SECTION 1. of  Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 69J1/4A. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary no generating facility shall be located in an area which is less than 1 mile in linear distance from an environmental justice community, playground, licensed day-care center, school, church, area of critical environmental concern, as determined by the secretary of environmental affairs pursuant to 301 CMR 12.00, or an area occupied by residential housing. This linear distance shall be measured from any point along a generating facility to the outermost point of aforementioned zones; provided, however, that repairs or replacements that do not increase megawatts generated in any generation facility in operation prior to January 1, 2017, shall not be subject to this section.