reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 91 § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 14 - License for Structures in or Over Tide Water; Conduits or Cables Under Tide Water; Private or Commonwealth Tidelands

Section 14. The department may license and prescribe the terms for the construction or extension of a wharf, pier, dam, sea wall, road, bridge or other structure, or for the filling of land or flats, or the driving of piles in or over tide water below high water mark, but not, except as to a structure authorized by law, beyond any established harbor line, nor, unless with the approval of the governor and council, beyond the line of riparian ownership. A license shall not be granted for the construction of a bridge across a river, cove or inlet, except in a location above a bridge, dam or similar structure authorized by law over such tide water, in which no draw actually exists or is required by law, and not then, if objection is made by the aldermen or selectmen of the town where the bridge is to be built.  The said department may license and prescribe the terms for the construction or extension of a pipe line, conduit or cable under tide water beyond any established harbor line; provided, that such pipe line or conduit is entirely imbedded in the soil and does not in any part occupy, or project into such tide water, and provided also that said department may at any time require any pipe line, conduit or cable to be moved or relocated if channel changes or alterations demand the same.  Except as provided in section eighteen, no structures or fill may be licensed on private tidelands or commonwealth tidelands unless such structures or fill are necessary to accommodate a water dependent use; provided that for commonwealth tidelands said structures or fill shall also serve a proper public purpose and that said purpose shall provide a greater public benefit than public detriment to the rights of the public in said lands.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 15 - Revocation and Expiration of Authority or License; Exception; Mortgageable Interest

Section 15. Every authority or license granted since eighteen hundred and sixty-eight or hereafter granted by the commonwealth to any person to build a structure or do other work in, over and under the Connecticut River or the nontidal part of the Merrimack River or in, over or under the waters of any great pond or at any outlet thereof below high water mark, or upon ground over which the tide ebbs and flows, or to fill up or to enclose the same, whether such ground is above or below low water mark, or within or beyond one hundred rods from high water mark, or whether private property or property of the commonwealth, shall be subject to the following conditions, whether expressed in the act, resolve or license granting the same or not. Said authority or license shall be revocable at the discretion of the general court, or by the department for noncompliance with the terms and conditions set forth therein. The license shall expire as to all work authorized or licensed not completed within five years from the date of such authorization or license or such other period of time specified therein; provided, however, that for good cause shown the department may extend, without public hearing or notice, the construction period of the authorization or license for one or more one-year periods. Revocation by the general court of licenses issued after January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-four shall be treated as a taking of real property requiring payment of just compensation in accordance with the provisions of chapter seventy-nine for valuable structures, fillings, enclosures, uses or other improvements built, made or continued in compliance with said authorization or license. Except as provided herein, the grant of a license pursuant to this chapter shall not convey a property right, nor authorize any injury to property or invasion of rights of others. A license issued pursuant to this chapter is hereby made a mortgageable interest lawful for investment by any banking association, trust company, savings bank, cooperative bank, investment company, insurance company, executor, trustee, or other fiduciary, and any other person who is now or may hereafter be authorized to invest in any mortgage or other obligation of a similar nature.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 16 - Cessation, Determination of Authority or License for Non-Use

Section 16. Every authority or license granted since eighteen hundred and sixty-eight by the general court or by the department or its predecessors to any person to build or extend a wharf or other structure upon, or to drive piles in, or to fill or otherwise occupy, land in tide or navigable water, within Boston harbor, or within the port of Boston as defined by the provisions of section two of chapter ninety-one A, which is revocable at the discretion of the general court, and every other similar right or privilege within Boston harbor or within the port of Boston as defined by the provisions of section two of chapter ninety-one A which is so revocable, whether or not compensation has been paid under any provision of law or otherwise, shall hereafter cease and determine, or be subject to forfeiture, in case of non-use of the same for an unreasonable time without reasonable cause, and it shall be prima facie evidence that the same is held unused in restraint of trade when the tendency of such non-use is to prevent competition in its broad and general sense, unless such person has, prior to July twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and twelve, made reasonable and substantial use of structures, or has reasonably and substantially occupied land in tide or navigable waters, for the purposes for which the authority or license was granted; and thereupon, every such authority or license and every similar right and privilege shall cease and determine on repayment, or tender of repayment, by the commonwealth or compensation therefor to the amount which shall have been paid to the commonwealth in accordance with the terms of such authority or license; and the department and the attorney general shall cause a proper certificate of the revocation of such authority or license to be recorded forthwith in the registry of deeds for the county where such structure was built or work done.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 17 - Construction of Licenses; Approval

Section 17. No license or other authority to build structures upon or to fill up or enclose any ground mentioned in the two preceding sections shall be construed to interfere with or impair the right of any person affected thereby to equal proportional privileges of approaching low water mark or one hundred rods from high water mark, or harbor lines established by law, or to impair the right to obtain a license or authority so to approach of persons having interests in lands or flats which may be affected thereby, or to impair the legal rights of any person. All things done under such license or authority shall be subject to the approval of the department. If the general court establishes a harbor line within the outer line covered by such license or authority, the same shall be limited by and not extend beyond such harbor line. This section, so far as may be, shall apply to licenses granted under section fifteen to erect structures on great ponds.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 18a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 18a - Public Access to Great Ponds; Petition

Section 18A. Upon petition of ten citizens of the commonwealth that in their opinion public necessity requires a right of way for public access to any great pond within the commonwealth, the department and the attorney general or a representative designated by him sitting jointly shall hold a public hearing and receive such evidence thereon as may be presented to them. The joint board may make such additional investigation as it deems desirable and if it appears to said board that such a right of way exists it shall present a petition to the land court for registration of the easement. If it appears that no right of way exists it shall submit a report, together with recommendations thereon, to the general court on or before January first of the following year. This section shall not apply to any body of water used as a source of water supply by the commonwealth or by any town or district, or water company, nor shall it affect the right of the commonwealth or any town or district or water company to the use and control of the waters of any such pond for the purposes of a water supply, nor shall it affect or diminish any existing right to the use of the water of any such pond for mercantile or manufacturing purposes.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 19 - Restriction on Structures in Great Ponds

Section 19. Except as authorized by the general court and as provided in this chapter, no structure shall be built or extended, or piles driven or land filled, or other obstruction or encroachment made, in, over or upon the waters of any great pond below the natural high water mark; nor shall any erection or excavation be made at any outlet thereof whereby the water may be raised or lowered.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 19a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 19a - Lowering Waters of Great Ponds; Penalty

Section 19A. No person authorized or licensed to build any structure, drive piles, fill land or to make any dam or other obstruction or encroachment in, over or upon the waters of any great pond below the natural high water mark, or to make any erection or excavation at any outlet of a great pond whereby the water may be raised or lowered, shall, except in case of emergency, lower the water of said pond, except a body of water used for agricultural, manufacturing, mercantile, irrigation, or insect control purposes, or for flowing cranberry bogs, or for public water supply, unless he shall have notified the department of environmental protection of his intention so to do and has received the approval of said department to lower the waters of said pond. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 20 - Supervision by Department of Erections Under Legislative Grants

Section 20. Whoever is authorized by the general court to build over tide waters a bridge, wharf, pier or dam, to fill flats or drive piles below high water mark, or to build any structures in the Connecticut river, or in the non-tidal part of the Merrimack river, or to build or extend any structure or to do any other work mentioned in the preceding section in, over or upon the waters of any great pond, shall not commence such work until he has given written notice thereof to the department and submitted plans of any proposed structure, the flats to be filled, and the manner in which the work is to be performed, and the same has been approved in writing by the department, which may alter such plans and prescribe any direction, limits and manner of doing the work consistent with the legislative grant. Such works shall be supervised by the department.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 21 - Compensation for Displacement of Tidewater

Section 21. The amount of tidewater displaced by any structure below high water mark, or any filling of flats, shall be ascertained by the department, which shall require the person, his heirs or assignees who are responsible for such displacement to make compensation therefor by excavating, under its direction, between high and low water mark in some part of the same harbor a basin for a quantity of water equal to that displaced; or by paying to the commonwealth, in lieu of such excavation, an amount assessed by the department, or by improving the harbor in any other manner satisfactory to the department. The department shall by regulation determine a schedule of rates of assessment to be charged pursuant to this section per cubic yard of water displaced. In determining said rate of assessment the department may consider the following factors: the costs incurred by the department in the licensing of tidelands; the costs typically associated with excavation or improvement of harbors or basins as permitted in lieu of payment of an assessment under this section; and the level of assessments historically charged in the commonwealth or in other states with respect to the displacement of tidewater. An assessment for the tidewater which has been displaced may be recovered in contract in the name of the state treasurer.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 22 - Compensation When Title to Land Is in Commonwealth

Section 22. If authority or a license is granted by the general court or by the department to a person to build a wharf or other structure upon, or to fill or otherwise occupy, land in tide water, or to build or extend any structure or drive piles, fill land or make any obstruction, encroachment or excavation in, over or upon the waters of any great pond, he shall pay to the commonwealth such compensation for the rights granted in any land the title to which is in the commonwealth as shall be determined pursuant to regulations of the department. The department shall by regulation provide for a method for determination of such compensation which may in the department's discretion be based on either a schedule of rates per square yard of commonwealth tidelands occupied or on an appraisal of the fair market value of the rights granted by the commonwealth, and which may in the department's discretion be assessed either as a lump sum payable in full prior to issuance of the license or as a series of annual payments which shall be required as a condition of the license. This section shall not apply to authority granted to a county, city or town for the construction, widening or maintenance of a bridge constituting a part of a highway.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 23 - Unauthorized Work in Public Waters; Public Nuisances

Section 23. Every erection made and all work done within tide water, or within the waters of a great pond or outlet thereof, or on or within the banks of the Connecticut river, or the Merrimack river, below high water mark, not authorized by the general court or by the department, or made or done in a manner not sanctioned by the department, if a license is required as hereinbefore provided, shall be considered a public nuisance. Whoever creates such nuisance, (a) shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each day such nuisance occurs or continues, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment; or (b), shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each day such nuisance occurs or continues. The attorney general or the district attorneys within their respective districts shall, at the request of the department, institute proceedings to enjoin or abate such nuisance, or to restrain the removal of material from any bar or breakwater of any harbor.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 24 - Money Paid Into General Fund

Section 24. Except as is provided in section six, all moneys received in payment for tide water displaced and for rights and privileges granted in tide water land of the commonwealth and in the commonwealth's land in great ponds, under licenses and permits granted under this chapter for structures and other work, shall be paid into the General Fund.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 25 - Supervision of Province Lands

Section 25. The department shall have general supervision of so much of the province lands at Provincetown as lies north and west of a line beginning at a point at or near the shore of Provincetown harbor, in latitude north forty-two degrees, two minutes, and longitude west seventy degrees, eleven minutes, forty-five seconds; thence northwesterly to a point in latitude north forty-two degrees, three minutes, eight seconds, and longitude west seventy degrees, twelve minutes, forty-eight seconds; thence northeasterly to a point in latitude north forty-two degrees, three minutes, twenty-eight seconds, and longitude west seventy degrees, eleven minutes, thirty-three seconds; thence due north to a point in latitude north forty-two degrees, three minutes, forty-eight seconds; thence due east to a point in the eastern boundary of the province lands.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 26 - Exemption of Portion of Province Lands From Certain Provisions of Law

Section 26. Section two of this chapter, chapter two hundred and sixty-one of the acts of eighteen hundred and fifty-four, chapter one hundred and forty-four of the acts of eighteen hundred and eighty-six, so much of section one of chapter eleven of the province laws of seventeen hundred and twenty-seven as is contained in the following words ''saving always the right and title of this province to the said lands which is to be in no wise prejudiced'', and all other acts or parts of acts which refer to the province lands at Provincetown, except the act incorporating said town, shall not apply to that portion of said province lands lying east and south of the line fixed in the preceding section.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 27 - Bounds of Province Lands; Regulations

Section 27. The department shall fix and mark the bounds of the province lands within its jurisdiction and establish regulations for the care thereof.  The department may make rules and regulations relative to hunting on or other uses of the province lands; provided, that such rules and regulations shall be consistent with all laws in relation to the protection of birds and mammals. No such regulation shall prohibit hunting within said lands except the hunting of deer. Whoever violates any provision of any such rule or regulation shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars. The aforesaid rules and regulations may be enforced by any state police officer, by any town police officer or by any constable, sheriff or deputy sheriff empowered to serve criminal process.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 28 - Unlawful Existing Structures

Section 28. This chapter shall not legalize any structure, filling or other occupation or encroachment, made or done without authority, upon the waters in or the land under any great pond prior to May ninth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, or in or upon the Connecticut river, below high water mark, prior to April thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, or as waiving or impairing any rights or remedies of the commonwealth or of any person relative thereto.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 29 - Improvement of Tidal and Non-Tidal Waters by Counties or Towns; Assumption of Liability for Improvements

Section 29. A county or town may appropriate money for the improvement of tidal and non-tidal rivers and streams, harbors, tide waters, foreshores and shores along a public beach within its jurisdiction, and the money so appropriated shall be paid to the state treasurer and be expended by the department for said purposes within the limits of such town; and the town may also assume liability for all damages to property suffered by any person by any taking of land, or of any right, interest or easement therein, within the town made by said department for the purposes hereinbefore authorized.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 29a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 29a - Protection of Private Property Along Shores; Construction of Structures by Cities or Towns

Section 29A. Any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section may appropriate money for the construction of structures for the protection of private property along shores within its boundaries. Money so appropriated shall be paid to the state treasurer and expended by the department for such purposes within the limits of such city or town; provided, however, that such city or town assumes liability for all damages to property by reason of any taking of land, or of any right, interest or easement therein, within the city or town by the department for such purpose.
MA Gen L ch 91 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 91 - Waterways|Section 30 - Removal of Gravel, Sand, Stones, Etc. From Beaches; Notice; Penalty

Section 30. If it appears to the department that the digging or removal of stones, gravel, sand or other material, upon or from any beach, shore, bluff, headland, island or bar, in or bordering on tide waters, or the destruction of any trees, shrubs, grass or other vegetation growing thereon, is, or is likely to prove, injurious to any harbor or other navigable tide waters, the department may, by written notice, prohibit such digging or removal, or the doing of any acts injurious to such trees or other vegetation, upon or from any such beach or other place aforesaid specified in such notice. Whoever, after receiving such notice, wilfully does any act or thing prohibited therein, and which is authorized to be so prohibited by this section, or, being the owner or having the control of any land specified in such notice, wilfully suffers or permits such act or thing to be done thereon, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty nor more than two hundred dollars.