An Act establishing the Blue Communities Program
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill establishes the Blue Communities Program, designed to incentivize local actions aimed at reducing nutrient pollution and ocean acidification in Massachusetts’ coastal waters, fresh waters, and watersheds. The program will provide financial and technical assistance to municipalities that meet specific criteria and adopt a range of initiatives focused on water quality and ecosystem health. It creates a dedicated fund to support these efforts and integrates with existing environmental programs.
Key provisions
- Establishes a ‘Blue Communities’ program offering grants and loans to qualifying municipalities.
- Defines key terms related to coastal water health, including ‘coastal waters,’ ‘eutrophication,’ ‘nutrient dense,’ ‘nutrient pollution,’ and ‘ocean acidification.’
- Requires municipalities to adopt at least five of nine specified initiatives to qualify as a ‘Blue Community.’
- Creates a ‘Blue Communities Fund’ to finance the program, drawing from sources like offshore wind contributions and cap-and-invest programs.
- Mandates municipalities to develop and submit a ‘Blue Community Plan’ outlining implementation strategies and metrics.
- Requires annual reporting to the legislature on program expenditures and results.
- Allows the executive office to delegate program initiatives to relevant state departments.
- Integrates the program with existing municipal programs such as green communities and vulnerability preparedness grants.
Bill text
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Sponsors
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6 on record
Primary sponsor
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Cosponsors
Patrick Joseph Kearney
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