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Senate committee weighs stormwater-utility language in capital bill H952
Summary
The Senate Institutions committee heard testimony on stormwater-utility language in Capital Bill H952, including proposals to create regional utilities while preserving municipal authority and a $100,000 capital fund to help towns start utilities. Witnesses clarified funding history, technical costs and timing.
April 21, 2026 — The Senate Institutions committee heard testimony about language added to Capital Bill H952 that would authorize a regional stormwater utility while explicitly preserving a municipality's ability to adopt and operate its own stormwater utility.
Deputy Commissioner Neil, Department of Environmental Conservation, told the committee the bill text intends that the "creation of a regional stormwater utility under statute or rules of the agency shall not prevent a municipality from regulating stormwater, including adoption by the municipality of a bylaw establishing a municipal stormwater utility." He said the provision is intended as a guardrail while a legislatively created study committee completes work on regional models.
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