Senate passes environmental bond bill

The Senate on April 15 passed its version of a $3.64 billion, multi-year environmental bond bill, with authorizations for key climate, resilience and environmental priorities.

The borrowing bill includes funding to strengthen infrastructure, invest in farms and local economies, protect water sources and the environment, reform permitting for housing and environmental initiatives, and support the western and central regions of the state.

The Senate bill (S. 3064) includes $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, up from $315 million in the governor’s proposal.

The Senate bill also has $450 million for the water pollution abatement work, including the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and $50 million to address wastewater infrastructure and nitrogen pollution across southeast Massachusetts and Buzzards Bay. There’s also $120 million for PFAS remediation projects.

Authorizations for coastal infrastructure ($200 million) and inland flood and dam control projects ($93.5 million) would further support local projects on climate and environmental resilience.
The Senate bill also incorporated new policy initiatives, including:
• An extended producer responsibility framework for a statewide paint recycling program, a topic recently studied by the Extended Producer Responsibility Commission
• A labeling requirement for non-flushable wipe products to help consumers avoid improper disposal
• A statewide plastic bag ban, which would require most businesses to provide recyclable paper alternatives for 10 cents to incentivize the use of reusable bags and reduce plastic pollution
• A series of updates to the public shade tree law to clarify fines for violations and ease routine maintenance of public trees and shrubs

During debate, the Senate adopted an amendment that would significantly impact prioritization of projects funded by the environmental bond bill. The language would require the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to help institute a “preference modifier” for municipalities that have zoning or land use policies that encourage the production of housing (such as as-of-right zoning for multifamily housing, elimination of parking minimums for residential use, elimination of lot size requirements, and wastewater and wetlands standards that do not exceed state health or environmental standards). This would apply to all discretionary or competitive grant programs authorized under the environmental bond bill.

Another amendment to the Senate bill would exempt newly defined “priority housing projects” from local regulations or rules that go above and beyond the minimum state codes for wastewater and wetlands protection.

The Senate bill has moved to the House for its consideration.

The environmental bond bill, known as the Mass Ready Act, was initially introduced by Gov. Maura Healey last June.