An Act relative to the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jake Oliveira and 1 co-sponsor

Adds the Belchertown Snowmobile Association as a member of the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee, expanding winter recreation representation in watershed decisions.

Accompanied a study order, see H5307

Overview

H.1043, introduced February 27, 2025, seeks to modify the membership of the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee by adding a new stakeholder group: the Belchertown Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts snowmobile club. The bill amends Section 13 of Chapter 92A½ of the General Laws to place this organization on the committee’s membership list, alongside existing members such as the Friends of Quabbin, Inc. The measure is currently in the Environment and Natural Resources committee, with health status updates and a scheduled hearing.

What the bill would do

Amends Section 13 of Chapter 92A½ to insert the Belchertown Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts snowmobile club as a member of the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee.

Specifically, the bill removes a current conjunction (the word “and”) in line 12 and adds the new organization after the reference to the Friends of Quabbin, Inc., thereby expanding the committee’s representation.

Key provisions and changes

Scope: Change is limited to the composition of the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee.

New member: Belchertown Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts snowmobile club becomes a designated member of the committee.

Language: The amendment modifies the statutory text governing committee membership in Section 13 of Chapter 92A½, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition.

Who is affected

Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee: Adds a new member organization, representing snowmobile enthusiasts and related recreational interests in Belchertown.

Stakeholders and users in the Quabbin watershed area may see their interests more formally represented in advisory discussions (e.g., winter recreation, access, and land/water use decisions).

Procedural and timeline highlights

Introduced: February 27, 2025.

Referred to: House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (2025-02-27).

Senate concurrence: Reported as concurred (2025-02-27).

Hearing: Scheduled for June 3, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Committee Room A-1.

Status: Reporting date extended to Wednesday, December 31, 2025, indicating a continued active review process.

Related bill: HD 2774 is the House version/replace for this measure.

Potential implications

Broader stakeholder representation on the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee, potentially influencing deliberations on watershed management, recreational access, and related land/water use policies.

The addition of a snowmobile club aligns winter recreation interests with watershed governance considerations, which could affect advisory recommendations or oversight strategies related to seasonal access and use within the watershed area.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language Q&A or a comparison with the current committee composition to highlight how the membership would change in practice.

Bill