BEACON HILL BEAT
MARCH 2006
MWRA ADVISORY BOARD PRESENTS
LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The MWRA Advisory Board recognized two members of the state legislature for their dedicated support and work on behalf of legislative matters pertaining to the MWRA, particularly the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief program. The honors were bestowed upon Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi (D-Boston) and Senator Robert Havern (D-Arlington). Both legislators represent communities within the MWRA district and have worked tirelessly for issues pertaining to the MWRA.
~ Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund ~
Established in 1993 as Section 2Z of Chapter 29 of the General Laws, the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund was specifically designed to mitigate the escalating costs of sewer service in Massachusetts. Developed as communities in the MWRA and throughout the state received double-digit rate increases as a result of federally mandated improvement projects, the Rate Relief Fund has become one of the Commonwealth’s most overlooked tools for helping residents in over 100 communities throughout the state. Any city, town, and sewer district or authority is eligible to receive funds if it meets the appropriate debt criteria.
At its height, the Rate Relief Fund received over $60 million to defray the impact of debt obligations for eligible municipalities or sewer districts. In FY03 after Acting Governor Jane Swift eliminated the program entirely, the MWRA was forced to initiate an immediate 10% rate increase. The MWRA, representing approximately half of Massachusetts’ population, receives roughly 80% of Rate Relief funds. Last year the program was funded at only $12.5 million.
UCANE along with the MWRA Advisory Board, the MWRA Wastewater Advisory Board, and other environmental advocacy groups has put forth a plan to fund the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Program at a minimum of $25 million in the FY 2007 budget.
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DEP APPROVES $501.3 MILLION FOR CLEAN WATER &
DRINKING WATER SRF PROJECTS IN 2006
On March 1st, the DEP’s Division of Municipal Services released the Finalized CY 2006 Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) Intended Use Plan (IUP). The total approved funding for this year is over $501.3 million.
The DEP approved seventy-five Clean Water SRF projects totaling over $377.8 which includes thirty-nine New Construction Projects totaling $292.9 million, eight Multi-Year Carryover Projects totaling $33.5 million, and twenty-eight Planning Projects totaling $11.3 million. Even with the wastewater infrastructure funding available for 2006, the DEP was unable to address all the applications for SRF funding they received totaling over $1.3 billion.
For the Drinking Water SRF program, the DEP approved sixteen projects totaling over $123.7 million, including twelve New Construction Projects totaling over $90.3 million and four Multi-Year Carryover Projects totaling $29.9 million. In addition to the Drinking Water SRF project funding the DEP, in reaction to the massive infrastructure losses on the Gulf Coast this summer, increased the Drinking Water SRF’s emergency reserve to $3.5 million, up from $2 million last year. The DEP will use these funds at their discretion to address unanticipated problems of acute public health concern, which arise during the year. To be funded under this reserve, proposed projects must be in response to an imminent public health threat and otherwise meet the Department’s applicable criteria. Like the Clean Water SRF program, the DEP was unable to fund all the requests for Drinking Water SRF loans they received this year which surpassed $492.1 million.
Once again the amount of available funding for SRF programs does not meet the demand for water infrastructure projects. UCANE has continued to work with the DEP, EPA, Water Pollution Abatement Trust (WPAT) in the State Treasurer’s Office, along with state and federal legislators to maximize SRF funding on Beacon Hill and Capital Hill to provide municipalities with enough funding to accomplish their water infrastructure goals.
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KERRY HEALEY SELECTS FORMER REP. REED HILLMAN
AS GUBERNATORIAL RUNNING MATE
Lt. Governor and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kerry Healey has tapped Reed Hillman, a former State Representative from Sturbridge and State Police Colonel as her running mate for the 2006 Governor’s race. In 1996, Governor Bill Weld appointed Hillman Head of the State Police, and in 1999 he was elected to the MA House of Representatives from the 1st Hampton district, serving the majority of three terms before leaving office in 2004. Hillman was also considered as a Lt. Governor candidate by Acting Governor Jane Swift in 2002. Last year Governor Romney appointed Hillman one of five candidates for U.S. Marshal. The White House approves all Marshals, and has yet to rule on Romney’s choices. Hillman has stated that his priorities as Lt. Governor would be public safety, homeland security, disaster preparedness, and environmental issues.
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~ Federal Level ~
HOUSE WAYS & MEANS CHAIRMAN BILL THOMAS (R-CA)
ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
After serving as Chairman of the powerful House Ways & Means Committee in Washington D.C. for the past five years, Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA) announced that he will not seek reelection. Under self imposed term limits for committee chairman, Thomas would have to relinquish his position next year. First elected in 1979, Congressman Thomas has been credited with shepherding President Bush’s tax cuts through Congress. His 22nd Congressional District in CA, with 52% of the population registered Republicans, is expected to remain in GOP control.
Congressman Thomas was elected Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in January 2001. Created in 1789, Ways and Means is the oldest standing committee in Congress and because of its legislative authority involving economic policy, international trade, welfare, and health care policy, the Committee occupies a pivotal place in the House committee system. The Committee’s jurisdiction includes measures relating to revenue - which under the Constitution originate in the House - trade agreements, Social Security, Medicare, and welfare. In addition to legislating, the Committee exercises broad oversight authority in all these areas.
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