SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1700        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 537

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Susan L. Moran

_________________

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 to promote natural carbon sequestration.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Susan L. Moran

Plymouth and Barnstable

 

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/30/2023

Marc R. Pacheco

Third Bristol and Plymouth

1/30/2023

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/30/2023

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/2/2023

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

2/17/2023

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/23/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1700        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 537

By Ms. Moran, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 537) of Susan L. Moran, Jack Patrick Lewis, Marc R. Pacheco, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote natural carbon sequestration.  Environment and Natural Resources.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to promote natural carbon sequestration.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 21N of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after section 3B, the following section:-

Section 3C. The Secretary shall, in consultation with the department and the coastal zone management office created in Section 4A of Chapter 21A, develop a quantified net positive statewide carbon sequestration and storage goal for natural and working lands as defined in Section 1. In consideration of Massachusetts’ substantial coastline, the Secretary shall study the sequestration capacity of its salt marshes, seagrasses, and waterways in developing the Commonwealth’s carbon sequestration goal. The sequestration goal shall be determined in agreement with the statewide greenhouse gas emission reductions goals as established by the Secretary.