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H 891

An Act instructing the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to study the feasibility of repurposing the former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for the purposes of fish and shellfish farms

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bruce Ayers

Mass. bill directs the Dept. of Fish & Game to study repurposing Moon Island sewage plant for fish/shellfish farming and education, with findings due by Dec 15, 2026.

Hearing scheduled for 07/01/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 891

Summary of Massachusetts Bill H.891 (2025-2026)

Purpose and intent

H.891, titled “An Act instructing the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to study the feasibility of repurposing the former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for the purposes of fish and shellfish farms,” directs the Department of Fish & Game to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study. The study would evaluate repurposing Boston’s Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for aquaculture (fish and shellfish farming) and related educational and environmental aims.

Key provisions

  • Section 1 – Feasibility study scope

    • The department must study the feasibility of repurposing the city of Boston’s Moon Island plant for fish and shellfish farming.
    • The study would consider using the site’s four cut-granite storage tanks, which have a capacity of 50 million gallons, measuring 900 by 150 feet and 17 feet deep, with walls seven feet thick at the base.

  • Section 2 – Purported benefits and uses

    • The bill asserts potential environmental benefits, including improved water quality and support for marine life such as crabs, eelgrass, shrimp, bluefish, and striped bass.
    • Proposed uses include environmental and educational purposes, with public and private school access for educational activities.

  • Section 3 – Stakeholders to receive findings

    • Findings would be forwarded to: the Mayor of Boston; the Mayor of Quincy; the Boston Conservation Commission; the Quincy Conservation Commission; the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (as applicable); state legislators representing Boston and Quincy; and other interested parties.

  • Section 4 – Deadline

    • The department must complete and distribute the findings by December 15, 2026.

Who would be affected

  • State and local government bodies:
    • Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game
    • Mayor of Boston; Mayor of Quincy
    • Boston and Quincy Conservation Commissions
    • Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture
    • State legislators representing Boston and Quincy
  • Educational institutions (public and private schools) and the general public, which would have access to aquaculture-related educational activities.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Referred to: Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) on February 27, 2025
  • Senate concurrence: Indicates alignment with Senate actions (noted in bill history)
  • Hearing: Scheduled for July 1, 2025, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM in hearing room A-1
  • Final study deadline: December 15, 2026

Related measures

  • Similar matter previously filed in the 2023-2024 session (House No. 749)
  • Related House version appears as House Docket No. 2152 (HD 2152)

Bottom-line

H.891 is a non-binding, study-focused bill that would require the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to assess whether repurposing Moon Island’s former sewage treatment site into a fish and shellfish farming facility is feasible, including potential use of existing storage tanks, environmental and educational benefits, and the roles of multiple state and local stakeholders. The bill sets a concrete December 2026 deadline for delivering findings to specified officials, with a public hearing scheduled in July 2025.

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

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