SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2659        FILED ON: 6/21/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2552

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Susan L. Moran

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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 the Upper Cape water supply reserve.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2659        FILED ON: 6/21/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2552

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act protecting the Upper Cape water supply reserve.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to require thorough evaluation of the environmental impact of pending and future proposals for new or expanded activity within Massachusetts Military Reservation, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public safety and health.
 

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

Section 5 of Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2002 (“An Act relative to the Environmental Protection of the Massachusetts Military Reservation”) is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:-

In evaluating any proposal for new or expanded activity within the Reserve that requires ten acres or more of habitat destruction or clearcutting of forested land, the Commission shall take no action prior to receiving written recommendations from a) the Community Advisory Council; b) the Science Advisory Council; c) the Upper Cape Regional Water Supply Cooperative and d) the Cape Cod Commission, as to whether the proposed activity violates any of the environmental performance standards included in the final environmental impact report regarding activities on the Reserve, or whether adjustment of the environmental performance standards is warranted.

If following receipt of the aforesaid recommendations the Commission determines a) that the proposed activity does not violate said standards, or b) adjusting said standards is warranted, the Commission shall hold a public hearing on its proposed determination in Sandwich, Mashpee, Falmouth, or Bourne, prior to publishing a notice of availability of the proposed adjustment.