New Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy

On April 23, 2007, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) issued a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Policy, making Massachusetts the first state to require state agencies and private developers to assess GHG in their environmental review documents. The policy requires certain projects undergoing review by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office to quantify the GHG emissions associated with the project and to propose alternatives to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the emissions. The MEPA Office has convened an advisory committee that will develop a standardized protocol for the emissions analysis. The advisory committee is expected to complete action on the protocol so that it can be available for public notice by July 1, 2007. Until that time, project proponents will not be required to assess GHG emissions, but they will be required to incorporate measures to mitigate such emissions.