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HD 3075

An Act establishing healthy soil performance guidelines

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dave Vieira

Massachusetts would require the Department of Agricultural Resources to establish post-construction soil performance guidelines, focusing on soil quality, carbon storage, water qua

Senate concurred
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Bill Summary · HD 3075

Summary: An Act establishing healthy soil performance guidelines (HD 3075)

Overview

  • Bill number: HD 3075 (House Docket No. 142)
  • Title: An Act establishing healthy soil performance guidelines
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025 (Filed January 16, 2025 by Rep. David T. Vieira)
  • Status: Senate concurred
  • Purpose: To authorize the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) to establish post-construction soil performance guidelines and to redefine certain turf-related concepts within the General Laws, with enforcement mechanisms and a collaboration framework with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.

What the bill would do (Key Provisions)

Section 1 — Post-construction soil performance guidelines

  • The Department of Agricultural Resources must promulgate regulations on post-construction soil performance guidelines.
  • Guideline topics include:
    • Soil depth and soil quality
    • Carbon storage capacity
    • Storm water runoff
    • Water quality
    • Fertilizer and nutrient input mitigation
    • Compaction or infiltration capacity
  • The regulatory scope may be regionalized as appropriate.
  • The department must work with the UMass Amherst Extension to ensure regulations align with the program’s published information, educational materials, and outreach.
  • Regulations must be consistent with healthy soils practices as defined by Section 7A of Chapter 128.
  • Enforcement: The department may impose fines for violations:
    • First offense: up to $250
    • Second offense: up to $500
    • Third or subsequent offense: up to $1,000
  • Appeals: Fine assessments can be appealed to the Division of Administrative Law Appeals within 10 days; hearings are conducted under Chapter 30A; decisions can be appealed to the Superior Court under Chapter 30A.

Section 2 — Redefinition and expansion of turf-related terms

  • Amends Section 64 of Chapter 128 by removing the existing definition of “Lawn.”
  • Inserts new definitions after “Fertilizer material”:
    • Functional turf: Turf on private property or recreational/ civic spaces (e.g., lawns, playgrounds, sports fields, parks, golf courses, cemeteries, amphitheaters) used for regular civilian/community purposes.
    • Utility turf: Turf established mainly to fulfill ecological/practical functions (e.g., soil stabilization, erosion control, carbon sequestration, urban heat island mitigation, vegetative buffer strips, watershed protection, pollutant capture).
  • Inserts after the definition of “Ton” the term:
    • Turf: A natural living ground cover with dense canopy and interconnected root network, typically found in lawns and commercial green spaces.

Who/what is affected

  • State agencies: Department of Agricultural Resources, with new regulatory authority over post-construction soil performance.
  • Developers and property owners: Subject to new soil guidelines, potential design/specification adjustments for construction, landscaping, and maintenance.
  • Municipalities and public spaces: Parks, recreational areas, and other public turf areas may be impacted by standards and enforcement.
  • Landscapers and agronomists: Compliance with depth/quality, carbon storage, irrigation, fertilizer use, and turf definitions.
  • Universities/extension services: UMass Amherst Extension collaborates to align regulations with educational materials and outreach.

Implementation timeline and process

  • Regulatory development: The bill requires DAR to promulgate regulations; no explicit date provided for final rule adoption in the text.
  • Enforcement window: Fines and appeals are defined, creating a procedural framework for enforcement once regulations are in effect.
  • Legislative status: Referred to the Agriculture Committee on February 27, 2025; Senate concurred on the same date it was considered.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Establishes a formal framework for soil performance after construction, emphasizing carbon storage, water quality, and erosion control.
  • Introduces regional tailoring of regulations and a collaboration pathway with a major extension program for consistent messaging.
  • Creates penalties for noncompliance, with a defined appeals process, potentially affecting developers, landscapers, and public works projects.
  • Redefines turf-related concepts, which could influence lawn management, public spaces, and ecological design approaches in Massachusetts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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