Worcester County, MA Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

Worcester County is landlocked and does not have Atlantic Ocean frontage, so the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Program (MGL c. 21A, §§4A-4D) and 301 CMR 21.00 do not apply to any location in the county. Coastal wetland designations (salt marsh, barrier beach, coastal dune, coastal bank) also do not apply. However, Worcester County contains substantial inland water resources with analogous protections: the Quabbin Reservoir watershed (covering parts of Oakham, Hardwick, Petersham, Phillipston, New Salem) and Wachusett Reservoir watershed (covering Boylston, West Boylston, Clinton, Sterling, Holden, Princeton, Rutland) are protected under the Watershed Protection Act MGL c. 92A 1/2 and 350 CMR 11.00, which imposes strict development prohibitions within 200 ft of tributaries and 400 ft of the reservoirs. The Wetlands Protection Act (MGL c. 131, §40) and 310 CMR 10.00 apply to Bank, Land Under Water, Bordering Vegetated Wetlands, and Riverfront Area (200 ft of perennial streams) throughout the county. Rivers and Streams Protection Act (amending MGL c. 131, §40) creates a 200 ft Riverfront Area with redevelopment limits. Flood Hazard Area development regulated under 780 CMR 1612 and local floodplain zoning.