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H4685 • 2025

An Act requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting

An Act requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting

Active

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

Sponsor
Kelly W. Pease
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5353 (under House Rule 27)
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 requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting

An Act requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting By Representative Pease of Westfield, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Kelly W.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting By Representative Pease of Westfield, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Kelly W.
  • Pease and Lindsay N.
  • Sabadosa relative to battery storage facility permitting and penalties for noncompliance.
  • Municipalities and Regional Government.

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. 2026-04-13 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5353 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2026-02-17 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-11-17 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 11/17/2025 from 10:00 AM-05:00 PM in Written Testimony Only

  4. 2025-10-30 Senate

    Senate concurred

  5. 2025-10-23 House

    Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

  6. 2025-04-24 House

    Referred to the committee on House Rules

  7. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act requiring local approval for battery storage facility permitting
By Representative Pease of Westfield, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Kelly W. Pease and Lindsay N. Sabadosa relative to battery storage facility permitting and penalties for noncompliance. Municipalities and Regional Government.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.4685

SECTION 1. Chapter 40A of the General Laws, as appearing in the most recent edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:

Local Approval Requirement for Battery Storage Facilities.

(a) Definitions- As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

"Battery storage facility"- a facility that uses batteries to store and distribute electrical energy.

"Municipal governing body"- the elected city council, selectboard, or other legislative authority of a municipality.

"State permitting authority"- any state agency responsible for granting permits related to energy infrastructure, including but not limited to the Department of Public Utilities and the Energy Facilities Siting Board.

(b) Local Approval Requirement- (1) No state permitting authority shall approve a battery storage facility unless the municipal governing body of the municipality in which the facility is proposed has voted to approve the project. (2) Municipalities shall have the authority to establish additional siting, safety, and environmental requirements for battery energy storage facilities, provided such requirements do not conflict with state law.

(c) Public Hearing Requirement- (1) Prior to any municipal vote on a proposed battery storage facility, the municipality shall hold at least one public hearing to solicit input from residents and stakeholders. (2) The project applicant shall be required to present detailed plans, including risk assessments, emergency response protocols, and environmental impact analyses, at the public hearing. (3) The municipal governing body shall consider public input in making its determination on the project.

(d) Coordination with State Agencies- (1) The state permitting authority shall provide technical assistance to municipalities in evaluating proposed projects but shall not override a municipality’s decision to deny a project. (2) Municipalities and state agencies shall coordinate to ensure compliance with all applicable safety, environmental, and zoning regulations.

(e) Enforcement and Penalties- (1) Any battery storage facility constructed or operated without municipal approval in violation of this section shall be subject to fines of up to $100,000 per violation and shall be required to cease operations until compliance is achieved. (2) The Attorney General shall have the authority to enforce this section and seek injunctive relief where necessary.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect immediately upon passage.

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