SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Dylan A. Fernandes

_________________

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:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 537 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

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.