HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3393        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 879

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Alice Hanlon Peisch

_________________

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 rights of municipalities and districts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Alice Hanlon Peisch

14th Norfolk

1/11/2023

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

2/8/2023

Simon Cataldo

14th Middlesex

3/8/2023

Jacob R. Oliveira

Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester

3/22/2023

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

7/3/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3393        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 879

By Representative Peisch of Wellesley, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 879) of Alice Hanlon Peisch, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., and Simon Cataldo relative to water resources and protecting the rights of municipalities and districts.  Environment and Natural Resources.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act protecting the rights of municipalities and districts.

 

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 2 of chapter 21G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the definition of “Permit” the following sentence:-

The permit program is intended to assist the department in the comprehensive management of the commonwealth’s water resources within its river basins in a manner that ensures an appropriate balance among competing water withdrawals and uses, as well as preservation of the water resource itself.

SECTION 2. Said section 2 of said chapter 21G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting at the end of the definition of “Registration statement” the following sentence:-

The registration statement is intended to enable the department to document baseline water use in the commonwealth.

SECTION 3. Section 5 of said chapter 21G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

All properly filed water management act renewal registration statements shall entitle the registrants to their registered water use volumes without conditions excepting that the department may require proper metering or other means to accurately measure the volume of water withdrawn under a renewal registration statement. No regulations may be promulgated that would allow the imposition of any such conditions other than withdrawal volume measurement.