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S 610

Relates to the registration of new curricula or programs of study offered by a not-for-profit college or university

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Toby Stavisky

Establishes a Clean Environment Fund using 40% of abandoned beverage-container deposits to fund recycling, waste reduction, and park improvements with annual reporting.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 610

Summary — S.610 (2025): An Act re-establishing the Clean Environment Fund

Status
- Bill number: S 610
- Introduced: February 18, 2025
- Sponsor (per bill text): Presented by Senator Edward J. Kennedy; petitioners include Jacob R. Oliveira and Joan B. Lovely.
- Key procedural steps: Passed the Senate (May 20, 2025); delivered to the House (Assembly) and referred to the House committee on Higher Education. Committee hearings and reports are noted in the legislative history.

Purpose
- To re-establish a dedicated Clean Environment Fund and dedicate a portion of monies collected from abandoned beverage-container deposit amounts to support solid-waste reduction, recycling, composting, litter control, recycling infrastructure, and selected state park improvements.

Key provisions
1. Deposit allocation (amendment to G.L. c.94, §323D)
- Forty percent (40%) of amounts collected by the Commissioner of Revenue under Section 323D (deposit amounts for abandoned beverage containers) shall be deposited into the newly established Clean Environment Fund (Section 323G).

  1. Creation and funding of the Clean Environment Fund (new G.L. c.94, §323G)

    • The Fund is a separate account on the Commonwealth’s books.
    • Credited with:
      • 40% of abandoned beverage-container deposit collections (per §323D),
      • any appropriations specifically designated for the Fund, and
      • investment income earned by the Fund.
    • Administration: Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
    • Use of funds (expended without further appropriation):
      • At least 60% annually must be used for state and municipal solid-waste reduction, recycling, litter reduction, composting programs, outreach, sustainable material recovery, recycling equipment and infrastructure, school food-waste/recycling grants, commercial/institutional recycling programs, enforcement of solid-waste regulations, and related innovative initiatives.
      • Remaining annual amounts (up to 40%) used for improvements to state parks, forest recreation areas, and reservations under the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR); such improvements must meet or exceed current LEED building standards, when applicable.
    • Unexpended balances do not revert to the General Fund and the Fund is exempt from indirect/fringe benefit assessments.
    • Annual reporting required: Secretary must report by January 15 each year to the House and Senate Ways & Means committees and the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture on receipts and distributions.

  2. Recycling at state-managed parks (addition to G.L. c.132A, §2E)

    • The DCR commissioner must establish a program to promote recycling and reduce litter at state parks, forest recreation areas, and reservations under DCR control.
    • New developments/improvements at those sites must provide for needed recycling where feasible.

Who is affected
- Municipalities (eligible for grants and program funding), school systems (food-waste and recycling grants), recycling service providers (equipment grants), state agencies (DCR, DEP, Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs), and users of state parks and recreation areas.
- Budgetary impact: directs a dedicated revenue stream (40% of abandoned deposit collections) away from other uses and into the Clean Environment Fund; reduces reliance on annual appropriations for the specified recycling and park-improvement activities.

Potential impact
- Provides a sustained funding source for recycling, composting, litter reduction and related infrastructure, likely increasing municipal and school recycling capacity and reducing solid waste/litter.
- Supports LEED-standard improvements to state parks, potentially improving sustainability of public facilities.
- By exempting balances from reversion, supports multi-year planning but reduces flexibility of the General Fund to use those revenues for other purposes.

Reporting and oversight
- Annual public reporting to legislative fiscal and environment committees enhances transparency about sources, recipients, and purposes of expenditures from the Fund.

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

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