Bill > H1000

This bill aims to assist municipal and district ratepayers by addressing the significant and increasing costs associated with improvements to water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. The bill proposes several key provisions: 1. It defines any proposal from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) that imposes additional costs on cities and towns as a "local mandate," which would require the EOEEA to undertake a regulatory impact assessment before implementing such proposals. 2. The regulatory impact assessment would identify the problem being addressed, the methodology used, stakeholders affected, the financial impacts (including administrative, permitting, enforcement, and compliance costs), and the benefits of the proposal. 3. The EOEEA would be required to maintain a list of stakeholders and provide them with preliminary notification of any proposals related to water, wastewater, and stormwater, allowing for more transparency and public input. 4. The bill requires the EOEEA to comply with the Massachusetts Administrative Procedures Act when implementing any proposals related to water, wastewater, and stormwater, and allows entities to file petitions for relief if the EOEEA fails to do so. The overall goal of the bill is to ensure that the costs and benefits of water, wastewater, and stormwater system improvements are thoroughly assessed and that ratepayers and taxpayers are not overburdened by regulatory demands.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H1000