ADVOCACY
Mass Rivers is proud to serve as the statewide advocacy organization for rivers and streams in the Commonwealth.
Learn more about the advocacy process and our priorities.
Zoom to find your legislator using our interactive map!
Map created by Caley Earls, Mass Rivers GIS Intern (updated 2023)
Advocacy Wins​
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Won successful passage of a bill to require public notification of sewage spills to waterbodies in Massachusetts in 2021. Learn more >>
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Forced the EPA to implement stormwater management requirements across the state.
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Helped draft a 2014 state law to increase water infrastructure funding.
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Increased stream connectivity by increasing the number of stormwater utilities around the state. Our six day-long workshops trained 400 municipal staff and consultants on culvert replacements and stormwater utilities.
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Worked with state staff to significantly strengthen state’s drought response management plan, completed in 2019.
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Defeated several proposed bills that would have harmed rivers.
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Increased climate resiliency, aquatic ecosystem protection, and climate justice in several bills that have been enacted into law.
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Won multi-million dollar increases in both annual state funding and capital budgets for agencies that protect rivers, in FY19, FY20, FY21, FY22, and FY23.
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Mass Rivers Top Legislative Priorities (2023-2024)
Read a debrief of how last session went for rivers >>​
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S.475/H.861 An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management (Sponsored by Representative Joan Meschino and Senator Jamie Eldridge)
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Right now when a drought is declared, each municipality implements their own water conservation measures, leading to a confusing patchwork of policies that provides only limited water savings and relief to our waterways.
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The Drought Bill provides a drought management solution that's scaled up to meet our new water needs, and lets our state be proactive in conserving water, rather than waiting for an emergency to hit. Increased conservation would provide relief to our rivers and groundwater, making them more resilient to the increased drought events that are expected in Massachusetts.
This bill would give the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force statutory authority and provide the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs with the authority to require uniform water conservation across a drought region during severe droughts. This only would affect non-essential outdoor watering (that's mostly lawn watering!). Essential water use for agriculture, core business functions, and indoor use would be unaffected.
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Mass Rivers testifying before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on the drought bill alongside our partners, April 2023.
How are laws made in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, legislative sessions begin on January 1 and last two years. An average of 6,000-10,000 bills are filed every session. However, less than 10% are passed and become state law. Learn how bills are created and passed in the state legislature >>
How does Massachusetts create its state budget?
Massachusetts fiscal years run from July 1–June 30. Learn how the state budget is created and passed >>
Advocacy Toolkit
Maintaining consistent contact with your local, state and federal elected officials is key to ensuring that they keep your priorities at the top of their list. For additional information on ways you and/or your organization can improve your advocacy efforts, check out our toolkit >>
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Where else is Mass Rivers speaking up for rivers?
Mass Rivers participates in state-run task forces, and coalitions with partner organizations. Learn more >>
Action Alert Sign Up
The Environmental and Climate Bond:
In 2024, the Healey administration is expected to release a new edition of the environmental bond to support a variety of statewide programs. Mass Rivers will be advocating for climate resilience, including for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program. Learn more about that advocacy here >>
More Bills We Support:
(S.457/H.906) Wetlands Restoration Permitting Initiative
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See the fact sheet from Mass Audubon >>
(H.845/S.445) Ecological Mosquito Control Reform
(H.876/S.557) Flood Risk Protection Program
(H.757/S.448) Funding for the Office of Outdoor Recreation
(H.890/S.508) Invasive Species
(H.825/S.487) SGARs & Pesticide Reporting
(SD.140) Water Banking
Mass Rivers Budget Priorities – FY25
Every year Mass Rivers advocates alongside our partners for investments in our environment. Increasing the line items below would ensure that the state agencies who steward our waterways and environment have sufficient funding each year.
Our goal is to get the state to spend 1% of the state budget on environmental agencies in the yearly budget (FY22 was only at 0.62%, up from 0.55% in FY18).
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Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Admin (Line Item 2000-0100): FY25 request $25M
($3.5 million increase over FY24)
EEA oversees many important environmental programs, and the agency has recently taken on more responsibility with the Roadmap to Net Zero law, the offshore wind and clean energy law, the implementation of the CECP, and ongoing administration of programs with increased demand like the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program. We're advocating for increased funding for EEA so they can keep up with these new and expanded programs.
Department of Conservation and Recreation State Parks & Recreation (Line Item 2810-0100): FY25 request $108M ($2.4 million increase over FY24)
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The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) stewards 450,000 acres of land that provide abundant recreational opportunities, enhance water quality, and contribute to a stable climate. Massachusetts' State Parks experienced a boom of attendance during the pandemic: the average increase in visitation was 99%, though some areas received as much as a 300% increase. They provide an invaluable environmental, educational, and recreational service to our communities.
Increased funding will address ongoing staffing and maintenance shortfalls, persistent underfunding of DCR programs, and implementation of the recommendations of the DCR Special Commission.
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Department of Conservation and Recreation Watershed Management (Line Item 2800-0101): FY25 request $2.1M
($300,000 increase over FY24)
Funding to support scientific studies on streamflow, technical assistance with both flooding and drought, and resource management in line with the Governor’s FY24 recommendation.
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Department of Fish and Game (2300-0100): $2.4 million ($1 million increase over FY24)
Funding to implement the Governor’s nation-leading Executive Order that directs DFG to create statewide biodiversity goals. This funding also supports stewardship on private and public land, and urban habitat programs in Gateway Cities and environmental justice communities.
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Department of Public Utilities Administration (Line Item 2100-0012): FY25 request $22M million
($2.3 million increase over FY24)
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This increase will support hiring staff to meet new and ongoing climate and clean energy obligations required of DPU in statute, particularly within the Electric Power Division and to support agency-level environmental justice work. Our goal is for new funding to be provided through General Fund appropriation not by assessments on ratepayers, which may require supplementary language.
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In addition to these priorities, we're defending the increases we've successfully advocated for in prior years by requesting level funding for:
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Department of Environmental Protection Admin (2200-0100): $52M
Natural Heritage and Endangered Species (2310-0300) $1.5M
Division of Ecological Restoration (2300-0101) $5.4M
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Environmental Justice (2000-0102): $8.8M
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Climate Adaptation & Preparedness (2000-0101): $10M
In 2023, we had great success - all 6 of our requests for the FY24 state budget were fulfilled, resulting in a $47 million increase to important environmental programs!
We're grateful to the the legislature, and especially Ways & Means Chairs Aaron Michlewitz and Michael Rodrigues, for prioritizing the Commonwealth's environment in the state budget.