HOUSE  .   .   .   .   .   .   .  No. 4967

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 31, 2024.                         

The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Bill providing for improvements to the metropolitan water supply system (House, No. 4861), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefor the accompanying bill (House, No. 4967).

For the committee,

AARON MICHLEWITZ.

        FILED ON: 7/31/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4967

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act providing for improvements to the metropolitan water supply system.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 179 of the acts of 1997 is hereby amended by striking out section 7 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 7. The land identified in sections 2 and 3 shall be used by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority solely for the construction of: (a) the Norumbega reservoir covered water storage tank and associated piping, valves and appurtenances for connecting the water tank to the water system; or (b) a solar photovoltaic system, with or without an energy storage system, along with such other equipment and appurtenances necessary for interconnecting said system or systems to the electric grid in the commonwealth. In the event that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority no longer uses the land described in sections 2 and 3 for the purposes described herein, the land shall revert to its prior status as conservation land. No portion of the land shall be used for the construction of a water disinfection facility, so-called. Nothing herein shall preclude the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority from using said land for wetlands replication.

SECTION 2. Within 60 days of the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority shall record a certificate reflecting the amendment to chapter 179 of the acts of 1997 in the Middlesex south registry of deeds. The certificate shall supplement the existing certificate recorded with the Middlesex south registry of deeds in book 27996, page 568. The certificate shall be signed by said authority's executive director before a notary public, confirming that as of the date of enactment hereof, the authority remains the owner of record of the parcel of land described in sections 2 and 3 of chapter 179 of the acts of 1997. A copy of this act shall be recorded as an attachment to the certificate.