Bill > H2622

This bill introduces new regulations and provisions related to spills of flammable materials like gasoline and oil by commercial motor vehicles and trailers. The bill establishes a civil penalty of up to $20,000 for each violation involving the discharge of flammable materials into surface or groundwater, with each day of a continuing violation counting as a separate offense. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation must provide notification of violations before penalties can accrue, and the attorney general can seek injunctive relief. Additionally, the bill requires the transportation department to set a schedule for surety bonds from commercial vehicle companies and product suppliers to cover emergency cleanup and environmental protection costs. A comprehensive study will be conducted by the secretary of public safety, in consultation with other agencies, to examine factors contributing to spills, including driver compensation methods, accident rates, potential speed increases, impacts on road safety, long-term environmental consequences, and methods for preventing and mitigating such spills. The study results and recommended legislation must be submitted to legislative clerks and transportation committee chairs within one year of the act's passage. Any civil penalties collected will be paid to the municipality where the spill occurred, and these penalties are separate from the costs of cleaning and removing the spilled material.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2622