Massachusetts Panel Hears Case for $100 Million Annual Nature Conservation Fund

BOSTON — March 23, 2026 — Massachusetts lawmakers heard testimony on a ballot initiative that would dedicate sporting goods sales tax revenue to land and water conservation, potentially generating up to $100 million annually. The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions, co-chaired by Representative Alice Peisch and Senator Brendan Crichton, held the March 23 hearing on Initiative Petition No. 25-15, H-5005, with proponents including Mass Audubon President and CEO David O'Neill, who cited a $300 million annual funding gap needed to reach the state's 30-by-30 conservation goal. Undersecretary for Environment Stephanie Cooper confirmed that all existing state conservation grant programs are oversubscribed and that the current capital commitment is roughly $40 million per year — down from $65 million in FY26 to $40 million in FY27, a 36 percent drop. Representative Mike Day challenged the coalition on its signature-gathering finances, noting that roughly 85 percent of the approximately 137,000 signatures submitted were collected by a paid firm funded in part by a single $789,000 contribution. Proponents said legislation remains their preferred path over the ballot.