Bill > H948

This bill establishes a one-year moratorium on the extraction of minerals, sand, and gravel for commercial sale in Plymouth and Bristol Counties, Massachusetts, specifically targeting activities on lands zoned for agricultural purposes. The bill's primary motivation appears to be protecting the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer, which was designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1990 under the Safe Drinking Water Act. A sole source aquifer is a critically important underground water source that supplies drinking water to an area with no alternative water sources, making its protection crucial for public health and safety. By temporarily halting commercial mineral, sand, and gravel extraction, the bill aims to prevent potential environmental damage and protect the region's drinking water supply from potential contamination or depletion that might result from intensive extraction activities. The moratorium provides a pause for further environmental assessment and potential regulatory measures to safeguard this important water resource.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H948