MA S65

Requires the Department of Agricultural Resources to create post-construction soil performance regulations covering soil depth, quality, carbon storage capacity, stormwater runoff, water quality, fertilizer mitigation, and compaction/infiltration capacity

Mandates coordination with UMass Amherst Extension to ensure regulations align with existing published guidance and educational materials on healthy soils practices

Establishes violation fines of up to $250 for first offense, $500 for second offense, and $1,000 for third or subsequent offenses, with appeals allowed within 10 days to the Division of Administrative Law Appeals

Creates new legal definitions for "functional turf" (lawns, playgrounds, sports fields, parks, golf courses, cemeteries) and "utility turf" (erosion control, carbon sequestration, heat island mitigation, watershed buffers)

Replaces the existing definition of "lawn" with a broader "turf" definition covering natural living ground cover from grass plants of the Poaceae family