Proposed MEPA Regulation Amendments

Following on Lt. Governor Driscoll’s stakeholder briefing last week, we had the privilege of attending Governor Healey’s announcement yesterday at Davis's exciting 970 Fellsway project in Medford. The Governor unveiled proposed MEPA regulation revisions intended to dramatically reduce review timeframes for certain qualifying housing, nature-based, and ecological restoration projects. 

The overhaul aims to align environmental review more directly with the Commonwealth’s housing and resiliency goals—moving from year-long review processes to as little as 30 days. 

These amendments will apply to housing projects that meet certain criteria—such as proximity to transit, energy efficiency, and compact infill design. They also importantly streamline review of ecological restoration projects, which are inherently different than development projects with regard to environmental impacts. 

The public comment period is open now, with hearings scheduled for October 14 and 15, and comments due by October 31, 2025. If approved, the new regulations are anticipated to take effect by December 2025. 

We're looking forward to delving in and providing input on this exciting update! Learn more here, or reach out with questions: https://lnkd.in/e_xsMM3S