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Advisory group reviews 2026 water bills: aquatic invasive species, fisheries, PFAS measures and a stalled housing amendment
Summary
Members recapped several 2026 bills: a rapid response program for aquatic invasive species advanced, fisheries and fish-passage measures were consolidated and passed, PFAS in bottled water and wastewater training were included in a DPH bill, a riparian-protection bill was pared back, and a house-passed housing provision that would have limited local plan authority stalled in the senate.
Members of the Water Planning Council advisory group reviewed the outcomes of several water-related measures from the 2026 legislative session and discussed implications for future work.
Alicia Sharmitt summarized the major items that reached the committee: an act concerning a rapid response program for aquatic invasive species (cited in discussion as bill 5525) cleared both chambers; fisheries-related measures (cited as 5333) — including striped bass regulation, fish passage for non-jurisdictional dams and elements of the Wildlife Action Plan — were combined in a single vehicle and passed; and an act incorporating Department of Public Health recommendations (cited as 5518) passed with provisions on PFAS in bottled water and training for on-site wastewater specialists.
Other measures had different fates: a pesticide-reporting modernization bill (cited as 5155) was turned into a study bill, and a riparian-areas bill (cited as 5334) that came out of a working group lost a large portion of its content late in the session, leaving a smaller DEP training role for commissions. Denise Savageau warned members the housing bill contained a late amendment that would have allowed certain housing permits to proceed without regard to municipal plans of conservation and development (POCD) and other local environmental review; the provision passed the House as a speaker’s bill but stalled in the Senate after concerns about conflicts with resiliency and water-pollution control planning were raised.
Several members noted that some items had last-minute language changes that limited stakeholder review before votes. The group encouraged continued engagement with legislators to preserve important water-protection measures and to seek clearer drafting in future sessions.
Next steps: advisory group members said they will monitor how passed provisions are implemented by agencies and return to the working group if statutory changes require technical or outreach responses.
