Overview
To address energy affordability and reliability needs as well meet required emissions limits set out in the Commonwealth’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan, Massachusetts will need to build a significant amount of new clean energy infrastructure in the coming decades. Pursuant to An act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers (2024 Climate Act), new and amended regulations and guidance established by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB), Department of Energy Resources (DOER), and Department of Public Utilities (DPU) streamline the siting and permitting process, build in opportunities for meaningful stakeholder engagement, and strengthen protections for the environment and burdened communities to ensure an efficient and responsible buildout of needed clean energy infrastructure in the Commonwealth.
These regulations provide a 12-month deadline for municipal permitting and requires local governments to issue a single decision on permit applications for Small Clean Energy Infrastructure Facilities. Similarly, for Large Clean Energy Infrastructure Facilities, a single consolidated decision on permit applications that is inclusive of all state and local approvals must be issued by the EFSB within 15-months of an application being submitted.
The siting and permitting reforms support increased stakeholder engagement. The Intervenor Support Grant Program established by the DPU provides financial assistance to municipalities, organizations, and individuals who lack resources to support their needs for qualified legal representation and expert analysis in EFSB proceedings. Municipalities that are hosting energy infrastructure facilities before the EFSB will be granted automatic intervenor status in EFSB proceedings. Guidelines on Community Benefit Plans and Agreements outline best practices to provide meaningful, measurable benefits to communities hosting energy infrastructure. Additionally, DOER and EFSB regulations establish the mandatory pre-filing engagement processes that require facilities to engage with communities before submitted permit applications for the first time ever.
The siting and permitting reforms also include two new processes that provide the EFSB and local governments with tools to analyze the impact of proposed energy facility sites on people and the environment. Cumulative Impact Analysis regulations and guidance apply to all projects subject to EFSB approval, which includes both clean and non-clean large energy facilities. Site Suitability Guidance established by EEA and associated regulations promulgated by EFSB and DOER apply to:
- Large and Small Clean Energy Generation Facilities
- Large and Small Clean Energy Storage Facilities
- Large and Small Clean Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure Facilities in newly established Public Rights of Way.
Both sets of regulation and guidance provide scoring systems for project siting accompanied by mapping tools supported by scientific datasets for applicants and stakeholders. Cumulative Impact Analysis identifies disproportionate environmental and health burdens on disadvantaged communities. Site Suitability Analysis helps determine the suitability of sites across the state for the development of clean energy infrastructure, and establishes a methodology to help facilities avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts on the environment and people to the greatest extent practicable.
Information on proposed and finalized regulations, guidance and opportunities for public engagement are included on this webpage. More information on the development of siting and permitting regulations can be found at the Development of the Siting and Permitting Reforms for Clean Energy Infrastructure webpage.
Cumulative Impact Analysis Regulations and Guidance
On January 23, 2026, The Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (OEJE) released a revised draft of the Standards and Guidelines for Cumulative Impact Analysis (January 2026). This revised draft reflects updates made following initial stakeholder feedback and is intended to further inform the development and implementation of cumulative impact analysis requirements for energy facility siting.
On December 12th, 2025, the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) issued the draft proposed regulations 980 CMR 15.00 (Cumulative Impact Analysis/Site Suitability) and CIA Report Template. For further information and periodic updates, please visit the EFSB 25-10 - Proposed Rulemaking webpage.
MassEnviroScreen Map
To support the implementation of energy siting and permitting reforms, OEJE has released a draft version of the MassEnviroScreen mapping tool. This tool is designed to identify and prioritize the most environmentally vulnerable or burdened communities in Massachusetts. It is intended to support the guidance and regulations on cumulative impact analysis and site suitability assessments. As we continue to refine the tool, public feedback can be sent to ej.inquiries@mass.gov.
Energy Facilities Siting Board Regulations
February 7, 2026: Final EFSB regulations can be accessed by the following links:
- 980 CMR 1.00 (Adjudicatory Procedures)
- 980 CMR 2.00 (Board Procedures)
- 980 CMR 13.00 (Consolidated Permit Application)
- 980 CMR 13.00 Guidance
- 980 CMR 14.00 (De Novo Review Procedures)
- 980 CMR 16.00 (Pre-Filing Engagement)
- 980 CMR 16.00 Guidance
On January 7, 2026, the Siting Board issued the following draft final regulation:
- 980 CMR 17.00 (Construction Approval Procedures)
Important dates regarding these regulations can be found on the EFSB 25-10 - Proposed Rulemaking webpage.
Regulations Establishing an Intervenor Support Grant Program
The 2024 Climate Act required the establishment of an Intervenor Grant Support Program to provide financial assistance to eligible organizations, community groups, and certain governmental bodies who are unable to participate in proceedings before the DPU and EFSB because of financial hardship or lack of procedural knowledge.
On September 12, 2025, the DPU opened a rulemaking proceeding (in docket DPU-25-75) to establish the Intervenor Support Grant Program. The proposed regulations and guidance documents are posted on the DPU 25-75 - Proposed Rulemaking webpage.
DPU Rulemaking on EFSB Application Fees
On February 13, 2026, the DPU opened a rulemaking in docket DPU-26-30 to establish EFSB application fees. Visit DPU-26-30 for the proposed regulations and fee schedule.
Initial public comments are due March 25, 2026 and reply comments are due April 8, 2026. A public hearing will be held on April 1, 2026 beginning at 10:00 AM. More details can be found here.
Regulations Governing Consolidated Local Permitting
DOER’s Siting and Permitting Division’s regulations streamline the permitting of small clean energy infrastructure projects. For more detailed information, visit the Clean Energy Siting & Permitting Regulations page. Finalized on February 27, 2026, the regulations establish pre-filing requirements, a universal application, site suitability scoring and mitigation expectations, and new permitting processes.
DOER on January 21, 2026, released updated draft guidelines for public comment. Public comments are due by March 13, 2026.
Guidance on Site Suitability Assessments for Clean Energy Infrastructure
EEA’s Site Suitability Guidance provides a methodology for determining the suitability of sites for Large and Small Clean Energy Generation Facilities, Large and Small Clean Energy Storage Facilities, and Large and Small Clean Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure Facilities in newly established Public Rights of Way; and guidance to inform state, regional, and local regulations, ordinances, by-laws, and permitting processes on ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts on the environment and people to the greatest extent practicable.
On March 2, 2026, EEA published its final guidance: Site Suitability Guidance Final
EEA's Site Suitability Mapping Tool accompanies its Guidance. It is currently in draft form and is illustrative of the values that will be provided to project applicants and other stakeholders using the tool to score projects. For more exact information, the datasets can be downloaded here. The finalized mapping tool is expected to be released later this Spring (2026).
The mapping tool includes layers indicating site suitability for the following criteria: carbon sequestration and storage (Ecosystem Carbon Index), biodiversity (Biodiversity Index), agricultural resources (Agricultural Resources Index), and Social and Environmental Burdens (MassEnviroScreen). Climate resilience site suitability at this time is proposed to be evaluated separately using the Climate Resilience Design Standards Tool.
Site Suitability Mapping Tool (Draft)
More information on the development of the guidance and public engagement can be found on the Site Suitability Assessments webpage.
Standards and Guidelines for Community Benefits Plans and Agreements
EEA’s Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (OEJE) is tasked by the 2024 Climate Act with developing standards and guidelines governing the potential use and applicability of Community Benefit Plans (CBPs) and Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs).
In March 2026, OEJE released its final Standards and Guidelines for Community Benefits Plans and Agreements. These guidelines outline best practices to ensure CBPs and CBAs provide meaningful, measurable benefits to communities hosting energy infrastructure. The guidelines are also available in Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. For more information visit Community Benefit Plans and Agreements.