HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2394        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Joan Meschino

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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 incentives for nature as a climate solution.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2394        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to incentives for nature as a climate solution.

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

There shall be a task force to investigate and make recommendations on new or expanded policy for incentive-based approaches to increasing carbon removal and sequestration by natural and working lands consistent with, and designed to meet, the enforceable natural and working lands sublimit contained in section 3A(a) of chapter 21N of the General Laws.

The task force shall include the undersecretary of environment, who shall serve as chair, the climate chief or a designee from the office of climate innovation and resilience, the commissioner of conservation and recreation, and the commissioner of fish and game.  The task force shall include additional members appointed by the chair, which shall include representatives of municipalities, statewide land conservation organizations, and land trusts, as well as experts in the forest ecology and terrestrial carbon, wetlands carbon, conservation finance, and environmental and climate mitigation economics.

The task force shall develop policy recommendations and technical considerations for approaches and incentives to increase investment in natural and working lands carbon by public and private entities.  Such recommendations may include, but not be limited to, proposed legislation, regulatory structures, and elements of the clean energy and climate plans as required by chapter 21N of the General Laws.

The task force shall file its findings and recommendations with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on environment and natural resources, and the chairs of the house and senate committees on global warming and climate change not later than December 31, 2026.