An Act to restore the environmental fund

This bill, HD 2951, changes how certain environmental fees are managed in Massachusetts. It directs the first $70 million in annual fees collected by the state revenue commissioner into the General Fund, while all additional fees go to a newly established "Clean Environment Fund." The fund must be used for solid waste management, environmental protection, and climate change projects (excluding incineration costs), with at least 40% allocated to recycling and waste reduction programs. It also requires 10% more for recycling initiatives and caps non-waste programs at 50% of the fund's total. The bill directly affects state budgeting for environmental programs and funding priorities.