Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Department of Public Utilities and the Department of Telecommunications and Cable will hold a series of technical sessions during the week of June 23 to discuss issues related to utility work on public rights of way.
Stakeholders are expected to give presentations and comment on planned topic areas.
Municipal representatives are asked to provide comments during the virtual sessions. To participate, they must contact Kerri Phillips at kerri.phillips@mass.gov by 5 p.m. on June 2.
The departments will provide municipal representatives with a unique link allowing them to participate as panelists, with the opportunity to present, ask questions, and comment on the session’s presentation. The sessions are open to the public to watch, but a public comment period is not guaranteed for those not provided a unique panelist link.
The sessions are being held as part of the departments’ joint proceeding: Inquiry on Pole Attachments and Conduit Access on Public Rights of Way, D.P.U. 25-10/D.T.C. 25-1. The Department of Public Utilities and Department of Telecommunications and Cable jointly issued an order on Jan. 17 opening an inquiry to explore utility pole attachment, conduit access, double poles, and related considerations applicable to utility work conducted on public rights of way.
The virtual sessions will be held on the following schedule, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a break for lunch:
June 23
Topic 1: Technical, Safety, and Engineering Considerations for Pole Attachments
Topic 2: ROW Planning and Coordination with Municipalities, MassDOT, and Public Safety
Topic 3: Attachment Applications, Survey, and Make-Ready Work and Associated Costs
June 24
Continuation of Topic 3, if needed
Topic 4: National Joint Utilities Notification System
Topic 5: Double Poles
June 25
Topic 6: Massachusetts Formula and Inputs
Topic 7: Memorandum of Agreement and Dispute Resolution
June 26
Topic 8: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (estimated half-day)
Second portion of day reserved
June 27
Reserved, as needed
The sessions can be found in the DPU’s events calendar.
Interested municipal representatives are encouraged to contact MMA Legislative Analyst Adrienne Núñez at Anunez@mma.org with any questions and to notify her that you will be attending.