Bill > H891

This bill instructs the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on transforming the abandoned Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant in Boston Harbor into a fish and shellfish farm. The proposed study will explore using the site's four existing cut-granite storage tanks, which have a massive 50-million gallon capacity and dimensions of 900 by 150 feet and 17 feet deep, with walls seven feet thick at the base. The potential farm is expected to provide multiple benefits, including improving water quality in Quincy Bay and Boston Harbor, supporting marine ecosystems by creating habitats for species like crabs, eel grass, shrimp, bluefish, and striped bass, and serving as an educational resource for public and private schools. The bill requires the Department of Fish & Game to complete and distribute the study findings to various stakeholders, including the mayors of Boston and Quincy, local conservation commissions, environmental affairs committees, and state legislators representing these cities, with a deadline of December 15, 2026. The study aims to evaluate the environmental and economic potential of repurposing this former industrial site for marine aquaculture.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H891