The year 2011, my first as head of MassDEP, has been a challenging, but very exciting and productive year. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments our agency has made to continue to protect the people and the environment of the Commonwealth. Through the hard work of our dedicated staff, and our important partners in many sectors outside of the agency, we have achieved numerous important accomplishments. We have continued a vast array of vital work to protect the environment and public health; initiated major changes to make the agency better and smarter; and halted a serious, multi-year downward budget and resource trend. Here are some highlights from the year. Read full story >>
MassDEP launched the Clean Energy Results Program in November 2011, and one of its goals was to advance public understanding of renewable energy sources. As one step in fulfilling that goal, on January 17, MassDEP - in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health - released a report by an independent panel of experts studying potential health impacts from wind turbines. The panel was composed of physicians and scientists with broad experience in areas, including acoustical noise/infrasound, public health, sleep disturbance, mechanical engineering, epidemiology, and neuroscience. Read full story >>
Since April 2011, MassDEP has been working on a broad Regulatory Reform Initiative. The goal of this far-reaching effort is to maintain the agency's high standards of environmental protection with the present level of staff - which has been reduced by more than 30 percent during the last decade. This initiative also complies with the 2010 Act Relative to Economic Development Reorganization, which requires Massachusetts state agencies to review existing regulations for efficiency improvements. Read full story >>
MassDEP recently released guidance for parties conducting cleanups of waste sites where contamination may include harmful vapors entering the indoor air of nearby buildings. This new guidance is protective of public health and provides clear and predictable guidelines for parties conducting or responsible for the cleanup to facilitate economic development at "Brownfields" sites. Read full story >>
Late 2011 and early 2012 have so far come with some good news for the quality of the air in Massachusetts. Four recent developments are worth noting: 1) significant gains in reducing mercury pollution were recently documented here in the Commonwealth; 2) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized new rules that would limit pollution coming to Massachusetts from power plants from upwind states (although a lawsuit has stopped implementation of this rule for now); 3) new rules are coming that will increase the number of cleaner cars in Massachusetts; and 4) MassDEP has just updated its risk evaluation guidelines for human exposure to air pollution. Read full story >>
Update on the Sustainable Watershed Management Initiative
Governor's Budget Proposal Pegs MassDEP Funding at $50.2 Million
New Permitting Assistance Office Continues MassDEP's Commitment to Customer Service
Clean Energy Results Program Makes Remarkable Progress in First 6 Months
Wetlands Loss Slows Dramatically in the Commonwealth
Getting the Job Done in Middleboro
MassDEP Opens State-of-the-Art LEED-Certified Environmental Laboratory
Two Long-time Senior Officials Retire from MassDEP
from the commissioner 
