On Friday, March 1, 2024, MassDEP’s Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup (BWSC) shared several important updates to the BWSC program and the MCP.

2024 Amendments to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, effective March 1 2024 
Amendments to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP), 310 CMR 40.0000, the Commonwealth’s rules for the notification, assessment and cleanup of oil and hazardous material releases, threats of release, and disposal sites under MGL c. 21E take effect today. The MCP will be published by the Secretary of State in a supplemental register next week, and hard copies will be available at the State House Bookstore (for information on ordering copies click here).

Unofficial electronic versions of the 2024 MCP amendments are currently posted on MassDEP’s “MCP Amendments” webpage.

Also recently posted on the “MCP Amendments” webpage under “Related Information” are materials to support the implementation of the 2024 MCP Amendments. BWSC has recently added the following to these materials –

• Interim Guidance on Implementing Activity and Use Limitations has been posted for public review and comment, comment deadline is May 1, 2024.
• Risk Characterization Guidance, Chapters 1-5, Public Review Draft, comment deadline is May 1, 2024.
• Method 1 Standards spreadsheets for soil and groundwater standards.
• Activity and Use Limitation Forms.

The online Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Materials List has been updated to reflect the Reportable Concentrations and Reportable Quantities in effect on March 1, 2024.

Additional materials under development in support of the MCP amendments include:

• 2024 MCP Implementation Questions and Answers document that contains Q&As related to the 2024 amendments to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, including those asked at training sessions for LSPs and MassDEP staff on the amendments. BWSC will be adding additional Questions and Answers to this document and revising the date of the document to indicate updates have been made. Questions on the MCP, including the 2024 MCP amendments, may be submitted to [email protected].
• Updated BWSC124 Informational Notice About Immediate Response Actions.
• Updates to several MCP related electronic transmittal forms used to make eDEP submittals to reflect the 2024 MCP amendments and make other edits. The first round of updates are being made to BWSC 104, 105, 107, 108, and 119. Additional minor/editorial updates will follow to BWSC 103, 106, 112, 113, 115, 120, 125, 126, and 127. The updated transmittal forms will be posted as they become available; the process is expected to be completed by mid-April. 

 BWSC.Information will provide email updates as new materials become available and information on where they may be found.