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UCANE E-News
May 1, 2009
Submitted by Michael Galli
Legislative Liaison
MassDEP Releases Final 2009 Clean Water & Drinking Water SRF IUP’s
The Final 2009 Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) & Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF) Intended Use Plans (IUP) have been released by MassDEP. In addition to these IUP’s, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission and the MWRA have released their list of upcoming projects.
The completed lists will be available for viewing in the May 2009 issue of Construction Outlook Magazine.
It is our hope that these projects will come out to bid this year along with the passage of Senate Bill 2019, An Act Mobilizing Economic Recovery in the Commonwealth. SB 2019 is vital to the timely distribution of “Shovel-Ready” projects throughout the State.
The Clean Water IUP lists sixteen (16) new planning projects, twenty two (22) new construction projects plus forty one (41) carry-over or statutory projects from previous IUP’s. The total financing for this IUP is $744,194,195. This IUP identifies $451M in new projects and $293M in carry-over projects.
The Drinking Water IUP lists twenty (20) new construction projects, thirty one (31) carry-over projects from the previous IUP and one (1) planning project, totaling $241,839,305. This IUP identifies $112M in new projects and $129M in carry-over projects.
All projects included on the IUP will be eligible for American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds as long as the projects are under contract or construction by February 17, 2010 and meet the required time frames for application submission. All projects receiving financial assistance from the CWSRF that do not meet the time frames for ARRA funds will be eligible for loans at 2% interest. Successful applicants are required to obtain local appropriation for their projects cost by June 30, 2009, and must submit a copy of the vote to MassDEP.
In addition, for projects that will use ARRA funds each applicant is required to submit final plans and specifications, all necessary permits and a completed loan application by August 1, 2009. For those applicants that are not seeking ARRA funds, they must submit “buildable” plans and specifications with a completed financial application to MassDEP by October 15, 2009.
CWCC: Senate Legislation For Wastewater/Water SRF’s
Included in the latest Clean Water Construction Coalition (CWCC) Report was a notice relating to Senate Legislation on Wastewater/Water SRF’s. Representatives of the Coalition, including Walter Gainer who is a contractor from the Associated Utility Contractors of Maryland, met this week with Mike Burke, Projects Director with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Discussions focused on the Committee legislation to Reauthorize the Wastewater and Drinking Water SRF programs. The plan is for the committee to markup a Bill by early May 2009. Please note the key provisions of the draft:
- $20B for Wastewater SRF over 5 years
- $2B for CSO improvements over 5 years
- $15B for Drinking Water SRF over 5 years
UCANE will continue to update our members as information becomes available.
Greenfield “Shovel-Ready” Project First To Break Ground
The Franklin Regional Transit Center, a $12M project, was the first project to break ground as part of the Massachusetts Recovery Plan. The Center is designed to encourage future passenger rail services along the Connecticut River corridor as well as drastically minimize energy use through energy efficiency features, including potential for on-site renewable energy regeneration.
The construction will be the first project within the Greenfield Bank Row Urban Zone, part of the Greenfield Bank Row Private Development Site, and is expected to be the catalyst for redevelopment and reinvestment in downtown Greenfield, housing offices of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority and Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG).
“This project is a perfect example of how we intend to use Stimulus Funds to create new jobs while supporting multiple objectives – in this case expanded public transportation and a stronger economic future for cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth,” said Governor Patrick.
Stimulus: Bids Awarded To First Five Transportation Projects
The Patrick Administration announced bids have been awarded for the first five “Shovel-Ready” transportation projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Bids were opened, awards made and a “notice to proceed” issued just five weeks after the projects were advertised for bid. In four of the five projects, the awarded bid came in 2.7% to 16.4% below estimate. The first five projects have an estimated total value of $11.5M and represent road resurfacing and traffic sign replacement in the following locations:
- Adams – Route 116
- Bourne – Route 6 (Science Highway)
- Bridgewater – Middleborough – Route 18 & Route 28
- Lexington – Reading – Route 128 (I-95), Sign Replacement
- Swansea – Route 6
Over $153.3M will be committed to “Shovel-Ready” projects advertised for bid within the next 120 days.
Salem, NH To Vote On $4.1M Water And Sewer Project
Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on the $4.1M Canobie Lake project on Saturday May 2, 2009 at the Salem High School auditorium. A special town meeting will be held on May 19, 2009. Half of the project will be reimbursed with Stimulus money from the ARRA. The urgency on the vote came after Governor John Lynch signed off on SB39 which allows towns to bypass the traditional budget process and take Stimulus-eligible projects straight to voters.
New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services released a prioritized list of projects last week that would be eligible for ARRA wastewater project Stimulus money. According to the list, a $2.5M allotment for the Canobie Lake project is ranked 40th. There is currently enough money for the top 30 projects. In order for the Canobie Lake project to make the cut, approximately $14M in projects will have to be cut from other projects.
The project involves the engineering, design and construction of road and drainage improvements, as well as sewer and water extensions into two separate neighborhoods.
State Payments Sent To Towns For Watershed Lands
In lieu of taxes, $5.5M in payments has been distributed to communities in the Quabbin, Wachusett and Ware River watersheds by the State Department of Conservation and Recreation and the MWRA. The program compensates municipalities for their land within their boundaries that is owned by the Conservation Department to protect public water supplies. The MWRA, which provides water from the reservoirs to 2.3M people, will provide money for the payments.
Property that is bought by the State is tax-exempt, so the PILOT payment program offsets the communities’ loss of taxable lands. According to State Law, these payments are to be based on the Department of Revenue’s valuations which are calculated every four years, with the last revaluation completed in 2005.
Under the law, such conservation payments can never be less than the previous year, even if there is a drop in the land valuation or the local tax rate. Unlike other payments in lieu of taxes for State-owned lands, which are dispersed through the State’s local aid program and are subject to legislative allocation, the conservation program is paid in full directly to each community.
Amounts for each community are: Barre, $134,451; Belchertown, $171,883; Berlin, $29,474; Boylston, $541,958; Clinton, $128,815; Hardwick, $55,204; Holden, $767,553; Hubbardston, $249,984; Leominster, $7,970; Ludlow, $8,979; New Salem, $353,126; Northboro, $88,007; Oakham, $77,760; Orange, $3,343; Pelham, $194,287; Petersham, $411,024; Phillipston, $9,555; Princeton, $172,113; Rutland, $338,586; Shutesbury, $273,292; Sterling, $513,666; Templeton, $637; Ware, $320,224; Wendell, $17,549; and West Boylston, $602,756.
Reminder…“Jackie’s Law” DPS Filed Emergency Amendments
The Department of Public Safety and the Division of Occupational Safety filed emergency amendments to the Excavation and Trench Safety Regulations (520 CMR 14.00). It was noted by DPS and DOS that these amendments are effective immediately. A summary of the amendments can be viewed at www.mass.gov/dps. A public hearing is scheduled for May 26, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. in the Ashburton Café Conference room located at One Ashburton place, Boston, MA 02108. A copy of the all amendments made to the regulations can be found at http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/dps/inf/520_cmr_14_trench.doc.
Tel: (617) 471-9955 • Fax: (617) 471-8939 • 300 Congress Street, Suite 101 • Quincy, MA 02169