Massachusetts law

Environmental Laws in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts environmental law combines federal regulation with a substantial state body of statutes administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Core issues include water and air quality, solid and hazardous waste (including the distinctive M.G.L. c. 21E — the Massachusetts Superfund — for contaminated-site liability), wetlands, and permitting.

Last verified: 2026-04-17

State law

Key Massachusetts Statutes

Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention Act (Chapter 21E)M.G.L. c. 21E

Chapter 21E is Massachusetts’s Superfund statute, imposing strict, joint-and-several liability for the cleanup of oil and hazardous-material releases at contaminated sites.

Massachusetts Wetlands Protection ActM.G.L. c. 131, § 40

The Wetlands Protection Act governs activities affecting wetlands, with a local conservation-commission permitting process that drives significant Massachusetts environmental practice.

State law

Official Sources

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Massachusetts General Laws

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Massachusetts.

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Environmental Laws in Massachusetts.

Key Massachusetts Statutes

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

Move from state law into guided help or attorney search.

Other state law topics.