BEACON HILL BEAT
OCTOBER 2007
UNITED STATES SENATE CONDUCTS HEARING ON
NATION’S WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
The United States Senate’s Environment & Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security and Water Quality, Chaired by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), held a hearing on meeting the nation’s wastewater infrastructure needs of the 21st century. The importance of the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) to municipalities throughout the country was discussed. Over the years, the EPA has mandated additional wastewater regulations thereby increasing the need for low interest loans to assist cities and towns address their critical infrastructure needs.
Testifying on the need for Congress to address the enormous backlog of wastewater projects were: Benjamin Grumbles, EPA Assistant Administrator of Water; Douglas Palmer, Mayor of Trenton NJ; Joe Freeman, Chief of Financial Assistance Division of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board; Glenn Brasseaux, Mayor of Carencro, LA; Nancy Stoner, Director of the Clean Water Program for the Natural Resources Defense Council; and Christopher Westhoff, Assistant City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles Public Works Department.
Prior to hearing testimonies, the Ranking Minority Member of the Environment & Public Works Subcommittee Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) made a statement regarding the importance of the Clean Water SRF, but he also noted that during previous discussions of reauthorizing the SRF program, the Committee failed to come to a unified resolution on the Davis-Bacon provision, which needs to be addressed.
UCANE’s national affiliate, the Clean Water Construction Coalition (CWCC), submitted written testimony on the importance of the Clean Water SRF and the need to fully fund the program
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GALLUCCIO ELECTED TO
STATE SENATE
Seven-term Cambridge City Councilor Anthony Galluccio will replace Jarrett Barrios in the State Senate, representing the communities of Chelsea and Everett and precincts in Boston, Cambridge, Revere, Saugus, and Somerville.
More information on the new State Senator can be found on his website at: www.galluccio.org
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ATTORNEY GENERAL & EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY& ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS ISSUE CONSENT DECREE
ON GROUNDWATER POLLUTION CASE ON CAPE COD
Attorney General Martha Coakley and Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles issued a $1 million Natural Resource Damages (NRD) settlement against Textron Systems Corporation (TSC) to address groundwater contamination on the MA Military Reservation on Cape Cod. The decree also resolves federal claims by the EPA, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
From 1968 to 1999, TSC, or its predecessor, under contracts with the US Department of Defense, conducted munitions testing on the military base in an area called the J-3 Range. The military reserve is a 20,000-acre site on Upper Cape Cod that includes the Massachusetts Air and Army National Guard, and the Coast Guard command centers. The J-3 Range lies above several wellhead protection areas that supply drinking water for approximately 147,000 permanent and 424,000 peak seasonal residents of Cape Cod.
The Commonwealth claims that TSC’s development and explosive testing of tactical weapons systems for the US Army and Air Force contaminated the groundwater with the hazardous material and weapons propellant perchlorate (an inorganic chemical that is highly mobile in water and can persist for years under typical conditions). In agreeing to the settlement, TSC does not admit liability for these activities. As part of the settlement, which is subject to a 120 day public comment period and court approval, TSC will pay additional funds to the federal government and perform further cleanup, including: $5.6 million to the Army and $800,000 to the EPA for cleanup costs, and removal of contaminated soil and debris at the J-3 Range.
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TRANSPORTATION FINANCE COMMISSION
RELEASES REPORT RECOMMENDING INCREASES IN GAS TAX & TOLLS TO FUND STATE’S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS
After years of research and meetings, the Transportation Finance Commission (created by the legislature in 2004 to develop a comprehensive multi-model, long-range, transportation finance plan for the state) released their recommendation which includes a 11.5 cent increase to the state gas tax, the use of private flagmen on construction sites, increases in tolls for the Turnpike Extension and Harbor Tunnels, a per mile user fee for traveling on MA highways, and MBTA fare increases. These recommendations have been made to address the state’s 20-year $19 Billion transportation shortfall.
The Commission recommended 28 proposals:
- Road & bridge investments should be selected and advanced based on rational and transparent criteria.
- The Executive Office of Transportation & Public Works (EOTPW) should utilize alternative procurement methods & Public-Private Partnerships.
- The use of private flagmen should be allowed on road & bridge projects.
- Responsibility for the Department of Conservation & Recreation’s parkways & bridges should be transferred to Mass Highway.
- Maintenance responsibilities of I-395, I-84, and I-291 should be transferred to Mass Turnpike.
- EOTPW should establish the position of private project Ombudsman.
- The Commonwealth should end the practice of using bonded funds for operating personnel & expenses.
- The Commonwealth should improve the predictability of highway funding & coordination of projects funded by multiple entities.
- The rate of growth of MBTA fringe benefits costs should be reduced.
- The unnecessary constraints on MBTA management should be removed.
- The MBTA needs to fully fund its State of Good Repair Program. This goal can & should be achieved by the Commonwealth assuming the debt from the Central Artery/Tunnel transit commitments.
- The Commonwealth should pay for all the MBTA capital expansions, and before committing to a project, the MBTA should demonstrate that adequate revenues are in place to operate & maintain the expansions.
- Regional Transit Authorities (RTA) should be forward-funded.
- The RTA’s 2.5% per year cap on operating costs growth should be eliminated.
- RTA’s should be allowed to borrow with full faith & credit of the Commonwealth.
- The Secretary of Transportation should exercise a stronger coordinating role with respect to RTA’s.
- The Secretary of Transportation should have authority to coordinate all aspects of the state’s transportation.
- The CEO of each MA Transportation Agency should institute a rigorous Performance Evaluation Process.
- All MA Transportation Agencies should have the same $100,000 tort liability limit as municipalities.
- The vast majority of the state’s funds for the foreseeable future should be devoted to maintenance & rehabilitation.
- Transfer the Tobin Bridge from MassPort to the Metropolitan Highway System.
- Transportation use fees must be dedicated to transportation.
- The Gas Tax should be increased by 11.5 cents and indexed to inflation.
- Mass Turnpike should develop a balanced operating budget for the Western Turnpike that does not rely upon spending down its revenue fund.
- Fares should remain a meaningful source of revenue for the MBTA through regular & predictable increases to keep pace with inflation.
- Toll increases on the Turnpike Extension & Harbor Tunnels must be carried out.
- The state should move to a system of direct road user fees as the principal source of transportation funding using modern technology.
- The state should investigate whether Public-Private Partnerships are appropriate for the development and/or funding of the state’s transportation infrastructure.
A copy of the Transportation Finance Commission full report can de downloaded at: http://www.eot.state.ma.us/downloads/tfc/TFC_Recommendations.pdf
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