BEACON HILL BEAT
MAY 2008
HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE RELEASES FY 2009 STATE BUDGET
The House Ways & Means Committee, Chaired by Rep. Bob DeLeo (D-Winthrop) released their $28 Billion FY 2009 state budget. The proposal includes a plan to close corporate tax loopholes along with a $1 per package cigarette tax increase, and matches the Governors plan to maintain the $935 Million lottery distribution to municipalities. The budget recommendation is based on a projected 3.8% increase in next year’s tax collection.
In regards to budget line-items that UCANE tracks, the House matched the Governor’s proposal to fund Contract Assistance for the Water Pollution Abatement Trust (WPAT) for debt service obligations at $67,489,029 (compared to last year’s level of $64,166,198) and proposed funding the DEP General Account, which funds staffing at the Department, at $35,371,800, compared to last years funding level of $34,791,004.
After the budget was submitted, House members filed 1,500 budget amendments seeking increases for a variety of state programs, including a proposal to increase the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund, a program which assists communities throughout the state (not just the MWRA district) by providing “local aid” to municipalities and residents to help alleviate significant increases in water and sewer bills. The House had matched the Governor’s proposal to fund Rate Relief at $15 Million, however a delegation of State Representatives advocated for an increase. After the House consolidated and debated the amendments, the program was increased by $5 Million, funding the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund at $20 Million.
The House proposed FY 2009 state budget can be viewed at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/09budget/house/
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MA ECONOMY GROWS FASTER THAN REST OF NATION
A University of Massachusetts report indicated that Massachusetts is outpacing the nation’s economy, by growing at 3.2% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to a 0.6% national growth rate. The report attributes the growth to the state’s strong technology, science, and healthcare sectors. The report notes that Massachusetts housing difficulties are not as bad as California, Florida, and Nevada, because the state did not have as many speculative building plans as other states.
Despite the favorable news, Massachusetts’ economy is only projected to grow by 2.5% over the next 6 months due to the weakness of the housing market and consumer spending.
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MWRA TESTS FIND WATER DRUG-FREE
After a national report by the Associated Press indicating that the drinking water in a number of US cities’ contained trace amounts of pharmaceuticals, the MWRA tested their water supply and found it to be drug-free. The AP report found 36 different pharmaceutical compounds in various cities including New York and Chicago (Boston was not part of the study). The MWRA conducts routine water tests for over 100 contaminates, such as chlorine and lead, but are not required by state or federal law to test for pharmaceuticals.
The MWRA decided to proactively test for these drugs and hired the private firm of MWH Laboratories of CA to conduct the tests. The tests were negative for substances such as acetaminophen, caffeine, ibuprofen, progesterone, testosterone, phenal, and other compounds. Trace amounts of tris (2-butoxyethyl) phospate, a softener commonly used for rubber gaskets, washers, and food containers, was found in untreated water. It is believed that it came from the MWRA plant’s testing spigot, and effects on human health are believed to be minimal. There is discussion in Washington DC that pharmaceuticals be included in their usual testing criteria.
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MWRA TO INSTALL WIND TURBINES & SOLAR PANELS AT DEER ISLAND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
The MWRA will build two 190-foot wind turbines at the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, with the possibility of building three more. The plans were announced after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that the turbines would not affect flights at Logan Airport. Previously, the MWRA proposed building five 394-foot turbines, 2 miles from the airport, but the FAA expressed concerns over the height. The turbines are expected to cost $2.5 million.
The MWRA announced that they will also install solar panels on Deer Island. The 100kW roof mounted solar panels will be built on the Residual/Odor Control Building. The panels are expected to last approximately 20 years and the power generated from the solar energy will be used on-site at the plants and reduce the amount of electricity purchased by Deer Island. The combination of both green initiatives is expected to save the MWRA $116,500 per year.
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~ EPA GRADES MA RIVERS ~
EPA GRADES THE LOWER CHARLES RIVER A “B++”
The EPE graded the lower Charles River a "B++", the highest water quality monitoring grade given since the Clean Charles Initiative began in 1995. The grade reflects the coordinated efforts of government, environmental non-profits, and local groups to reduce the bacterial levels in the river.
The grade was derived from the number of days the river met state boating and swimming standards, based on measurements of bacteria levels. In 2007, the Charles River met boating standards 100% of the time and met swimming standards 63% of the time, compared to when testing first began in 1995 when the river only met boating standards 39% of the time and swimming standards 19% of the time. That year the EPA gave the Charles River the grade of "D".
Although the river’s water quality received a high grade, there is still concern on increased levels of nutrients, especially phosphorus. High levels of phosphorus over the past several years has resulted in algae blooms during the summer months. Last year, the EPA and DEP began a process to reduce phosphorus levels by creating new Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) levels for discharges of phosphorus into the lower Charles River.
Additional information on the Clean Charles Initiative can be found at: www.epa.gov/ne/charles
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EPA GIVES GRADE OF "D" TO MYSTIC RIVER ...
MWRA PROJECTS EXPECTED TO
IMPROVE WATER QUALITY
The EPA gave the grade of “D” (the same score as last year) for the water quality of the Mystic River, but the agency is optimistic that the water quality will improve. The grade is based on bacterial level data demonstrating that the river’s water quality met swimming standards 46 percent of the time and boating standards 79 percent of the time.
Last year, EPA, DEP, and environmental organizations launched an organized effort to improving water quality on the river and its tributary streams. The goal is to restore the watershed to fishable and swimmable conditions, based on measurable water quality standards. Although the grade does not meet passing levels, the EPA and DEP have implemented a number of enforcement actions in the watershed to improve water quality. These efforts include the MWRA Boston Storage Conduit, completed in 2007, located under the Tobin Bridge. Since the conduit has been online, the facility has prevented over 5 million gallons of combined sewage and stormwater that would have otherwise discharged into the Mystic. The MWRA will continue its work to improve water quality as designs are nearing the final stages for improved sewage infrastructure in East Boston along the Mystic River and Chelsea Creek, and the Authority is planning on moving forward with the Alewife Brook CSO Projects in partnership with the City of Cambridge
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