About MEPA -The Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act

MEPA Regulations Review Thresholds MEPA Glossary MEPA Statute Filing with MEPA Executive Orders EOEA Policies Disclaimer	The Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act - MEPA - requires that state agencies study the environmental consequences of their actions, including permitting and financial assistance. It also requires them to take all feasible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment. MEPA further requires that state agencies "use all practicable means and measures to minimize damage to the environment," by studying alternatives to the proposed project, and developing enforceable mitigation committments, which will become permit conditions for the project if and when it is permitted.
	MEPA applies to projects above a certain size that involve some state agency action. That is, they are either proposed by a state agency or are proposed by municipal, nonprofit or private parties and require a permit, financial assistance, or land transfer from state agencies.
	MEPA review is not a permitting process. MEPA requires public study, disclosure, and development of feasible mitigation for a proposed project. It does not pass judgement on whether a project is environmentally beneficial, or whether a project can or should receive a particular permit. Those decisions are left to the permitting agencies. MEPA review occurs before permitting agencies act, to ensure that they know the environmental consequences of their actions.
	MEPA provides the mechanism through which this information collection and mitigation mandate is executed. The primary mechanism is known as an Environmental Impact Report - EIR. MEPA empowers the Secretary of Environmental Affairs to oversee the review process. The process is public and encourages comments from the public and from state, regional and local agencies.
	The MEPA Office is the staff of the Secretary of Environmental Affairs responsible for day-to-day implementation of the MEPA review process. Its job is to solicit comments from the public and agencies, represent the Secretary at the public consultation sessions on projects, coordinate project review with the proponent, consultants, and interested agencies and citizens, and make a recommendation to the Secretary regarding the need for - and adequacy of - environmental documentation submitted for a project.

Updated March 4, 2004