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H1046 • 2025

An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways

An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Schwartz, Greg
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Accompanied H1031
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways

An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways By Representatives Schwartz of Newton and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways By Representatives Schwartz of Newton and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1046) of Greg Schwartz, David M.
  • Rogers and others for legislation to eliminate combined sewer overflows in waterways.
  • Environment and Natural Resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 House

    Accompanied H1031

  2. 2025-12-24 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-09-15 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, December 31, 2025

  4. 2025-06-10 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to eliminate combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts waterways
By Representatives Schwartz of Newton and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1046) of Greg Schwartz, David M. Rogers and others for legislation to eliminate combined sewer overflows in waterways. Environment and Natural Resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.1046

SECTION 1. As used in this Act, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

"Combined Sewer System" is a wastewater collection system of a municipality or of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works that conveys sanitary wastewater (domestic, commercial, and industrial wastewaters) and stormwater through a single-pipe system to a treatment plant.

“Combined Sewer Overflow” is a discharge or release from a Combined Sewer System directly or indirectly to a water of the commonwealth at a point prior to a Publicly Owned Treatment Works Treatment Plant.

"EEA" is the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

SECTION 2. Any entity, public or private that owns or operates a combined sewer system that discharges combined sewage into a Massachusetts waterway shall eliminate all combined sewer overflows into Massachusetts waterways by December 31, 2050.

SECTION 3. The EEA shall, within six months of the effective date of this Act, establish interim metrics and benchmarks to monitor progress toward the elimination of combined sewer overflows. These metrics shall include, but not be limited to:

(a)

Interim reduction targets for combined sewer system discharges discharges;

(b) Reporting requirements for entities owning or operating combined sewer systems.

SECTION 4. The EEA shall report annually to the General Court and the public on progress toward eliminating combined sewer overflows, including compliance with interim metrics and any barriers to implementation.

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