SENATE DOCKET, NO. 204 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bruce E. Tarr
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to sustaining natural and working lands.
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PETITION OF:
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Bruce E. Tarr First Essex and Middlesex
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 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 204 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
[Pin Slip]
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 582 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to sustaining natural and working lands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 21N is hereby amended by inserting at the end following new
2 section:-
3 SECTION 13. (a) The executive office of energy and environmental affairs shall develop
4 policies, programs, grants, loans and incentives to meet the statewide natural and working lands
5 goal as identified in the plan, including, but not limited to, a communities for a sustainable
6 climate program. The executive office of energy and environmental affairs shall apply and
7 disburse monies and revenues as provided in this section.
8 (b) The secretary shall establish a communities for a sustainable climate program. The
9 purpose of the program shall be to provide technical and financial assistance, including
10 incentives, grants and loans, to municipalities that qualify as sustainable communities under this
11 section. These incentives, grants and loans shall be used to finance all or a portion of the costs of
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12 designing, constructing and implementing actions and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
13 emissions and increase carbon sequestration on natural and working lands.
14 (c) To qualify as a community for a sustainable climate, a municipality or other local
15 governmental body shall comply with eligibility requirements developed by the secretary or his
16 designee. Eligibility requirements are intended to incentivize communities to adopt policies and
17 practices that protect, enhance, and restore carbon stocks on natural and working lands beyond
18 business as usual. The secretary shall set eligibility requirements from among, but not limited to,
19 the following: (1) adopt a municipal tree retention and replacement by-law or ordinance; (2)
20 adopt natural resource protection zoning, as defined by the secretary; (3) collect a reasonable fee
21 to be used exclusively for measures to remedy and offset the generation of greenhouse gases
22 caused by activities that convert forest, wetlands, and agricultural lands for development at a size
23 and scale determined by the secretary; (4) adopt a municipal transfer of development rights by-
24 law or ordinance; and (5) adopt and implement a municipal procurement policy for municipal
25 purchasing and substituting wood products for municipal operations and assets, where feasible,
26 including but not limited to, concrete and steel in buildings. The secretary may waive specified
27 requirements based on a written finding that, due to unusual circumstances, a municipality
28 cannot reasonably meet the requirements and that the municipality has committed to alternative
29 measures that advance the purposes of the communities for a sustainable climate program as
30 effectively as adherence to the requirements. The Secretary may adopt alternative eligibility
31 requirements that provide opportunities to achieve the goals of the program.
32 (d) The secretary may develop policies to provide for consistency and predictability and
33 to help offset the impacts of municipal ordinances and by-laws upon the private sector under the
34 communities for a sustainable climate program that may be adopted by participating
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35 communities, including, but not limited to, grants, loans, incentives and tax credits and expedited
36 permitting for practices and strategies consistent with the goals to reduce greenhouse gas
37 emissions and increase carbon sequestration on natural and working lands.
38 (e) Funding for the communities for a sustainable climate program in any single fiscal
39 year shall be available, without the need for further appropriation, from sources including, but
40 not limited to: (1) the global warming solutions trust fund established in section 35GGG of
41 chapter 10 of the general laws; and (2) land management and restoration grant, loan and
42 incentive programs administered by the executive office of energy and environmental affairs.
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