Amendment #474 to H3900

Regional Equity

Mr. Saunders of Belchertown moves to amend the the bill by adding the following section:

SECTION XXXX. SECTION 1. Chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 35SSS the following section:-

Section 35TTT (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Quabbin Host Community Development Trust Fund to be used, without further appropriation, by the secretary of energy and environmental affairs for the municipal service, public safety, and development needs of Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Communities, as defined by the department of conservation and recreation, including, but not limited to, lands authorized to be taken under chapter 321 of the acts of 1927 or any successor statute granting the taking of land for a similar purpose. Any balance in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund, but shall remain available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years. No expenditure made from the fund shall cause the fund to become deficient at any point during a fiscal year. Annually, not later than October 1, a report shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the house and senate committees on ways and means that shall include expenditures made and income received by the fund.

(b) All funds assessed and collected under section 21 of chapter 92A½  shall be deposited into the Quabbin Host Community Development Trust Fund. No less than 90% of funds deposited into the fund shall be expended in each fiscal year. No less than 70 per cent of expenditures by the trust in each fiscal year shall be made to Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Communities for municipal operations and capital improvements, including debt service. No more than 25 per cent of expenditures by the trust in each fiscal year shall be made to non-profit organizations directly serving the health, welfare, safety, and transit needs of Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Communities as well as the Connecticut River Basin Communities and Chicopee River Basin Communities. No more than 5 per cent of expenditures by the trust in each fiscal year shall be to communities for funding projects pursuant to section 26 of chapter 165, including costs for the operations and management of conduits, pipes, and hydrants constructed under the section.

(c) The secretary, in consultation with the several Select Boards of the Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Communities, shall establish rules and regulations for the administration of the fund.

SECTION 2. Chapter 92A½  of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 21. The department shall assess the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority an amount equal to 5/100th of a dollar per 1000 gallons drawn from the Quabbin Reservoir. The executive director of the authority shall certify the previous fiscal year’s water usage to the commissioner of the department on or before August 15. The commissioner shall bill the treasurer of the authority on October 1 for said previous fiscal year's obligations. Within 30 days of receipt of the department bill, the treasurer of the authority shall remit the total billed amount to the department. The commissioner of the department shall forward to the treasurer of the commonwealth the revenues generated by the division which shall be credited to the Quabbin Host Community Development Trust Fund.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #474 to H3900

Regional Equity