CZM Public Notices and Comment Opportunities

Find links to selected public notices and other public comment opportunities from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), along with recent Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area decisions.

Please Note: All official CZM notices (including federal consistency review notices) are published in the "Public Notices" section of the Environmental Monitor, the bi-weekly publication from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office.

Information on selected CZM public notices is included below, along with details on other CZM comment opportunities and recent Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area decisions.

See Contact CZM for email, phone, and mail contact options for the CZM central and regional offices.

Public Notices

Currently, there are no items to highlight in this section. See the "Public Notices" section of the Environmental Monitor for all official CZM notices.

Comment Opportunities

Currently, there are no CZM comment opportunities to highlight here.

Recent Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Decisions

NEW: Decision Issued on Harbor Plan for Gloucester - On July 7, the Decision on the Request for Approval of the Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan (PDF, 1 MB) was issued by the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The 2025 renewal planning area includes Gloucester’s Inner Harbor, Harbor Cove, Smith Cove, and adjacent landside areas extending from the Rocky Neck peninsula to the Blynman Canal, as well as access roads including Western Avenue, Commercial Street and Fort Square, Rogers Street and Main Street, East Main Street, Rocky Neck Avenue, and Horton Street. The 2025 renewal addresses pressures on commercial fishing operations from changes in fisheries management and global competition, as well as risks to existing and aging infrastructure associated with climate change and rising sea levels. It also guides Gloucester’s harbor economy to capitalize on new “blue economy” opportunities in fisheries, marine research and biotechnology, and ocean and seafood product development to diversify and expand economic activity while maintaining the centrality of the harbor to the city’s identity. The plan also includes a Designated Port Area (DPA) Master Plan that details a strategy to preserve and enhance the capacity of the DPA to accommodate water-dependent industries and prevent substantial displacement of these activities by non-water-dependent uses. The Secretary’s Decision approves the plan with modifications and conditions to ensure that sufficient space along the water’s edge will be devoted exclusively to water-dependent use and public access, protect existing water-dependent uses, and promote utilization of the shoreline for water-dependent purposes. For questions, please contact Kathryn Glenn, CZM North Shore Regional Coordinator, at [e-mail].

Additional past decisions are available on CZM's Municipal Harbor Plan web page.