By Mr. Kocot of Northampton, petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 787) of Peter V. Kocot and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the preservation of the archaeological and fossil resources of the Commonwealth.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Peter V. Kocot

Anne M. Gobi

Christine E. Canavan

Anthony J. Verga

Stephen Kulik

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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Resolve relative to protecting the archaeological and fossil resources of Western Massachusetts.

    Resolved,

Resolved, There is hereby established a special commission on protecting the archaeological, geological, and fossil resources of the Connecticut River Valley. Said special commission shall review existing special and general laws, may hold hearings at various locations across the Commonwealth to obtain written and oral testimony and may consult with state and federal agencies to determine if existing state laws and regulations adequately protect the archaeological, geological and fossil resources located within the Connecticut River Valley.  Said special commission shall be comprised of three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker, of which at least two shall be from a district in western Massachusetts that includes a portion of the Connecticut river that has significant fossil, archaeological or geological deposits; three members of the Senate, appointed by the President, of which at least two shall be from a district in western Massachusetts that includes the Connecticut river; four of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, of which one shall be a professor of archaeology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, one of whom shall be a recognized authority on western Massachusetts geological formations who is a professor at a Massachusetts college or university, one whom shall be an environmental police officer who has experience with investigating the unlawful removal of archaeological, geological or fossil resources, and one of whom shall be of native American descent of a tribe indigenous to western Massachusetts; one member shall be appointed by the secretary of the commonwealth, who shall be knowledgeable of the archaeological and historic resources of the Connecticut river valley.
Said special commission may receive funding through state appropriation or grants, federal appropriation or grants, private gifts and donations, provided, that said special commission shall file its report with the joint committee on natural resources and agriculture and the clerks of the House and Senate no later than October 1, 2008.