The MEPA review process provides meaningful opportunities for public review of potential environmental impacts of certain projects for which certain actions by state agencies are required. It requires state agencies to study the environmental impacts of projects requiring state permitting, financial assistance or land disposition, and to use all feasible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment or, to the extent damage to the environment cannot be avoided, to minimize and mitigate damage to the environment to the maximum extent practicable.
Contact Us
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Who we serve
The MEPA Office is part of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). We provide meaningful opportunities for public review of the potential environmental impacts of projects for which state agency action is required. We serve the general public, state agencies, municipalities, and project proponents.
Environmental Justice Guidance and Resources
The MEPA Office has created a webpage to provide guidance and resources for projects proposed near environmental justice populations. Please view this webpage.
Information About Upcoming Regulatory Updates
The MEPA Office is continuing to engage in a regulatory review effort to update its regulations at 301 CMR 11.00 and associated policies and guidance.
The MEPA Office has scheduled public presentations on straw proposals to update the 2010 MEPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy and Protocol and the 2021 MEPA Interim Protocol on Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency.
The public comment period deadline is now closed.
More information can be found here.
About MEPA
On behalf of the Secretary of EEA, the MEPA Office conducts reviews of environmental impacts of development projects and other activities that require one or more state agency action. The MEPA Office is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the MEPA review process, including to:
- solicit comments from the general public and state agencies
- represent the Secretary at public consultation session on projects
- coordinate project review with proponents, consultants, and interested agencies and citizens, and
- make recommendations to the Secretary regarding the adequacy of environmental documentation submitted for a project.
The Environmental Monitor
Read current and archived issues of the Environmental Monitor to find information on projects under review, recent decisions of the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, and public notices from State agencies.
The 2024 Environmental Monitor Publication Schedule includes submission deadlines, comment due dates and decision deadlines for 2024.
If you would like to receive a notice when the newest edition of the Environmental Monitor is available, send a blank email to subscribe-mepa_environmentalmonitor@listserv.state.ma.us. Please ensure that both the subject line and the body of the email are blank and that the email does not contain an automatic signature or your email address will not be added to the listserv.
Public Comment Portal
You may submit comments electronically on projects currently under review through our Public Comment Portal. Users will be able to search for projects open for comment.
Recent Decisions
Recently issued Certificates from the past two weeks can be found here.
Public Notices
Public Notices must be received by 5 p.m. on the 15th and last day of each month for publication in the next issue of the Environmental Monitor. If the 15th or last day falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day.
Public notices should be e-mailed in PDF format to MEPA by 5 PM on the 15th and last days of each month for publication in the next issue of the Environmental Monitor.