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 were 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. Unfortunately, the Legislature ended its session without taking action on any of these bills. (Click here for details.)

The Legislature has now begun its 2011-12 session, and NELPAG is committed to getting outdoor-lighting legislation passed. The bill has been reworked to focus on streetlighting and area lighting, which together account for an estimated 93% of all outdoor fixtures. Details are available here.

For more information about these bills and how you can help get outdoor-lighting legislation passed, contact NELPAG members Mario Motta ( mmotta@massmed.org ) or Kelly Beatty ( kbeatty@darksky.org ).

  • 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 link

  • Billerica
  • Boxborough

  • Chelmsford (link)

  • Concord
  • Eastham
  • Gardner

  • Gloucester (link)

  • Hampden
  • Harvard

  • Harwich (link)

  • Lakeville (link; starts on page 53)

  • Lexington (link)

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

  • Tyngsborough (link; see Section 3.15.00)

  • Westwood

  • Winchester (link; see Section 5.4)

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