HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1899        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3581

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Daniel J. Hunt

_________________

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 promoting nature-based approaches for resiliency and climate change adaptation throughout the Commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Daniel J. Hunt

13th Suffolk

1/17/2023

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

2/9/2023

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/7/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

2/7/2023

Peter Capano

11th Essex

2/2/2023

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/8/2023

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/14/2023

David Biele

4th Suffolk

3/6/2023

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

5/31/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

5/31/2023

Margaret R. Scarsdale

1st Middlesex

11/20/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1899        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3581

By Representative Hunt of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3581) of Daniel J. Hunt and others relative to promoting nature-based approaches for resiliency and climate change adaptation.  Environment and Natural Resources.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act promoting nature-based approaches for resiliency and climate change adaptation throughout the Commonwealth.

 

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. For the purposes of this act, the following term shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meaning:

“Nature-based approach,” adaption measures that are formulated to minimize the impacts of climate change on nature, people and the built environment, including developing systems designed to enhance wave and energy attenuation, or mimic natural systems for the sole purpose of developing resiliency strategies.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law or regulation to the contrary, research activities and demonstration projects related to the implementation and efficacy of nature-based approaches may be reviewed and approved in a timely manner by the department, agency or authority with jurisdiction over said activities, conditioned as appropriate. The department, agency or authority may waive any and all performance and regulatory standards in order to fulfill the goal of conducting research and demonstration projects to inform future resiliency strategies and to implement nature-based approaches throughout the commonwealth; provided, that protections are upheld for Indigenous groups and cultural and historic resources. A person conducting a demonstration project shall consider protections for underserved communities and environmental justice populations when designing and implementing said projects.

SECTION 3. Section 2 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. Section 3 shall take effect on July 31, 2028.