environmental justice population and one tribal/Indigenous representative. 4. Enhancing the petition requirements to include more detailed information on environmental justice impacts, climate change, public health, and cumulative impacts, and allowing the board to deny or condition approvals based on these factors. 5. Establishing new public hearing requirements to ensure language access and community engagement. 6. Requiring project proponents to demonstrate local need for a generating facility and that such need cannot be met through less harmful means. Overall, this bill aims to center environmental justice, climate impacts, and public health in the siting of major energy facilities in Massachusetts.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3336