(BOSTON 4/17/2026) — The Massachusetts Senate this week passed the Mass Ready Act, an environmental bond bill that takes action to support the removal of ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water, help municipalities withstand floods and droughts, and make outdoor recreation possible for more residents through improved trails and parks.
In an effort to preserve the natural world and cut down on pollution, the legislation would remove single-use plastic bags from retail checkout counters and take other steps to curb unnecessary and wasteful reliance on single-use plastics.
The bill – S.3050, formally known as An Act to build resilience for Massachusetts communities – features policy proposals such as the preservation of public beach access, expedited timelines for culvert replacement projects, and requirements to inform prospective homebuyers and renters of flood risks, in addition to $3.94 billion in bonding authorizations.
The bonding measures would allow strategic state borrowing, including $120 million for PFAS remediation in public water supplies and private drinking water wells, $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program to help prepare for extreme weather and climate challenges, and $50 million for MassTrails grants to support the development of recreational trail systems across Massachusetts.
During Senate debate, Second Worcester District Senator Michael Moore secured three amendments, including:
Amendment 1 – PFAS-free Firefighter gear grants
This amendment authorizes $25 million in bonding for the reduction of firefighters’ PFAS exposure through three main avenues – the purchase of PFAS-free protective turnout gear, the responsible disposal of equipment contaminated with PFAS, and the research and development of safer turnout gear that does not contain PFAS. The grant process will be managed by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, and municipalities will be able to apply for grants following the final passage of the Mass Ready Act.
PFAS, or Polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a class designation that includes nearly 10,000 chemicals used to make everyday items fireproof, waterproof, or non-stick. Even at low levels, the toxicity of PFAS chemicals can be devastating, increasing the risk of cancer, immunosuppression, birth defects, colitis, and other diseases. Compounding these dangers is the persistent nature of PFAS chemicals, known as “forever chemicals” for their resistance to breaking down in the environment.
Amendment 3 – Restricting the use of Rodenticides
This amendment allows cities and towns to restrict the use of the most destructive anticoagulant rodenticides, many of which pose a great threat to the biodiversity of the Commonwealth. Anticoagulant rodenticides stop an animal’s body from creating blood clots using medications like warfarin, bromadiolone, and difethialone. This method of poisoning can take days to kill an animal that ingests it, creating an opportunity for the poisoned rodent to be eaten by predators like eagles, hawks, foxes, coyotes, and more – causing a cascading harm up the food chain and endangering Massachusetts’ fragile ecosystems. It also endangers the health of pets, who may eat unfinished rodenticide or find a rodent poisoned by it.
While the amendment practically bans the use of this class of pest control in the vast majority of situations, it maintains limited exceptions for licensed applicators in specific circumstances. Permits for use of anticoagulant rodenticides may be issued by the Department of Public Health for one-time indoor use to address an urgent public health emergency, though permits are limited to 14 days and require a written rationale on the need for this class of rat poisons over other alternatives.
Amendment 12 – Food trust program funding
This amendment increases the bond allocated to the Massachusetts Food Trust Program to $7.5 million from the bill’s original $5 million – an increase of $2.5 million that will help provide fresh, healthy food to underserved communities.
The Massachusetts Food Trust Program provides funds to local Community Developmental Financial Institutions in a public-private partnership. By financing independent grocers and farmers, the program helps expand access to fresh, locally grown food in low-income communities and areas that are underserved by national and regional chain supermarkets.
“From my years as a Massachusetts Environmental Police Officer to the office I hold in the State Senate, protecting our environment and the health of our communities has been a career-long mission of mine. The Mass Ready Act is a huge leap toward building a smarter, healthier, and more sustainable society here in the Commonwealth” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “I’m thrilled to have voted approve the important policies within this bill, and I’m proud to have secured three of amendments to this bill with the support of my colleagues. From providing funds to strip carcinogens out of our firefighters’ safety gear, to banning rat poisons that have been devastating our ecosystems, to expanding access to healthy, fresh food in the Gateway Cities and beyond, these policies will have a material impact on the everyday lives of Bay Staters. I’d like to thank my colleagues in the Senate for their support, and I’m hopeful that the House will join us in this effort to protect the world around us while making Massachusetts a cleaner, more sustainable place.”
The Senate’s Mass Ready Act would authorize state borrowing to invest in a resilient environment and an accessible natural world. Bonding authorizations support priorities in five key areas:
Guarding Against Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events. Highlighted by $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, supporting climate resiliency planning in cities and towns.
Protecting Clean Drinking Water and Soil. $450 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to protect access to clean water across the Commonwealth, in addition to $120 million for PFAS remediation in public and private wells. $125.5 million to support resource conservation and preservation initiatives, including $5.5 million for the Healthy Soils Grant Program.
Investing in Infrastructure. $225 million for coastal infrastructure and resilience. $800.5 million for properties and roadways owned and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). $521.6 million for state and municipally owned dams across the Commonwealth.
Conserving the Natural World. $30 million for tree-planting initiatives across the Commonwealth. $50 million for MassTrails Grants, including $10 million for accessibility upgrades that protect access to trails for all Massachusetts residents. $20 million to support the biodiversity goals of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
Supporting Farmers and Nutritional Food Access. $20 million for capital investments to support the growth and economic competitiveness of the Commonwealth’s agricultural, commercial fishing and cranberry-growing sectors. $132.5 million for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program including $7.5 million for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP) to increase access to healthy, affordable food.
A core policy in the Senate’s Mass Ready Act would respond to increasing amounts of litter and pollution by prohibiting single-use plastic bags at retail stores. Shoppers would instead be able to check out with a recyclable paper bag or a reusable plastic bag.
Massachusetts residents are estimated to use billions of plastic bags per year. A plastic bag tossed to the side of a road can pose immediate risks, such as the suffocation or starvation of wildlife, while also fragmenting over time into microplastics that pollute the earth.
During the course of today’s debate, Senators voted to amend the bill with additional significant policies and bonding authorizations, including:
Ensuring Clean Water in Schools. Dedicates $15 million for a grant program administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to address PFAS, lead, and other contaminants in schools and childcare centers through the installation of filtered water stations and faucets. Priority for the award of funds may be given to school districts or childcare centers in low income or environmental justice communities. (Amendment 2)
Preventing PFAS Pollution. Focuses on proactive prevention of PFAS or 'forever chemical' pollution with $5 million to promote the use of safer alternatives to PFAS in products and manufacturing. Funds research, technical assistance, and a competitive grant program. (Amendment 87)
Protecting Wildlife from Unintended Poisonings. Creates a local-option mechanism for towns and cities to choose to ban anticoagulant rodenticides. While anticoagulant poisons are targeted at killing rodents, they can prove a danger to pets or travel up the food chain and harm or kill other animals such as eagles and hawks. (Amendment 3 – introduced by Senator Moore)
Monitoring Ocean Health. Protects natural wildlife and supports commercial fisheries by requiring more robust, centralized data collection around ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is caused by rising carbon levels in the air and other factors such as stormwater runoff and fertilizer pollution—and leads to damaged marine biodiversity and smaller shellfish crops. Authorizes $500,000 in bonding to establish a monitoring system. (Amendments 222 and 262)
Details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate press room.
The Senate passed the bill on a 36-3 roll call vote and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review.
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