Massachusetts H 846: An Act instructing the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to study the feasibility of repurposing the former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for the purposes of fish and shellfish farms

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 383 FILED ON: 1/21/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 846

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bruce J. Ayers
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act instructing the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to study the feasibility of
repurposing the former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for the purposes of fish and
shellfish farms.
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PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Bruce J. Ayers 1st Norfolk 1/21/2021

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 383 FILED ON: 1/21/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 846
By Mr. Ayers of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 846) of Bruce J. Ayers
relative to directing the Department of Fish and Game to study the feasibility of re-purposing the
former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for use as a fish and shellfish farm. Environment,
Natural Resources and Agriculture.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 730 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act instructing the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game to study the feasibility of
repurposing the former Moon Island Sewage Treatment Plant for the purposes of fish and
shellfish farms.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 Section 1. This bill will instruct the Department of Fish & Game to conduct a
2 comprehensive study of the feasibility of repurposing the city of Boston’s former Sewage
3 Treatment Plant, located on Moon Island in Boston Harbor, for the purposes of a fish and
4 shellfish farm. These farms could utilize the 4 cut-granite storage tanks, which have a 50-million
5 gallon capacity, are 900 by 150 feet and are 17 feet deep, separated by walls seven feet thick at
6 the base.
7 Section 2. Fish and shellfish farming will improve water quality and better the local
8 marine environment, and will benefit marine life such as crabs, eel grass, shrimp, bluefish and

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9 striped bass. This fish and shellfish farm will be utilized for environmental and educational
10 purposes, along with improving the water quality in Quincy Bay and Boston Harbor. These
11 farms would be open to public and private schools for educational purposes.
12 Section 3. These findings will be forwarded to state and local officials, including the
13 Mayor of Boston; the Mayor of Quincy; the Boston Conservation Commission; the Quincy
14 Conservation Commission; the Joint Committee on Environmental Affairs; state legislators
15 representing the city of Boston; state legislators representing the city of Quincy; and other
16 interested parties.
17 Section 4. These findings must be completed and forwarded to all the aforementioned
18 parties by December 15, 2022.