Budget Amendment ID: FY2026-S3-341

ENV 341

Regional Flood Management

Mr. Rush, Ms. Edwards and Mr. Finegold moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 2000-0101, by inserting the following words:- “; provided further that there shall be a special commission to study flood control regional governance that shall be granted not less than $150,000 for the purpose of hiring an independent consultant to assist the commission in discharging its responsibilities”; and by striking out the figure “$5,127,889” and inserting in place thereof the following:- “$5,277,889”; and by inserting the following section:-

“SECTION XX. (a) The special commission to study flood control regional governance shall consist of 13 members: 8 members of the state legislature, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate, 1 of whom shall be serve as co-chair, and 4 members shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom one shall be designated co-chair; the executive directors of 5 watershed organizations shall be appointed to serve on the committee by the secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The special commission shall meet not less than 4 times and shall hold not less than 1 public hearing.

(b) The special commission shall study and report on:

(i) The impact of flooding on Massachusetts state and municipal governments, residents, businesses, public and private infrastructure, the environment and on low and moderate income communities;

(ii) the affordability and availability of flood insurance in Massachusetts; the current and potential impact of the loss of flood insurance and contingent mortgage financing on homeowners and businesses;

(iii) options for the creation of watershed based flooding regional governance districts statewide; (iv) options for regional governance organization entities that could provide each geographic regions with the capacity best suited to meet the needs of that region including but not limited to providing that each region had a regional strategic flood protection plan with the capacity to develop and provide recommendations for the implement of such plan;

(v.) the benefits of a regional governance structure in supporting the commonwealth in safely adapting to climate change by protecting people and property, minimizing disaster recovery expenditures, and disruptions to economic activity.

(c) The special commission shall submit a report with recommendations, including legislation or regulations necessary to carry out such recommendations, to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than December 1, 2026.”