FILED ON: 8/10/2018

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4888

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act establishing an industrial mill building revitalization task force.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to establish an industrial mill building revitalization task force, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
 

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

(a) There shall be an industrial mill building revitalization task force to stimulate the re-development, rehabilitation and revitalization of industrial mill buildings and surrounding areas in the commonwealth. The task force shall: (i) review current laws and regulations beneficial the revitalization of mill buildings and surrounding areas, including, but not limited to, federal and state tax incentives and renewable energy production; (ii) create a list of existing mill buildings, their locations, whether they are active or inactive and current uses, if applicable, in the commonwealth; (iii) investigate potential new uses for mill buildings based on market conditions that increase economic development; (iv) identify strategies to improve mill building energy efficiency and prevent further structural and environmental degradation; (v) explore innovative permitting processes, zoning regulations and building codes to encourage redevelopment; and (vi) consider any other action in furtherance of its purpose.

(b)  The task force shall consist of the secretary of housing and economic development, or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, or a designee; the chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, or their designees; the director of Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, or a designee; 2 members of the house of representatives who represent communities with mill buildings, designated by the speaker of the house of representatives; 2 members of the senate who represent communities with mill buildings, designated by the senate president; the director of the Massachusetts clean energy center, or a designee; 2 residents of the commonwealth who own mill buildings, 1 active and 1 inactive, designated by the chair; 1 representative of a Massachusetts utility company, designated by the chair; 1 representative from an economic development organization, designated by the chair; 3 representatives of Massachusetts planning organizations, 1 of whom shall be from the western region of the state, 1 of whom shall be from the central region of the state and 1 of whom shall be from the eastern region of the state, designated by the chair.

(c)  The task force shall submit its report and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation to carry its recommendations into effect, to the chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate not later than August 1, 2019.