Section 8C. Any increase over the present rate of interbasin transfers of the surface or groundwater of the river basin shall require the approval of the commission, notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary to increase a present interbasin transfer in addition to such other approvals that may be required by law. Said commission shall file a report of its findings, justifications, and decisions in relation to such approval or disapproval, with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, and with the state secretary for publication in the Massachusetts register.
Any emergency connections either approved under the provisions of sections forty and forty-one A of chapter forty, or authorized by a law to provide a necessary and adequate water supply shall be exempt from the provisions of this section for a period not to exceed six months of any calendar year, so long as they fulfill the criteria of the division of water supply of the department of environmental protection.
The provisions of this section and section eight D shall not apply to any insignificant increase over the present rate of interbasin transfers of the surface and groundwater of a river basin. The criteria for determining any insignificance shall be established by the commission based upon the impact to the donor basin.