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Mass Rivers Budget Priorities – FY24

Mass Rivers is proud to partner with a partner organizations to advocate for these line items in the state budget so that the 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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Here's this year's fact sheet >>

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Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs Administration (Line Item 2000-0100, 2000-0101, 2000-0102):

EEA Admin (2000-0100): $18,172,987

Climate Adaptation and Preparedness (2000-0101): $10,003,414

Environmental justice (2000-0102): $8,804,284

 

EEA oversees many important environmental programs, and the agency has recently taken on more responsibility with the recently passed 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.

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Implementation of the 2021 Roadmap to Net Zero law and the 2025/2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan will require significant investment in the state agencies responsible for facilitating the state’s climate response and clean energy transition. Proposed improvements in H.1 include the establishment of a federal and regional leadership office and hiring of 14 new environmental justice coordinators to execute on equitable coordinated climate action.

 

Department of Conservation and Recreation – State Parks and Recreation (Line-Item 2810-0100): 

$107,632,351

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. DCR needs to be prepared for the impacts of climate change, like flooding and drought, as well as invasive species outbreaks and normal maintenance of facilities. They provide an invaluable environmental, educational, and recreational service to our communities. 

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H.1 proposes a $22M increase to address ongoing staffing and maintenance shortfalls, persistent underfunding of DCR programs, and implementation of the recommendations of the DCR Special Commission. In particular, the ongoing need to support partnerships to fully meet DCR service goals has been identified.

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Department of Public Utilities Administration (Line Item 2100-0012):

$19,781,167

$1.6M increase to support increased hiring of 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 EJ 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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Department of Environmental Protection Admin (Line Item 2200-0100): 

$51,969,763

The Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has a critical role in protecting public health and safety. MassDEP is tasked with ensuring clean air and water, managing toxics, reducing solid waste, preserving wetlands, developing energy efficiency projects and preparing the Commonwealth for climate change impacts. They recently added PFAS testing and sewage discharge notification to their workload, without gaining additional employees for those duties. 

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Massachusetts is experiencing increasing and intersecting threats to its water supply and vulnerable natural resources. This funding will also support hiring over 50 new DEP for critical work including PFAS testing and mitigation, inspection and compliance, and incorporating climate preparedness in permitting.

We're also requesting level funding for agencies that have received increased budgets in recent years:​

National Heritage and Endangered Species (Line Item 2310-0300):

$1,500,000 ($500,000 increase over FY23)

The Coalition recommends a $500K increase to support increased demand for services as well as the continuing

rollout of BioMap3 and increased regional support. H.1 proposed a ~$300K increase.

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Division of Ecological Restoration (Line Item 2300-0101):

$4,300,000 (level funding with FY23)

The Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) within the Department of Fish and Game restores and protects our rivers, wetlands, and watersheds to improve streamflow, protect drinking water, and reduce flooding. Every state dollar invested in DER projects is matched on average by five non-state dollars. Every $1 million spent on restoration in Massachusetts, generates, on average, a 75% return on investment and creates or maintains 12.5 jobs. In FY17, DER and its partners managed over $13 million in federal grants to remove obsolete dams, upgrade failing bridges and replace culverts.

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DER operates popular and successful restoration programs with over 100 active projects across the Commonwealth and a significant backlog of project applications. H.1 proposes a $500K cut to this line item which would undermine the multiyear progress made toward increasing the capacity of DER to meet local demand for project support.

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