Friedman, Senate Deliver Mass Ready Act to Build a More Resilient, Sustainable Massachusetts 

Cindy Friedman

Landmark bill reduces plastic waste, invests in climate preparedness, and protects natural resources statewide 

(BOSTON—4/15/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today 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. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in support of the measure. 

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. 

“Bonding is the quintessential investment in the Commonwealth’s future, as it authorizes borrowing to sustainably fund longer term projects in Massachusetts,” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health Care Financing. “In addition to bond authorizations I secured to support funding for communities in my district, I am also pleased with the policies this bond bill proposes to improve our environment and our climate resilience. Particularly, the Senate led on an issue that I know many of my constituents care deeply about — allowing cities and towns to limit the use of rodenticides in their communities and prevent harmful impacts to their local ecosystems.” 

The Senate’s Mass Ready Act would authorize state borrowing to invest in a resilient environment and an accessible natural world. Through amendment, Senator Friedman supported and secured bond authorizations for the following local projects: 

  • $5 million for improvements to culverts and floodplains in the Aberjona River watershed in the towns of Burlington, Lexington, Reading, Stoneham, Woburn, and Winchester (sponsored by Senator Lewis, cosponsored by Senator Friedman); 
  • $2,250,000 for the City of Woburn to fund the rehabilitation of the North Woburn trunk sewer; 
  • $1,000,000 for the Town of Billerica to fund roadway sustainability and resiliency improvements; 
  • $1,000,000 for the Town of Arlington to fund the reconstruction and improvements to the playing field and playground at Poet’s Corner; and  
  • $750,000 for the Town of Arlington to fund improvements to mitigate flooding and bank erosion along upper Mill Brook. 

Additional bonding authorizations support priorities in five key areas: 

  • 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). 

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: 

  • Protecting Wildlife from Unintended Poisonings. Through an amendment cosponsored by Senator Friedman, the bill would create 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. Currently, Arlington, Billerica, and Lexington in the 4th Middlesex district have all proposed to restrict these rodenticides. (Amendment 3) 
  • 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) 
  • 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 bill passed by the Senate today was redrafted and reported to the full body by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means with a 15-0 vote on April 8, 2026. It is the most recent version of the Mass Ready Act, which was filed by Governor Maura Healey in 2025 and received favorable reports from the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. All committee votes are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website. 

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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