The Senate on Thursday voted for legislation that would provide oversight of the Commonwealth’s ocean resources allowing Massachusetts to properly manage the state’s territorial waters and ensure a public voice and state oversight of future development projects.  

"The idea is that while we have very well-established laws for planning how we use our land, we have nothing for our ocean," explained Senator Joyce. "It became essential to draft a framework to protect and preserve one of Massachusetts’ greatest assets." 

This legislation provides oversight, coordination, and planning authority of ocean resources. This includes the development of an ocean management plan incorporating the best available scientific understandings of marine and ocean resources, mapping, monitoring, and other data collection activity. It will identify management measures, mitigation requirement, or use limitations, to be employed in the control of any activities in the planning area. 

The final ocean management plan will guide how state environmental agencies interpret, monitor and enforce the environmental laws of the Commonwealth.  The legislation also provides safeguards for the treatment of fisheries, recognizing the central role that commercial and recreational fishing plays in our economy.   

"Massachusetts oceans and coastlines play a vital, though often unrecognized role in our commonwealth’s economy and identity," said Senator Robert O’Leary, who sponsored the legislation.   

This legislation addresses the diverse uses of our ocean resources, including liquefied natural gas terminals, desalinization plants, and energy facilities. The bill will balance the many marine interests with environmentally sustainable practices while preserving fishing, tourism and oceanographic research industries. 

The legislation will set a standard framework to judge future ocean development proposals for state-owned waters, which encompass approximately three nautical miles from the coastline.   

Under the authority of the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, an ocean management plan would be developed by a 16-member commission which will include: state agency representatives, legislators, municipal officials, and environmental, fishing and industry stakeholders. 

The commission will gather and consider recommendations of seven regional working groups from affected coastal areas.   

The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives.