Legislation

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Massachusetts State House

APCC closely follows legislation filed on the state and federal levels that could either improve or adversely impact efforts to protect Cape Cod’s natural resources. The following are some of the recent bills on APCC’s list of priority legislation.

Legislation for the 2019-2020 Massachusetts Legislative Session

An Act to Promote Housing Choices: Filed by Gov. Charlie Baker, the bill provides incentives to cities and towns for increasing housing production, including making it easier to adopt zoning bylaws that promote housing. However, within the bill are several provisions that would adversely affect environmental protections. Read APCC’s written testimony: An Act to Promote Housing Choices PDF, Proposed Amendments to Housing Choices Bill PDF

An Act Empowering Towns and Cities to Protect Residents and the Environment from Harmful Pesticides: The bill provides cities and towns with greater local authority to regulate the sale and use of pesticides. Read APCC’s written testimony: Local Control of Pesticide Use Legislation PDF

An Act to Protect Pollinator Habitat: The bill would establish a special commission to study opportunities for Massachusetts to improve the health of pollinators by increasing and enhancing pollinator habitat, as well as other issues relevant to pollinator health. Read APCC’s written testimony: Support for An Act to Protect Pollinator Habitat PDF

Legislation Regarding Offshore Wind Energy: APCC, in collaboration with other environmental organizations, voiced support for several bills that promote the development of offshore wind energy. Read the written testimony: Massachusetts Offshore Wind Legislation PDF

An Act to Create a 2050 Roadmap to a Clean and Thriving Commonwealth: The bill provides the essential components for Massachusetts to meet its responsibilities in addressing the climate crisis and reducing its carbon emissions by 2050. Read APCC’s written testimony: Support for Net Zero Climate Bill PDF

An Act Establishing an Interagency PFAS Task Force: The bill would establish a task force to study PFAS chemicals and make recommendations for managing their threat to the environment and human health. Read the written testimony jointly submitted by APCC and other organizations: Written Testimony for PFAS Legislation PDF

Green Budget: APCC collaborated with other environmental organizations in advocating for increases in funding for environmental programs in the annual state budget. Read the written testimony: Environmental Programs in State Budget PDF

An Act Promoting Sustainable Investment, Economic Security, and Fiscal Responsibility with Respect to Climate Risks: The bill provides statutory certainty that will enable Massachusetts to be better protected through more effective climate change adaptation planning policies. Read APCC’s written testimony: Support of Climate Adaptation Consistency Legislation PDF

An Act Protecting the Natural Resources of the Commonwealth: The Public Lands Preservation Act would help maintain a no-net-loss of protected lands by creating a process for replacing Article 97 land proposed for disposition with land of comparable natural resource value, acreage and location. Read APCC’s written testimony: Public Lands Preservation Act, 2019 PDF

An Act Reducing Plastic Bag Pollution: The bill would create a unified state law that addresses the issue of plastic bag pollution while at the same time establishing a fair and predictable rule for businesses. Read APCC’s written testimony: APCC Supports Plastic Bag Ban Legislation PDF

Recent Federal Legislation

A Bill to Amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with Respect to Permitting Terms, and for Other Purposes: The bill would double the term length of the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System pollution permits from the current five years to ten years. Read APCC’s letter to Rep. William Keating: Opposition to NPDES Permit Extension Legislation PDF