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H887 • 2025

An Act relative to on-site sewage disposal systems

An Act relative to on-site sewage disposal systems

Active

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

Sponsor
James Arciero
Last action
2025-09-25
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
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 relative to on-site sewage disposal systems

An Act relative to on-site sewage disposal systems By Representative Arciero of Westford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to on-site sewage disposal systems By Representative Arciero of Westford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 887) of James Arciero relative to on-site sewage disposal systems.
  • Environment and Natural Resources.
  • Status: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

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. 2025-09-25 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  2. 2025-06-10 Joint

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

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to on-site sewage disposal systems
By Representative Arciero of Westford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 887) of James Arciero relative to on-site sewage disposal systems. Environment and Natural Resources.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.887

SECTION 1.

Section 13 of chapter 21A of the Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 official edition, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

A board of health may adopt a local on-site sewage disposal systems regulation, only to the extent that it imposes standards or other requirements that are more stringent than or otherwise exceed those set forth in Title 5 of the State Environmental Code, 310 CMR 15.000, and only if, prior to adoption by the board of health, the Department of Environmental Protection shall review and approve any such proposed on-site sewage disposal systems regulation based upon findings that the proposed regulation has a generally recognized scientific basis, is a recommended best practice technique, is necessary to protect unusual local resources that warrant special or enhanced protection, and does not conflict with Title 5 of the State Environmental Code, 310 CMR 15.000.

An appeal of a decision made under a local wetlands ordinance or by-law shall be made to the Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with the Wetlands Protection Act (G.L. Ch. 131 § 40) and regulations (310 CMR 10.00) thereunder.

SECTION 2.

The first paragraph of Section 31 of chapter 111, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the second sentence the following sentence:-

A board of health may adopt local on-site sewage disposal systems regulations that contain standards or other requirements that are more stringent than or otherwise exceed those set forth in Title 5 of the State Environmental Code, 310 CMR 15.000, only if, prior to adoption by the board of health, the Department of Environmental Protection shall review and approve any such proposed on-site sewage disposal systems regulation based upon findings that the proposed regulation has a generally recognized scientific basis, is a recommended best practice technique, is necessary to protect unusual local resources that warrant special or enhanced protection, and does not conflict with Title 5 of the State Environmental Code, 310 CMR 15.000.

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