๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
- bealsandthomasweb
- 6 minutes ago
- 1 min read
MEPAย has finalized updates to its regulations (301 CMR 11.00) that take effect ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ. These regulatory amendments are intended to ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ๐๐ for certain categories of projects in the Commonwealth, with a focus on facilitating strategic development and advancing ecological restoration, all while retaining MEPAโs environmental oversight.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐:
โช ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ-๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐: Projects that meet defined criteria for residential density, land use, and environmental safeguards may now proceed through MEPA review with an ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ (๐๐ก๐) ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐, potentially avoiding the more detailed and time-intensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process.
โช ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: The amendments also provide a more efficient review process for ecological restoration limited projects.
โช ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐: Updated forms and a Qualifying Housing Map Viewer are available to help proponents determine eligibility for the streamlined process beginning with the February 3โ17 filing cycle.
These changes reflect a significant shift in how environmental review can integrate with land use objectives across Massachusetts.
If youโre looking to understand whether your project could benefit from the new streamlined pathways under MEPA, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ. We can help you evaluate applicability, prepare filings, and navigate the updated regulatory landscape.
