The bill establishes new guidelines for healthy soil performance by amending Chapter 21A of the General Laws. It mandates the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Division of Conservation Services, to create regulations concerning post-construction soil performance. These regulations will cover various aspects such as soil depth, quality, carbon storage, stormwater runoff, and nutrient input mitigation. The department is also tasked with collaborating with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension to ensure that the regulations align with existing educational materials and outreach programs. Additionally, the bill allows the department to impose fines for violations of these regulations, with a structured appeal process for those contesting the fines.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 64 of Chapter 128 by removing the definition of "Lawn or non-agricultural turf" and introducing new definitions for "Functional turf," "Turf," and "Utility turf." "Functional turf" refers to turf on private or recreational areas, while "Turf" is defined as a natural ground cover of grass plants or similar living plants. "Utility turf" is designated for ecological or practical purposes, such as soil stabilization and pollution filtration. These changes aim to clarify the terminology related to turf and enhance the understanding of its various functions in environmental management.