Energy facility siting laws and regulations

Find the Massachusetts general laws and regulations related to the siting of energy facilities.

Massachusetts general laws

Energy Facilities Siting Board

• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69G: Definitions
• M.G. L. Chapter 164, § 69H: Energy facilities siting board
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69H½: Hydropower generation facilities
• M.G. L. Chapter 164, § 69I: Long-range forecasts of electric and gas companies; filing; hearings; approval
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69J: Petition for approval of construction; notice of intention to construct oil facilities; public hearings; approval or rejection
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69J¼: Construction of generating facility
• M.G. L. Chapter 164, § 69J½: Fees for applications to construct electricity facilities
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69K: Certificate of environmental impact and public interest; construction of facilities; petition; issuance; conditions; state agencies and local governments restricted; transfer; amendment; applicability
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69K½: Certificate of environmental impact and public interest with respect to a generating facility
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69L: Petition for certificate or amendment thereof; form; information required; affidavit of service and notice
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69L½: Application for certificate with respect to a generating facility
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69M: Public hearings on petitions; national pollutant discharge elimination system permit; notices; procedures; fact sheets
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69N: Parties in interest to proceedings
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69O: Decision granting or denying application; findings and opinions; applicability
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69O½: Decision granting or denying application with regard to a generating facility; findings and opinions
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69P: Judicial review
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69Q: Joint inter-agency investigations, hearings or orders; interstate compacts and federal agreements authorized
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 69S: Eminent domain with respect to oil pipelines; requisite procedures; rights relative to taking

Cases with both Department and Siting Board jurisdictions that have been consolidated are also within the Siting Board's purview pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 25, § 4.

Appeals of both Department and Siting Board proceedings are governed by M.G.L. Chapter 25, § 5.

DPU Siting

Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 25, § 4, the Department of Public Utilities refers certain types of Department proceedings to the Siting Division for review. These types of proceedings are as follows:

• M.G.L. Chapter 164, §69R: Eminent domain; taking by electric or gas companies, generation companies or wholesale generation companies; procedures; restrictions
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 72: Taking land for transmission lines
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 72A: Survey preliminary to eminent domain proceedings; notice to landowners; damages (electric company)
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 73:  Pipes, mains, wire and conduits crossing railroads
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 75B: Qualifying to do business
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 75C: Right of eminent domain
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 75D: Survey preliminary to eminent domain proceedings; liability (natural gas pipelines)
• M.G.L. Chapter 164, § 75H:   Licenses, permits, etc., for pipeline maintenance, construction and operation:
• M.G.L. Chapter 40A, § 3: Subjects which zoning may not regulate; exemptions; public hearings; temporary manufactured home residences
• M.G.L. Chapter 160, § 83: Taking of land for purposes other than a railroad
• M.G.L. Chapter 166, § 28:  Approval by department of location

Department of Public Utilities regulations

• 220 CMR 1.00: Procedural Rules

Energy Facilities Siting Board regulations

• 980 CMR 1.00: Scope and Rules for Adjudicatory Proceedings, Intervention and Decisions
• 980 CMR 1.05: Intervention
• 980 CMR 1.05: Intervention (Spanish translation)
• 980 CMR 2.00: Energy Facilities Siting Board, Membership, Meetings
• 980 CMR 4.00: Public Record Access
• 980 CMR 5.00: Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact
• 980 CMR 6.00: Certification of Environmental Impact and Public Need
• 980 CMR 7.00: Long-range Forecasts and Supplements
• 980 CMR 8.00: Notices of Intention to Construct an Oil Facility
• 980 CMR 9.00: Coastal Zone Facility Site Selection, Evaluation and Assessment
• 980 CMR 10.00: Siting of Intrastate Liquefied Natural Gas Storage
• 980 CMR 11.00: Licensing of Hydropower Generating Facilities
• 980 CMR 12.00: Technology Performance Standards

Regulations Disclaimer

The regulations posted on this website are provided for information only. The posted regulations are not the official version of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations ("CMR"). The official version of the CMR is available through the State Bookstore, State House, Room 116, Boston, MA 02133. Please contact the State Bookstore at [phone] or go to http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/contents.htm for pricing information.