Legislature declines action on several environmental bills

The formal legislative session ended on July 31 without action on a number of environmental bills, including a bill intended to expedite the permitting of wind energy facilities.

In response to concerns raised by local officials and the MMA, the House and Senate each voted to support a wind siting bill that was significantly improved over earlier versions. But the bill still fell short in two areas: it would have allowed developers to file incomplete applications at the local level, and it would have limited municipal representation on the Energy Facilities Siting Board to wind-related projects only.

The House, in its last recorded roll call, approved final enactment of the bill (H.4955), but the legislation did not make it to the Senate in time for consideration before the session ended.

The Senate could still approve the bill during informal sessions in the remaining months of the year, but this would require a unanimous vote. Senate President Therese Murray has indicated, however, that she is committed to getting the bill passed this year, even during the informal session.

The following two bills, which were opposed by the MMA, also did not pass:

• The Public Lands Preservation Act/No Net Loss of Article 97 Lands (S. 396/H. 3438), which stalled in the House Committee on Ways and Means

• The Sustainable Water Resources Act (H. 834), which remained in the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources

The Legislature did not pass the following environmental bills that were supported by the MMA:

• An Act to Sustain Community Preservation (S. 90) would have expanded and strengthened the Community Preservation Act.

• A bottle bill expansion (H. 3515/S. 2547) was reported out favorably by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications and Energy and the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules, but stalled in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

• Legislation (H. 833) that called for a “producer take back” approach to deal with electronic waste stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee.

The next formal session begins in January.