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H 4420

An Act to address the impact of climate change on farms and fisheries

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by James Arena-DeRosa and 6 co-sponsors

Creates a dedicated, non-reverting grant fund to help Massachusetts farms and fisheries plan, finance, and implement climate resilience and adaptation projects.

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · H 4420

Summary of H.4420: An Act to address the impact of climate change on farms and fisheries

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a dedicated, non Reversionary Fund to support Massachusetts farms and fisheries in adapting to climate change.
  • Create a structured grant program to plan, finance, and implement climate resilience and adaptation projects within the agricultural and fishing sectors.
  • Promote climate-resilient practices, energy efficiency, renewable energy, nature-based solutions, and data-driven monitoring of outcomes.

Key provisions

Establishment and administration

  • Creates the Agriculture and Fishery Vulnerability Preparedness Grant Fund, a separate fund in the Commonwealth.
  • Administered by the Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) in consultation with the Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game.
  • The fund is dedicated and non-reverting: amounts credited are not subject to further appropriation and any remaining balance at year-end does not revert to the General Fund. Bond proceeds deposited into the fund are kept separate from other fund funds.

Funding sources

  • Fund revenues come from:
    • Appropriations explicitly designated to the fund
    • Interest earned on those revenues
    • Gifts, grants, and donations from public and private sources
  • Contributions are not restricted by donors in the sense of restricting usage beyond what the fund already authorizes.

Public purpose and eligible activities

  • Public purpose: administer a grant program to support farms and fisheries in planning climate change adaptation and resiliency initiatives, seeking resources to support implementation, and executing priority projects.
  • Eligible uses include (but are not limited to):
    • Controlled climate growing
    • Energy efficiency and renewable energy
    • Climate-resilient management practices
    • Nature-based solutions to climate impacts
    • Infrastructure needs to support climate resilience
    • Development and implementation of data collection and monitoring to measure impact
    • Other eligible purposes as determined by the secretary and the commissioners

Program design and support

  • Funds may be used to provide technical assistance to help farms and fisheries prioritize, plan, apply for grants, and identify funding sources.
  • Grants will be awarded to applicants from eligible sectors categorized by farm or fishery, with attention to regional and sector eligibility.

Regulation, oversight, and reporting

  • The commissioner shall promulgate rules/regulations for administering the fund and program.
  • Policies, rules, and regulations must be filed with the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries for review at least 30 days before their effective date.
  • Quarterly reporting to the House and Senate committees (Ways and Means), the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, and clerks includes:
    • List of grant applicants and their counties
    • List of grant recipients and their counties
    • Amounts of funds requested and awarded
    • Applicant’s sector (farm or fishery)
    • Annual statement of fund sources and uses
    • Forecast of future payments based on binding obligations
    • Detailed breakdown of administrative costs
    • Description of technical assistance services provided

Affected entities

  • Primary beneficiaries: farms and fisheries across Massachusetts.
  • Administrative/oversight: Commonwealth agencies—Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) and Department of Fish and Game—and the Secretary/commissioners involved in program design and implementation.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: Reported favorably by the Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries; referred to the House Ways and Means.
  • Introduced: September 8, 2025 (House No. 4420; related draft House No. 119 discussed on the same date).
  • Effective date: Immediate upon passage of the act.
  • Regulatory timeline: The commissioner must file rules/regulations and policy documents with the relevant joint committee for review 30 days prior to their effective date.
  • Next steps in process: Likely consideration by the House Ways and Means committee and potential floor action following standard Massachusetts legislative procedures.

Potential impact

  • Provides dedicated, protected funding for climate adaptation in farming and fishing communities.
  • Encourages proactive planning, resource acquisition, and project implementation to increase resilience to climate impacts.
  • Enhances transparency through regular public reporting on grants, recipients, funding flows, and administrative costs.
  • Supports capacity-building via technical assistance and data collection to monitor effectiveness.

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

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