Overview
The 2024 Climate Act tasked EEA with the development of a methodology for determining the suitability of sites for Large and Small Clean Energy Generation Facilities, Large and Small Clean Energy Storage Facilities, and Large and Small Clean Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure Facilities in newly established Public Rights of Way; and guidance to inform state, regional, and local regulations, ordinances, by-laws, and permitting processes on ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts on the environment and people to the greatest extent practicable. The guidance is required to be developed by March 1, 2026.
Draft Guidance
On September 12, 2025, EEA released its draft Guidance on Site Suitability Assessments for Clean Energy Infrastructure. The guidance describes the methodology for determining the suitability of sites for applicable energy infrastructure, and provides recommendations for using the site suitability methodology in the review of applications for consolidated permits by the EFSB and local governments.
This guidance is intended to inform regulations promulgated by the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) governing the siting and permitting of Large Clean Energy Infrastructure Facilities and regulations promulgated by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) establishing standards, requirements, and procedures governing the siting and permitting of Small Clean Energy Infrastructure Facilities by Local Governments. For more information on these regulations, visit mass.gov/energypermitting.
Site Suitability Webmap
EEA has developed a webmap depicting several of the geospatial criteria proposed in EEA's draft Guidance on Site Suitability Assessments for Clean Energy Infrastructure. The map includes layers indicating site suitability for the following criteria: carbon sequestration and storage (Ecosystem Carbon Index), biodiversity (Biodiversity Index), agricultural resources (Agricultural Resources Index), and Social and Environmental Burdens (MassEnviroScreen). This map is not intended to provide exact scores for specific sites, but rather to provide an indication of how areas across the state might score under site suitability assessments as proposed.
Public Engagement and Comments
EEA held a public webinar on Thursday, October 9 to provide an overview of the Draft Guidance on Site Suitability Assessments and Draft Standards and Guidelines for Community Benefit Plans and Agreements, and to provide opportunity for public input. A recording of this webinar is available to view here. The webinar presentation slides are available in English, Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, French, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
EEA accepted written comments on the draft Guidance on Site Suitability Assessments submitted through October 31, 2025. All public comments received can be downloaded as a zip file here.