HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 877        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2929

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Stephen L. DiNatale

_________________

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 promoting storm resistant utility infrastructure upgrades.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

1/15/2013

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

2/1/2013

John V. Fernandes

10th Worcester

1/30/2013

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

 

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 877        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2929

By Mr. DiNatale of Fitchburg, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2929) of Stephen L. DiNatale and others for legislation to promote storm resistant utility infrastructure upgrades.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act promoting storm resistant utility infrastructure upgrades.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 85B of Chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Addition,  is hereby amended by adding, after paragraph (8) in subsection (a), the following new paragraph:-

(9) identification of necessary upgrades to transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure reliable service to customers, including, but not limited to, the replacement of damaged wires, transformers, conduits, or substations with storm-resistant, modernized technologies and other upgrades to prevent service disruption during emergencies.

SECTION 2. Said Section 85B of Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by adding after subsection (i) the following new subsection:-

(j) Each investor-owned electric distribution, transmission or natural gas distribution company, when implementing an emergency response plan, shall replace damaged or destroyed distribution or transmission infrastructure with upgraded, storm-resistant or other modernized infrastructure to prevent future service disruptions, as determined in advance by the department. The department shall consider and approve of such necessary upgrades annually in each emergency response plan.