Public Meeting Notice  Board Meeting: 2024 Climate Act Regulations

The Energy Facilities Siting Board (“Siting Board”) anticipates conducting a hybrid Siting Board meeting in the Large Hearing Room at the Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, 3rd level, Boston, 02110, and using Zoom videoconferencing on Monday, December 15, 2025, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., to deliberate and vote on a Tentative Decision opening a rulemaking to consider proposed regulations implementing the Cumulative Impact Analysis and Site Suitability Criteria provisions of the 2024 Climate Act, St. 2024, c. 239 (the “Act”).

An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers, St. 2024, c. 239 (the “2024 Climate Act”) requires the Energy Facilities Siting Board (“Siting Board”) to promulgate regulations to implement various provisions of the Act. The Siting Board will conduct a public meeting on Monday, December 15, 2025, to deliberate and vote on a Tentative Decision opening a rulemaking to consider proposed regulations, 980 CMR 15.00. Siting Division staff previously issued for discussion purposes draft Proposed regulations on October 31, 2025, conducted a public webinar the draft proposed regulation, and accepted public comment on draft Proposed regulations 980 CMR 15.00. Based on comments received, Siting Division staff revised the proposed regulations.

At the December 15, 2025 public meeting, the Siting Board will hear staff presentations on the proposed regulations and related guidance document. The Siting Board will hear public comment as time allows. The Siting Board meeting on December 15 is the beginning of a formal rulemaking process that will include further opportunities for written and oral comment. The Siting Board will provide additional information on that rulemaking process after the Siting Board meeting.
The Tentative Decision, and proposed regulations and guidance document will be posted on the Siting Board’s webpage for this proceeding. 

The Siting Board will continue to update the webpage during the rulemaking proceeding.

The Siting Board meeting will be both in-person and on Zoom on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.
In-person meeting location: One South Station, Boston, MA 02110, 3rd floor, Large Hearing Room.

 Building security requires a government-issued photo ID. 

Nearby transit station: South Station (Red Line).

Remote attendees: join by using the available link – from a computer, tablet, or smart device. For audio-only participation attendees can dial in at (646) 558-8656 (not a toll-free number) and then enter the Webinar ID:838 8355 0056. 

A recording of the meeting will be posted to the Siting Board's YouTube Channel.

Important Dates

Siting Board Meeting on Opening Rulemaking on Cumulative Impact Analysis and Site Suitability Criteria
Monday, December 15, 2025

Siting Board files Proposed Regulations with the Secretary of State
Friday, December 19, 2025

Secretary of State publishes Proposed Regulations in the Massachusetts Register
Friday, January 2, 2026

Public Comment Period
January 23-February 13, 2026

Accommodation Requests and Language Services Requests
Interpretation services for the Siting Board meeting (in-person and Zoom) will be provided in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese and American Sign Language (ASL).

 Additional language interpretation services are also available upon request to Yonathan Mengesha at (617) 305-3544 or yonathan.mengesha@mass.gov

Include in your request the language required and your contact information. To assist us in accommodating your request, please submit it as soon as possible.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) are available upon request. To request an accommodation, please contact:

Melixza Esenyie 

Non-Discrimination Coordinator and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Human Resources, 9th Floor
100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114 

eeadiversity@mass.gov

 617-626-1282

In your communication, state the accommodation you need and why you need the accommodation. Provide contact information in case the Coordinator needs more information. Provide your request as soon as possible. The Coordinator will consider but may not be able to fulfill late requests.

Non-discrimination Notice
The Siting Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, income, ethnicity, class, disability, religious creed or belief, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, English language proficiency or ancestry in administration of its programs or activities. See the Siting Board’s Non-Discrimination Notice.
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If you have any questions about this notice or any of the Siting Board’s non-discrimination programs, policies, or procedures or believe the Siting Board has discriminated against you, you may contact Melixza Esenyie (see above for contact information) for more information.

Contacts
For questions regarding the upcoming Siting Board meeting, please contact:
Andrew Greene, Director
Energy Facilities Siting Board
617-305-3525
Andrew.Greene@mass.gov

Siting Division staff previously issued for discussion purposes draft proposed regulations, 980 CMR 15.00, in October 2025.  The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (“EEA”) Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (“OEJE”) issued draft guidance, Draft Standards and Guidelines for Cumulative Impact Analysis.  EEA issued draft guidance on Site Suitability Assessments for Clean Energy Infrastructure. The Siting Board and OEJE staff conducted a webinar on November 6, 2025, which included staff presentations and comments on the draft proposed regulations.  Based on comments received, Siting Division staff revised the proposed regulations.  At the forthcoming Board meeting, the Siting Board will hear staff presentations on the draft proposed regulations, and hear public comment as time allows. The Siting Board meeting on December 15 will initiate a formal rulemaking process that will include further opportunities for written and oral comment.

The agenda for the Board meeting is available at the following link.

The Tentative Decision is now available at the following link.