HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 256        FILED ON: 1/11/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2302

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Josh S. Cutler and Sarah K. Peake

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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 relative to the discharge of spent fuel pool water.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/10/2023

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/18/2023

Kathleen R. LaNatra

12th Plymouth

1/24/2023

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

2/2/2023

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

2/7/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/9/2023

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

2/15/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/27/2023

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

3/2/2023

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

3/8/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

3/14/2023

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

3/22/2023

Steven George Xiarhos

5th Barnstable

3/30/2023

Marcus S. Vaughn

9th Norfolk

4/12/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 256        FILED ON: 1/11/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2302

By Representatives Cutler of Pembroke and Peake of Provincetown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2302) of Josh S. Cutler, Sarah K. Peake and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) to examine the potential negative environmental and economic impacts caused by the discharge of spent fuel pool water created as a waste product of nuclear energy.  Public Safety and Homeland Security.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the discharge of spent fuel pool water.

 

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. (a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission to examine the potential negative environmental and economic impacts caused by the discharge of spent fuel pool water, any materials created as a waste product of nuclear energy from spent fuel pools, including, but not limited to, processed water or any other liquid with elevated levels of radioactivity, including, but not limited to, tritium or boron, associated with the decommissioning of any nuclear power plant, into the waters of the commonwealth. Waters of the commonwealth shall include all waters under the jurisdiction of the division of marine fisheries, including, but not limited to, bays, coastal waters, canals, rivers and streams.

(b) The commission shall consist of the following 13 members: the attorney general or a designee, who shall serve as co-chair; the governor or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs or a designee, who shall serve as co-chair; the senate president or a designee; the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; the senate minority leader or a designee; the house of representatives minority leader or a designee; the chairs of the joint committee on the environment, natural resources and agriculture or their designees; the commissioner of the department of environmental protection or a designee; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; the executive director of the office of travel and tourism or a designee; and the director of the division of marine fisheries or a designee.

(c) The commission shall: (i) examine and investigate the potential environmental and economic impacts, including impacts to consumer perception of the discharge spent fuel wastewater on the fishing, aquaculture, tourism, restaurant industries and other sectors deemed appropriate by the commission; and (ii) make recommendations on measures to mitigate or avoid potential negative impacts on such industries.

(d) The commission shall hold not less than 4 listening sessions, with not less than 1 listening session in the following counties: Dukes, Plymouth, Bristol and Barnstable; provided, however, that upon the completion of its report under this section, the commission shall provide a public presentation in said counties. Not later than November 1, 2024 the commission shall file a report on the results of its study with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural development, the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies and the senate and house committees on ways and means.

(e) There shall be no discharge of spent fuel pool water, any materials created as a waste product of nuclear energy from spent fuel pools, including, but not limited to, processed water or any other liquid with elevated levels of radioactivity, including, but not limited to, tritium or boron into the waters of the commonwealth until 90 days after the issuance of the commission’s report.