Bill > H735

This bill, concerning the Massachusetts Water Management Act (a state law that regulates water withdrawals), aims to clarify the intent and scope of certain provisions. Specifically, it adds language to the definition of "Permit" to emphasize that the permit program is designed to help the state's Department of Environmental Protection (the "department") manage water resources across river basins, balancing competing water needs with resource preservation. It also clarifies that a "Registration statement" is intended to allow the department to record current water usage across the state. Crucially, the bill amends Section 5 of the Act to state that properly filed renewal registration statements will allow users to continue withdrawing their registered water volumes without additional conditions, except for the requirement of accurate measurement of the water withdrawn, and prohibits regulations that impose other conditions beyond this measurement requirement.