How We Follow the Siting Rules
Massachusetts wrote binding rules for how energy projects must engage a community before they can file. This page lists what those rules require of this website and our outreach, item by item, with links to where each one lives.
The rules are 980 CMR 16.00, the Energy Facilities Siting Board's pre-filing consultation and engagement requirements. They took effect on February 27, 2026 and apply to every project that files on or after July 1, 2026, which includes this one. They spell out who we must consult, what we must present at meetings, and exactly what this website must show.
One thing this page does not do is grade our own homework. Whether these requirements are met is judged by the state's Division of Public Participation and the Siting Board, not by us. This page shows you where each item lives so you can check our work, and check theirs.
Read the official regulation text at Mass.gov · Page reviewed July 23, 2026
The engagement process behind this website
980 CMR 16.04 through 16.10 govern the outreach itself: who we consult, how meetings run, and what we file with the state along the way. Tap a row for the full requirement and the links.
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| 16.04(1)(a)Run good-faith outreach and document all of it | Published |
| 16.05(1)Start by consulting the state's DPP and OEJE | Published |
| 16.04(1)(c)Meet key stakeholders early and run an email list | Published |
| 16.06Consult the MEPA Office and permitting agencies | In preparation |
| 16.04(1)(g)Hold at least two public meetings for the whole community | In preparation |
| 16.07(1)(a)Present the required content at every meeting | Published |
| 16.08Publicize meetings widely and make them easy to attend | Published |
| 16.04(1)(d)File a midpoint Status Checklist with DPP | In preparation |
| 16.10File the Pre-filing Notice, then DPP judges the record | Later in the process |
What this website must show
980 CMR 16.09(1)(a) lists twenty things a project webpage must carry as they become available. Here is each one, and where it lives on this site.
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| 16.09(1)(a)1A plain-language project summary | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)2A project description: size, footprint, area, and abutters | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)3A location map with landmarks within one mile | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)4How site suitability and cumulative impact analysis shaped the design | In preparation |
| 16.09(1)(a)5The site selection process, expected impacts, and mitigation | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)6Route alternatives (transmission projects only) | Not applicable |
| 16.09(1)(a)7Materials shared at stakeholder meetings | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)8Materials from community meetings | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)9Dates, times, and places of upcoming events | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)10A prominent email list signup | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)11Project contacts: email, phone, and mailing address | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)12A way to submit comments, with deadlines | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)13A list of stakeholder meetings with names and dates | In preparation |
| 16.09(1)(a)14A summary of feedback and how it changed the design | In preparation |
| 16.09(1)(a)15How to request translation or interpretation | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)16Any waiver requests and their outcomes | Later in the process |
| 16.09(1)(a)17The Status Checklist and Completion Checklist | Later in the process |
| 16.09(1)(a)18A prominent note about intervenor funding | Published |
| 16.09(1)(a)19The Pre-filing Notice | Later in the process |
| 16.09(1)(a)20Agency comments and the DPP Opinion | Later in the process |
See something missing, out of date, or wrong on this page? Tell us and we will fix it and log the correction.