MA Municipal Requirements & Factors for Siting/Permitting/Clean Energy & BESS” 07.23.26
The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-MA), The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) have all teamed up for a very special mega-session.
This extensive presentation will be centered on the Commonwealth’s new regulations governing consolidated local permitting.
Intended to streamline the permitting of small clean energy infrastructure projects, the regulations establish pre-filing requirements, a universal application, site suitability scoring and mitigation expectations, and new permitting processes.
The regulations are part of the implementation of a clean energy and climate law enacted in November 2024, and are based on recommendations from a special Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting. The existing permitting process was widely recognized as a key barrier to the development of clean energy and the Commonwealth’s ability to meet its future electricity demand and climate goals. The Commission included representatives from municipalities, environmental justice organizations, advocacy groups, electric utilities, agriculture, energy siting, the clean energy industry, labor, housing and real estate.
Massachusetts shares a bold but necessary goal with the United States: reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The climate law requires municipalities to offer an optional, expedited permitting process that features a consolidated application and a 12-month deadline for a municipal government to issue a final single decision for clean energy projects that are up to 25 MW of generation or 100 MWh of battery storage. TMA municipalities may start offering the new consolidated permitting avenue as of July 1, 2026 and must offer it by Oct. 1, 2026!
This session will offer planners an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the upcoming regulations in the Commonwealth. Consistent with the APA’s Sustainability and Resilience CM credit criteria, the event provides an educational forum highlighting the long-term and interrelated consequences of actions and how working within the new regulatory framework can promote more sustainable and resilient outcomes.
Access the recording of the session at the following video link.
Participants are eligible to receive 2 AICP CM Credits, which includes one credit dedicated to Sustainability and Resilience (SR)!
These on demand credits are offered by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association.