Bill > H2609

This bill aims to prevent duplicate payments for the PILOT program, which stands for "payment in lieu of taxes," related to watershed lands of the Quabbin Reservation. Specifically, it clarifies that the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) is not responsible for making duplicate PILOT payments to towns like Belchertown, Hardwick, New Salem, Pelham, Petersham, and Ware for annexed land. The bill amends existing law by removing language that required the MWRA to pay over an amount annually to the division of watershed management, to be held in trust for these towns, for watershed lands that were part of former towns now submerged by the Quabbin Reservoir. The intent is to streamline these payments and avoid situations where towns might receive the same payment twice for the same land.