Bill > S600

This bill establishes a Blue Communities Program designed to incentivize local governments to take action to reduce nutrient pollution and ocean acidification. The program will provide technical and financial assistance through grants and loans to municipalities that qualify by adopting at least five out of nine specific environmental initiatives, such as implementing hazardous waste collection programs, protecting groundwater, installing rain barrels, supporting shellfish restoration, monitoring water quality, eliminating sewer overflows, restricting fertilizer use, and creating stormwater infrastructure improvements. To qualify, municipalities must develop a blue community plan that prioritizes implementation in environmental justice communities and includes specific measurable metrics. The program will be administered by the executive office, which will establish a Blue Communities Fund financed through sources like offshore wind contributions, cap-and-invest programs, sales tax on fertilizers, and other environmental and carbon reduction-related revenues. The bill also adds several key definitions to existing law, including terms like "coastal waters," "eutrophication," "nutrient pollution," and "ocean acidification" to provide clarity and context for the program. The executive office will be responsible for creating guidelines, determining funding structures, and submitting annual reports on the program's progress and expenditures.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S600