reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 21g § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 13 - Examination of Activities Involving Water Withdrawal

Section 13. For the purpose of determining compliance with this chapter or any regulations adopted thereunder, the duly authorized agents and employees of the department may at all reasonable times enter and examine any property, facility, operation or activity involving the withdrawal of water. The owner, operator or other person in charge of the property, facility, operation or activity, upon presentation of proper identification and purpose for inspection by the agents or employees of the department, shall give such agents and employees free and unrestricted entry and access. Such agents and employees are authorized to make such inspection, conduct such tests, reviews, studies, monitoring or sampling or examine books, papers and records pertinent to any matter relevant to the administration or enforcement of this chapter as it deems necessary.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, any information, record, or particular part thereof, obtained by the department pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall, upon request, be kept confidential and not be considered to be a public record when it is deemed by the department that such information, record or report relates to secret processes, methods of manufacture or production, or that such information, record or report, if made public, would divulge a trade secret.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 15 - Water Emergency Declaration

Section 15. Any city or town or any water company, public agency or authority of the commonwealth or its political subdivisions which is the operator of a public water system may petition the department for a declaration of a state of water emergency pursuant to this section. The department may require such city, town or operator to submit for review and approval by the department, a plan designed to bring about an expeditious end to the state of water emergency. Such plan may include provisions for taking actions authorized in section sixteen and provisions for restraining the use of water on public or private premises by shutting off the water at the meter or at the curb cock or by other means, and the department may require any further provisions it deems appropriate and feasible, including, but not limited to:  (1) an approved water resources management plan;  (2) a leak detection program;  (3) a program for auditing water use;  (4) a program for overall system rehabilitation;  (5) conservation programs for public and private buildings;  (6) bans or restrictions on certain water uses;  (7) a moratorium on the issuance of building permits;  (8) a plan for establishing priority for distribution of water among competing uses; and  (9) drought management or contingency plans.  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to this section, the department may declare a state of water emergency if it finds that there exists or impends a water supply shortage of a dimension which endangers the public health, safety or welfare. The department shall limit the applicability of any state of water emergency to the city or town submitting a petition pursuant to this section or the geographical area served by the public water system operator submitting a petition pursuant to this section. The department may amend the declaration or terminate the state of water emergency upon a finding that the public health, safety or welfare is no longer endangered by a water supply shortage in part or all of the area to which the emergency had been made applicable. The state of water emergency shall be in effect for no more than six months in the aggregate in any twelve month period unless the department determines that a longer state of emergency is required to protect the public health, safety or welfare.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 16 - State of Water Emergency; Eminent Domain; Authorization; Notice

Section 16. During a state of water emergency, declared under section fifteen, if the department has approved a plan designed to bring about an expeditious end to the emergency, a water company, public agency or authority of the commonwealth or its political subdivisions which is the operator of a public water system affected by the emergency may, for such periods of time as may be approved by the department, not to exceed six months cumulatively in any twelve month period, take by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine the right to use any land for the time necessary to use such water, or purchase water from another public water system; provided, however, that during a state of water emergency affecting the water system of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, such power of eminent domain may be exercised by the division of watershed management of the metropolitan district commission. Any operator of a public water system may, for such periods of time as may be approved by the department, sell to any water company, public agency or authority of the commonwealth or its political subdivisions, which has been authorized to make purchases of water pursuant to this section, such volumes of water as may be available for sale from time to time.  No taking, purchase or sale shall be made pursuant to this section unless the department issues an order, pursuant to section seventeen, authorizing the taking, purchase or sale. Nothing in this section shall exempt the operator of a public water system from any provision of this chapter or of any regulations issued hereunder.  No taking, purchase or sale shall be made pursuant to this section unless, in the case of cities, the city council has voted to authorize the taking, purchase or sale, or, in the case of towns and water supply and fire and water districts, the taking, purchase or sale has been authorized by a vote of the voters at a town meeting or a district meeting, or, in the case of water companies, notice of such taking, purchase or sale, including a copy of plans and specifications, has been given to the city council or to the board of selectmen of the city or town, as the case may be, in which the affected water source is located, by certified mail at least ten days prior thereto.  Pursuant to any taking, purchase or sale made pursuant to this section, temporary pipes and other works may be installed in any city or town, provided that the installation or repair of such pipes or other works or along any highway shall be accomplished with the least possible hindrance to public travel, and shall be subject to the direction and approval of the officers or departments in charge of the maintenance of said highway where applicable.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 17 - State of Water Emergency; Orders

Section 17. During a state of water emergency declared under section fifteen, the department, to the extent not in conflict with applicable federal law or regulation but notwithstanding any general or special law, local law or contractual agreement to the contrary, shall be empowered to issue orders, applicable within or outside the area in which a water emergency exists to:—  (1) Establish priorities for the distribution of any water or quantity of water use;  (2) Permit any person engaged in the operation of a water supply system to reduce or increase by a specified amount or to cease the distribution of that water; to distribute a specified amount of water to certain users as specified by the department; or to share any water with other water supply systems;  (3) Direct any person to reduce, by a specified volume, the withdrawal or use of any water; or to cease the withdrawal or use of any water;  (4) Require the implementation of specific water conservation measures; and  (5) Mandate the denial, for the duration of the state of water emergency, of all applications for withdrawal permits within the areas of the commonwealth to which the state of water emergency applies.  The commission shall adopt guidelines for use by the department in issuing orders under this section.  The department shall consult with the appropriate executive agency overseeing the activities of any person affected by this section.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 18 - Registration and Permit Application Fee Schedules

Section 18. The department shall, by regulation, establish reasonable registration and permit application fee schedules which shall be based upon, and not exceed, a reasonable portion of the estimated cost of processing, monitoring, administering and enforcing the registration statements and permits. The department shall collect registration and permit application fees in accordance with the fee schedule adopted pursuant to this section.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 19 - Public Water System Rates; Propriety

Section 19. Nothing in this chapter shall limit the authority of the department of telecommunications and energy to rule on the propriety of any rates charged by any public water system subject to its jurisdiction; provided, however, that in making such a ruling the department of telecommunications and energy may consider any fees required by registration adopted pursuant to section eighteen; and, provided further, that such ruling shall not impose any condition inconsistent with the provisions of any order issued by the department or the terms and conditions of a permit issued under this chapter or the regulations adopted hereunder. Compliance with any requirement imposed by the department of telecommunications and energy shall not exempt any public water supply systems from requirements of this chapter or the regulations adopted hereunder.
MA Gen L ch 21g § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21g - Massachusetts Water Management Act|Section 20 - Persons Engaged in Business of Digging or Drilling Wells; Certification; Reports

Section 20. No person shall engage in the business of digging or drilling wells within the commonwealth unless he has filed a certification with the department. Each person intending to engage in said business shall certify annually with said department and upon payment of a fee determined annually by the department shall be issued a certificate indicating that he is so certified. Said certification shall be sufficient authority for any said person to engage in the business of digging or drilling wells anywhere within the commonwealth and no further licensing or certification shall be required; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall prohibit the appropriate local authority in any city or town from requiring any person engaged in the digging or drilling of private wells to obtain a site permit in accordance with terms and conditions which ensure health and safety and said city or town may charge said person a reasonable fee for said site permit as determined by the city or town.  Pursuant to chapter thirty A, the department shall adopt such regulations as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. Such regulations shall not be subject to section 3 of this chapter. Within thirty days after completion of any well by digging or drilling, the person engaged in the business of digging or drilling wells shall submit a report to the department setting forth such information as may be required under said rules and regulations.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 1 - Legislative Determination and Declaration of Purpose

Section 1. (a) It is hereby determined that:  (1) There is a critical need to eliminate, mitigate and prevent the nuisances and adverse public health effects associated with the collection, processing and disposal of solid waste from whatever source derived, including municipal, industrial, domestic, commercial and other sources or activities.  (2) There is pending throughout the commonwealth a severe shortage in environmentally safe and financially sound capacity for the storage, disposal and processing of solid waste.  (3) The provision of such capacity is an essential public purpose, will constitute the performance of an essential public function and is necessary to the preservation and improvement of the health, welfare and living conditions of the people of the commonwealth, the promotion of industry and employment and all aspects of commerce, the maintenance, protection, conservation and development of safe water supplies, and the protection of the environment overall.  (4) The financial requirements for the provision of environmentally safe solid waste facilities are substantial and require the use of both public and private sources of financing and of facility development and operation experience, the ability to collect user fees to recover costs of providing such capacity, and the ability to finance capital expenditures without undue reliance on the general obligation credit of the commonwealth or of individual cities and towns.  (b) It is hereby declared to be an essential public purpose to achieve the following:  (1) provide a means whereby new and improved capacity for handling solid waste is established in a manner which takes full advantage of current municipal experience in the collection, disposal and storage of such waste;  (2) encourage cities and towns to act together effectively to operate solid waste facilities;  (3) establish a means whereby the commonwealth can act effectively to provide planning, technical, development, financial and other support for solid waste facilities;  (4) establish a framework which encourages and permits private enterprise to participate appropriately in the development and operation of solid waste facilities;  (5) encourage cities and towns to act together effectively to develop and operate household hazardous waste collection programs and related activities.  (c) It is declared to be in the best interests of the citizens of the commonwealth to enact legislation authorizing the department of environmental protection to provide financial assistance to public bodies for the closure of landfills or other solid waste facilities and for the expansion of landfill capacity or other solid waste facilities.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 5 - Testing and Control of Hazardous Emissions From Refuse Burning Facilities

Section 5. The department shall on a continual basis determine in cooperation with the department of public health (1) whether the air emissions and the ash residue from refuse burning facilities pose a threat to public health through the release of dioxins, furans, or other hazardous constituents, (2) the nature and extent of any such threat, and (3) the appropriate measures to be undertaken to protect public health if a significant threat is identified. To protect public health as required by this section, the department shall have the authority to:   (a) develop and establish procedures to be followed when the department tests or requires other persons to test for the presence of dioxins, furans, heavy metals or other hazardous constituents in the environment; (b) conduct tests for the presence of dioxins, furans, or other hazardous constituents in the ambient air at locations in the commonwealth, as determined by the department;   (c) require that persons who own or operate refuse burning facilities test the air emissions, bottom ash, and fly ash from the facilities for the presence of dioxins, furans, heavy metals or other hazardous constituents; provided, however, that such persons shall conduct dioxin testing according to clause (a) at least once every nine months; (c1/2) require baseline testing prior to the operation of any new facility;   (d) retain the results of such tests for comparison purposes over time and initiate proper responses when the results of such tests indicate a potential violation of department standards and policies; (e) make available to interested parties, the general public and residents of municipalities in which refuse burning facilities exist or border the results of such tests together with an explanation of such results as to the adherence by such facilities to department standards and policies;   (f) cause to be designed and established an acute toxics laboratory at the Lawrence Experimental Station capable of analyzing extremely low levels of contaminants in air, water and soil samples; and  (g) promulgate rules and regulations for the land disposal of bottom ash and fly ash from refuse burning facilities which shall protect the public health and environment from any significant adverse effects from the disposal of such ash residue. Said rules and regulations may include, but not be limited to, provision for ash residue landfills to operate with liners, leachate collection systems, daily cover, groundwater monitoring and other systems necessary to prevent contamination of the air, groundwater and surface water.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 6 - Acid Gas Scrubbers

Section 6. All resource recovery facilities and other solid waste incinerators shall operate with acid gas scrubbers, or such other technology providing equal or greater protection to the public health and environment, as determined by the department in manner and time.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 6a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 6a - Implementation of Imerc Standards by Department

Section 6A. The department shall participate in the implementation of IMERC standards established at the Northeast Waste Management Officials Association to assist in carrying out the requirements of sections 6A to 6M, inclusive, and to help coordinate reviews of the manufacturers' applications for phase out exemptions and collection system plans.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 6b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 6b - Notification of Mercury-Added Products Offered for Final Sale, Use or Distribution in Commonwealth

Section 6B. (a) No mercury-added product shall be offered for final sale or use or distributed in the commonwealth without notification in writing by the manufacturer of the product to the department through IMERC within 30 days of the product's release in accordance with this section.  (b) Notification that complies with the notification forms of IMERC shall satisfy the requirements of this section. The department may require that it be notified directly in addition to reporting through IMERC. The manufacturer or trade group shall update and revise the notification information whenever there are significant changes in the product category.  (c) Any mercury-added product for which federal law governs notice in a manner that preempts state authority shall be exempt from this section.  (d) Public disclosure of confidential business information submitted to the department pursuant to this section shall be governed by the requirements of section 10 of chapter 66. The department and IMERC may compile or publish analyses or summaries of such information provided that the analyses or summaries do not identify any manufacturer's confidential information.  (e) The department shall protect trade secrets.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 6d (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 6d - Sale of Mercury-Added Thermostats and Other Mercury-Added Products

Section 6D. (a) No person shall sell or offer to sell or distribute a mercury-added thermostat in the commonwealth.  (b) No person shall sell or offer to sell or distribute in the commonwealth the following mercury-added products:  (1) barometers;  (2) esophageal dilators, bourgie tubes or gastrointestinal tubes;  (3) flow meters;  (4) hydrometers;  (5) hygrometers or psychrometers;  (6) manometers;  (7) pyrometers;  (8) sphygmomanometers; or  (9) basal thermometers.  (c) Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply: (i) to the sale of mercury-added products if the use of the product is a federal requirement; (ii) to the sale of thermometers if they are determined to be medically necessary by a licensed physician or are ordered by prescription, or (iii) to the sale of mercury-added antique barometers, including antique barometers with attached mercury thermometers, if the barometer was manufactured prior to 1955.
MA Gen L ch 21h § 6e (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 21h - Solid Waste Facilities|Section 6e - Sale or Distribution of Mercury Switch or Mercury Relay; Exceptions

Section 6E. (a) No person shall sell or offer to sell or distribute a mercury switch or mercury relay, individually or as a product component. This prohibition shall not apply if the mercury switch or mercury relay is a component in a larger product in use before May 1, 2009, there is no mercury-free alternative available for the component and 1 of the following applies:  (1) the larger product is used in manufacturing; or  (2) the switch or relay is integrated and not physically separate from other components of the larger product.  (b) This section shall not apply to the sale of a mercury switch or a mercury relay if the use of the switch or relay is a federal requirement.  (c) This section shall not apply to the sale of a mercury switch or a mercury relay which is integrated as a component of a larger product that has been refurbished for resale and which was originally manufactured before the effective date of this act.