HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2900        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3834

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David F. DeCoste

_________________

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 protecting scenic rivers.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

2/18/2021

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

2/24/2021

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

2/24/2021

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/26/2021

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

2/26/2021

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/26/2021

Kathleen R. LaNatra

12th Plymouth

2/26/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2900        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3834

By Mr. DeCoste of Norwell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3834) of David F. DeCoste and others relative to scenic rivers.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act protecting scenic rivers.

 

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

Chapter 21 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 68. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Scenic river”, a river that is included in the national wild and scenic rivers system pursuant to the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, as codified in 16 U.S.C. §§ 1271 to 1287, inclusive.

“Scenic river commission” or “commission”, a commission established to manage the scenic river; provided that, for the North river the scenic river commission shall be North river commission established pursuant to section 62 of chapter 367 of the acts of 1978; and provided further, that if there is no commission established to manage a particular scenic river, the department shall serve as the commission for the purposes of this section.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no person shall construct any building within 1,000 feet of a scenic river without first obtaining a building permit from the scenic river commission. All other permits, including those permits required by general or special law or ordinance, shall be obtained after a scenic river building permit has been issued.

(c) The department shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.