HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1080        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 743

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce J. Ayers

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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 Long and Moon Islands in Boston Harbor.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1080        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 743

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3879 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to Long and Moon Islands in Boston Harbor.

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. Section 33 of chapter 92 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following 2 paragraphs:-

The division shall, on Long island within Boston harbor, establish as land of the commonwealth, the Long island reservation for the purposes of park land, passive recreational use and the preservation of open space and conservation land to protect the coastal beaches, palustrine wetlands, estuarine intertidal wetlands, marine intertidal wetlands and salt marsh, and to provide a habitat for native oysters and other local shellfish. The reservation shall create an accessible park for the public with ocean shoreline and shall remain listed in the state register of historic places.

The division shall, on Moon island within Quincy bay, establish as land of the commonwealth, the Moon island reservation for the purposes of park land, passive recreational use and the preservation of open space and conservation land to protect the coastal beaches, palustrine wetlands, estuarine intertidal wetlands, marine intertidal wetlands and salt marsh, and to provide a habitat for native oysters and other local shellfish.

SECTION 2. Not later than June 30, 2025, the department of capital asset and maintenance, on behalf of the division of state parks and recreation in the department of conservation and recreation shall take in fee, pursuant to chapter 79 of the General Laws, the land mass encompassing the islands known as Long island and Moon island in the city of Boston; provided, however, that the department shall enter into leases for certain properties currently used for recreational purposes and rehabilitative facilities. The lands shall be taken pursuant to Article XCVII of the amendments to the Constitution for the public benefit of the commonwealth and Long island and Moon island are hereby declared reservation lands of the commonwealth pursuant to chapter 92 of the General Laws.