Over the summer, Massachusetts officials updated onsite rules to address nitrogen pollution, but the new rules are more limited than originally proposed.
In 2022, when officials first suggested changing the rules, widespread public opposition caused the state to hold several public hearings and extend its deadline for public comments. The proposed changes would have allowed the state Department of Environmental Quality to designate nitrogen-sensitive areas along the entire Massachusetts coast and on its islands. Onsite system owners in designated areas would have faced a tight deadline to upgrade their systems to include nitrogen-reducing technology. The updated rules focus only on Cape
