SECTION 1. Section 34B of chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:-
In the event that a utility company does not move a utility pole, wire or attachment within the required 90 days or the agreed upon timeframe, municipalities may move, relocate or remove utility poles, wires or attachments, or arrange for another party to move, relocate or remove utility poles, wires and attachments. Municipalities may charge the utility company a reasonable fee for non-performance.
Municipalities may adopt bylaws and ordinances relating to (a) the imposition of fees or fines on utility companies that operate in the public right of way, (b) the assessment of taxes on utility companies that operate in the public right of way, (c) the licensing and permitting of utility companies that operate in the public right of way.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, municipalities and public utilities shall have the right to purchase utility poles from investor-owned utilities at a price that takes into account the depreciation in value of the utility poles.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.