Massachusetts

Statewide outdoor-lighting legislation has been proposed in every legislative session since 1992. One version came very close to enactment in the summer of 2003, when it was appended to a state transportation bill. Inexplicably, the outdoor-lighting bill was somehow removed from the conference-committee markup that was approved by the House and Senate.

Fast-forward to the 2009-10 legislative session. Both the House and Senate are now deliberating a series of outdoor-lighting bills that would require state- and municipally-funded projects to use fully-shielded exterior lighting in new or replacement installations, and to install that lighting only where it is needed. They would also require Mass Highways to review and update its criteria for roadway lighting.

Click here to learn more about the bills and how your involvement can help get one of them to Governor Patrick's desk!

• (Go to: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)

Here's a list of cities and towns in Massachusetts that have adopted outdoor-lighting regulations:

• Abington

• Acton (link; this town also has an outdoor-lighting committee)

• Arlington
• Billerica
• Boxborough

• Chelmsford (link; see Section 195-34)

• Concord
• Gardner
• Gloucester
• Hampden
• Harvard

• Lakeville (link)

• Lexington (link; see Article XIV)

• Lincoln
• Lynnfield
• Nantucket
• Newton
• Plymouth
• Rockport
• Rowley
• Townsend
• Truro

• Tyngsborough (link; see Section 3.15.00)

• Westwood

• Winchester (link)

(if you know about any others, please let us know!)