Bill > S1101

This bill establishes the Assawompset Pond Complex Flood Management District, a district encompassing the cities of New Bedford and Taunton and the towns of Freetown, Lakeville, Middleborough, and Rochester, to manage flood risks and protect the Assawompset Pond Complex. This district will be overseen by a commission composed of representatives from each of the participating municipalities, along with appointees from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), a state agency responsible for emergency preparedness and response. The commission's responsibilities include assessing flood conditions, recommending and implementing flood control measures, promoting ecological sustainability, protecting water supplies and the environment, improving river flow management, and maintaining water levels for water supply and flood control within the Assawompset Pond Complex. Within 120 days of the bill's enactment, the commission must solicit proposals to fund a flood management study for the complex, using criteria that consider public benefits and proposer qualifications. The Department of Environmental Protection may issue project approval certificates for contracts related to this study, and public notice of the proposal request will be published. The participating municipalities may also enter into inter-municipal agreements to further implement the act's provisions.