Overview
In November 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed into law An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers, St. 2024, c. 239 (the “2024 Climate Act”), which makes significant changes to the siting and permitting of energy infrastructure in Massachusetts.
The 2024 Climate Act requires the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (“OEJE”) to develop standards and guidelines regarding the potential use and applicability of cumulative impact analysis (“CIA”) for clean energy infrastructure. The 2024 Climate Act also requires the Energy Facilities Siting Board (“EFSB,” "the Siting Board") to promulgate regulations and guidance to implement reforms related to siting and permitting by March 1, 2026, including regulations requiring the use of CIA in the Board’s review of facilities, informed by the guidance developed by OEJE.
To inform the development of these regulations and related guidance, in collaboration with Siting Board, OEJE issued presentations and draft guidance and conducted public meetings to receive stakeholder input. Based on the comments received, OEJE and EFSB developed guidance and regulations on CIA.
Cumulative Impact Analysis Final Guidance
On April 15, 2026, OEJE published Standards and Guidelines for Cumulative Impact Analysis. This final version of the guidance reflects updates made following a series of stakeholder feedback opportunities and is intended to inform the implementation of cumulative impact analysis requirements for energy facility siting.
MassEnviroScreen
To support the implementation of energy siting and permitting reforms, OEJE released a draft version of the MassEnviroScreen mapping tool in November 2025. This tool is a GIS-based mapping tool developed and administered by OEJE that uses indicators to produce an MassEnviroScreen Score and provide indicator data for every census block group across the Commonwealth. It is intended to support the guidance and regulations on cumulative impact analysis and site suitability assessments. OEJE anticipates releasing a final version of the MassEnviroScreen in late April, alongside updated Technical Documentation.
Public Comment for CIA Regulations
On April 15, 2026, the EFSB issued the clean and redline versions 980 CMR 15.00 draft final regulations. The redline draft final regulations are redlined from the proposed regulations issued on March 20, 2026.
- Clean 980 CMR 15.00 (Cumulative Impact Analysis/Site Suitability) and CIA Report Template
- Redline 980 CMR 15.00 (Cumulative Impact Analysis/Site Suitability) and CIA Report Template
The Siting Board will conduct a hybrid Siting Board meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Starting at 10:00 a.m., the Siting Board will hear staff presentations on final regulations and guidance, 980 CMR 15.00, Cumulative Impact Analysis and Standards for Applying Site Suitability Criteria. EFSB 25-10. The Siting Board will hear public comment as time allows, and will deliberate and vote on final regulations.
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 clicking 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: 822 2091 2635 ## (press # twice)
The Tentative Decision adopting the final regulations is available. The Open Meeting Law Agenda for this Board Meeting can now be accessed via the available link.
Previous Meetings and Webinars
December Board Meeting
The Energy Facilities Siting Board conducted 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 agenda for the Board meeting is available at the following link. The slides for the Board meeting are available at the following link.
The Tentative Decision is available at the following link. The Final Decision is available at the following link.
CIA Webinar
The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board and Office of Environmental Justice and Equity conducted a public webinar on Thursday, November 6th at 2:00pm to provide an overview of the proposed draft guidance and regulations for Cumulative Impact Analysis and provide an opportunity for public input. The draft guidance documents are posted below. The draft guidance drafted by the Massachusetts Office of Environmental Justice and Equity is meant to inform the draft proposed regulations, which are drafted by EFSB staff. The webinar precedes a formal rulemaking process that will include further opportunities for comment.
A recording of the webinar is now available on the Siting Board’s YouTube channel.
For this webinar, interpretation was provided in the following languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, Khmer, Arabic, French, Cape Verdean Creole, and American Sign Language (ASL).
The slides used for the webinar are available in English, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cape Verdean Creole (Crioulo), Spanish, Portuguese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Khmer, Arabic, and Russian.