An Act relative to buffer zones on land under the APR Program

This bill amends Massachusetts law to allow the Department of Agricultural Resources to permit stormwater and nitrogen mitigation infrastructure within 200 feet of protected agricultural land. The changes specifically apply to parcels enrolled in the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program, which is designed to keep farmland in production. Under the new provisions, these mitigation projects can be built on uncultivated or planted areas in nitrogen-sensitive watersheds, provided the program's co-holder approves the construction. The legislation aims to improve water quality in embayment watersheds without compromising the core agricultural protections of the APR program.