Code of Massachusetts Regulations 310 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Here's a structured overview of 310 CMR – Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP):
🏛️ General Framework
310 CMR is the Code of Massachusetts Regulations title covering the Department of Environmental Protection. It spans a wide range of environmental areas—from air quality to wetlands, hazardous waste, and water resources (mass.gov).
The regulations are organized numerically, each addressing specific domains and conforming to the legal authority granted under Massachusetts General Laws.
📌 Key Sub-Titles
310 CMR 1.00–5.00
1.00: Adjudicatory proceedings (appeals, hearings) (mass.gov)
2.00: Adopting administrative rules
3.00: Records access and confidentiality
4.00: Fee schedules and timelines
5.00: Administrative penalty procedures (mass.gov, mass.gov)
310 CMR 6.00–8.00
6.00: Ambient air quality standards
7.00: Air pollution control regulations (emission limits, permits) (mass.gov)
8.00: Emergency plans for air pollution episodes
310 CMR 9.00–10.00
9.00: Waterways regulations – safeguards public access, controls activities in tidal & inland water bodies (effective Jan 5, 2024) (mass.gov, mass.gov)
10.00: Wetlands Protection Act rules – defines inland/coastal wetland zones, permitting under M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 (mass.gov)
310 CMR 11.00–17.00
Environmental code Title 1 administration, septic systems (Title 5), solid waste siting, and recycling programs.
310 CMR 19.00
Solid waste facility regulations – disposal, reuse, pollution prevention (amended June 2022) (mass.gov, mass.gov)
310 CMR 22.00–37.00
Drinking water standards, cranberry bogs, UIC programs, hazardous waste, sludge application, water resource management (sec.state.ma.us, mass.gov)
310 CMR 30.00
Hazardous waste: generation, disposal, transport—revamped May 2024 with new exemptions and compliance mandates (mass.gov)
310 CMR 36.00
Water Resources Management: covers registration, permitting, safe-yield, emergency actions, and appeals (current to March 14, 2025) (regulations.justia.com)
310 CMR 40.00–46.00
Contingency planning, lab certification, radioactive waste site criteria, drinking water projects, and well driller certification (46.00 effective 2010) (mass.gov)
310 CMR 50.00–80.00
Topics range from toxics use reduction, mobile source emissions, industry-specific wastewater standards, to mercury bans, UST systems.
🔎 Notable Regulation Highlights
Air quality & emissions: 310 CMR 7.00 establishes statewide pollution controls; sulfur-level restrictions in fuels (7.05) implement gradual tightening through 2018 (mass.gov, epa.gov)
Water & wetlands:
9.00 (Waterways) ensures public access and governs docks, dredging, structures (mass.gov)
10.00 (Wetlands) standardizes permitting by local commissions under the Wetlands Protection Act (mass.gov)
Solid & hazardous waste:
19.00 defines safe waste handling, updated for infectious animal disease response
30.00 includes novel exemptions and universal waste management aligned with EPA (mass.gov)
Water management: 36.00 governs water withdrawals, usage tiers, safe-yield, and emergency measures (regulations.justia.com)
🧭 How to Navigate These Regulations
Start with 310 CMR 1.00–5.00 for procedural, administrative, and enforcement guidance.
Choose the relevant domain code depending on your focus (e.g., wetlands = 10.00, air quality = 7.00, waste = 19.00–30.00).
Look for the most recent updates (e.g., air regs amended March 2024; hazardous waste in May 2024; waterways/wetlands proposals for resilience to climate change) (mass.gov).
✅ Next Steps
Let me know if you’d like:
Details on a specific subtitle (e.g., permitting thresholds, enforcement fines, procedural rights).
Help locating an exact section (like 310 CMR 10.54 or 36.13).
Guidance on how draft amendments (e.g. climate resilience in wetland/waterways regs) may affect current rules.
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