Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 21N, § 7

(a) The secretary, in consultation with the executive office of administration and finance, may consider the use of market-based compliance mechanisms to address climate change concerns; provided, however, that prior to the use of any market-based compliance mechanism, to the extent feasible and in furtherance of achieving the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits, the secretary shall: (1) consider the potential for direct, indirect and cumulative emission impacts from these mechanisms, including localized impacts in communities that are already adversely impacted by air pollution; (2) design any market-based compliance mechanism to prevent any increase in the emissions of toxic air contaminants or criteria air pollutants, with particular attention paid to emissions of nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury; and (3) maximize additional environmental and economic benefits for the commonwealth, as appropriate.

(b) The secretary and the department may adopt regulations governing market-based compliance mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources or categories of sources in order to achieve the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits required by this chapter.

(c) The executive office and the department may work with the participating regional greenhouse gas initiative states and other interested states and Canadian Provinces to develop a plan to expand market-based compliance mechanisms such as the regional greenhouse gas initiative to other sources and sectors necessary or desirable to facilitate the achievement of the greenhouse gas emissions limits.

(d) The executive office and the department shall monitor compliance with and enforce any rule, regulation, order, emissions limitation, emissions reduction measure or market-based compliance mechanism adopted by the executive office or department pursuant to this chapter. The department may impose a civil administrative penalty pursuant to section 16 of chapter 21A for a violation of any rule, regulation, order, emissions limitation, emissions reduction measure or other measure adopted by the executive office pursuant to this chapter.