Plans & Reports for Comment

Massachusetts Lamp Recycling Rate

Regulations for Comment

Permits & Approvals for Comment

Annual Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) Submittal to MassDEP

Submitted by EOT in conjunction with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), this report to is intended to fulfill the requirements of 310 CMR 7.36(7), Transit System Improvements, and provides descriptions and status information for each of the public transit projects required under the revised State Implementation Plan (SIP).

Public hearings have been held and all comments have been recorded. The regulations are being reviewed and will be finalized shortly.

EOT Cover Letter
MS Word 154 KB | PDF 276 KB

EOT Annual Status Update
MS Word 198 KB | PDF 123 KB

Public Hearing Notice
Web page

310 CMR 22.00

The major focus of the proposed revisions to 310 CMR 22.00 is to incorporate Federal Drinking Water Act amendments into the Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations. These amendments include one new rule, the Ground Water Rule (GWR), and minor revisions and corrections to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The proposed changes will reduce ambiguity, clarify, and define responsibility for providing safe drinking water in the Commonwealth. Many of the proposed revisions are being made as a result of the Department's primacy commitment with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. These regulations are promulgated pursuant to the authority conferred by M.G.L. c.111, s.160 and s.160A.

Public hearings have been held and all comments have been recorded. The regulations are being reviewed and will be finalized shortly.

Proposed Amendments
Web page

Public Hearing Notice
Web page

310 CMR 4.00

MassDEP is proposing amendments to 310 CMR 4.00, the Timely Action Schedule and Fee Provisions, relative to permit or annual compliance fees for the Ground Water Discharge Permit Program and the Reclaimed Water Permit Program and Standards.

Public Hearings have been held. The regulations are being reviewed and will be finalized shortly.

310 CMR 7.02, 310 CMR 7.29 & 310 CMR 7.00, Appendix D

The federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) was vacated by a federal appeals court in February 2008. In response to the CAMR vacatur, MassDEP is proposing to reinstate and clarify Massachusetts requirements related to mercury monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping. It is proposing to amend 310 CMR 7.29 and to add Appendix D, Mercury Monitoring and Testing Program, to 310 CMR 7.00 to provide detailed procedures and instructions for the monitoring and reporting of mercury emissions to replace the vacated federal regulations. As part of its response to CAMR, MassDEP adopted revisions to 310 CMR 7.02 concerning the permitting of new coal-fired power plants. It proposes to retain these revisions, with minor amendments, to insure adequate mercury controls for new sources.

A public hearing has been held. The regulations are being reviewed and will be finalized shortly.

Proposed Amendments & Technical Support Document
Web page

Public Hearing Notice
Web page

310 CMR 46.00

Pursuant to M.G.L. c.21G, ss. 14 and 20, MassDEP proposes to adopt new regulations at 310 CMR 46.00, Certification of Well Drillers and Filing of Well Completion Reports, to reflect a jurisdictional change of the Well Drillers Program, which was transferred from the Department of Conservation & Recreation to MassDEP effective October 1, 2009. The draft regulations, among other things, contain provisions on qualifications and requirements for well driller certification, information to be filed upon well completion, and provisions on enforcement. These regulations are a revised version of regulations previously within the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) as 313 CMR 3.00, in order to effectuate an orderly transfer of the Well Driller Program from DCR to DEP.

A public hearing has been held. Monday, November 23, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for public comment.

Proposed Regulation
Web page

Public Hearing Notice
Web page

MassDEP is holding public informational meetings to present the analyses and findings of a planning study conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to identify problems in the Assabet River and suggest measures to improve water quality and ecological health.

Two public meetings have been scheduled:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center, Salon E
181 Boston Post Road 
Marlborough, MA 01752

Thursday, November 19, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hale Middle School
55 Hartley Road
Stow, MA 01775

Monday, December 21, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for public comment.

Assabet River TMDL
Web page

Draft Feasibility Study
ACOE Web site

Public Meeting Notice
Web page

MassDEP has issued a draft conditional approval of a Major Comprehensive Plan Application by Palmer Renewable Energy LLC to build and operate a 38-megawatt (MW) biomass-fired power plant at 1000 Page Boulevard in Springfield.  The agency has scheduled a public hearing on the draft conditional approval for the following date and location:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
7:00 p.m.
John F. Kennedy Middle School
Auditorium
1385 Berkshire Avenue
Springfield, MA 01151

Public comments may also be submitted in writing to marc.simpson@state.ma.us.  Friday, December 4, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for public comment. 

Note: The applicant has provided Spanish translations of the documents for the purpose of environmental justice communication.  Tenga en cuenta: El solicitanta ha proporcionado las versiones en espanol de los documentos para el proposito de communicacion de justica ambiental.

Draft Conditional Approval - Aprobacion Condicional
English: MS Word 524 KB | PDF 1.6 MB - Espanol: MS Word 497 KB | PDF 1.6 MB

Public Hearing Notice - Aviso al Publico
English: Web page - Espanol: MS Word 18 KB | PDF 13 KB

See also the Provisional Approval of Beneficial Use Determination for this facility.

MassDEP has issued a provisional approval draft conditional approval of a BWP SW 40 permit application for a Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) for Palmer Renewable Energy LLC to use construction and demolition (C&D)-derived wood chips as fuel in a 38-megawatt (MW) biomass energy plant it is proposing to build an operate at 1000 Page Boulevard in Springfield.

Public comments may be submitted in writing to daniel.hall@state.ma.us.  Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for public comment. 

Note: The applicant has provided Spanish translations of the documents for the purpose of environmental justice communication.  Tenga en cuenta: El solicitanta ha proporcionado las versiones en espanol de los documentos para el proposito de communicacion de justica ambiental.

Provisional Approval - Aprobacion Provisional
English: MS Word 149 KB | PDF 130 KB - Espanol: MS Word 138 KB | PDF 120 KB

See also the Draft Conditional Air Quality Plan Approval for this facility.

310 CMR 7.40

MassDEP is proposing amendments to its Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) regulations that would adopt revisions to California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) requirements for passenger cars and light-duty trucks.  A public hearing has been scheduled for the following date and location:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
1:30 pm 
MassDEP Boston Office
Washington Street Conference Center
2nd Floor, Rooms B & C
One Winter Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Monday, December 28, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for public comment. 

Proposed Regulations & Technical Support Document
Web page

Public Hearing Notice
Web page