Latest news with #Proposition2
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Worries fuel push to elevate water woes on policy agenda
BOSTON (SHNS) – The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources got its feet wet Tuesday, diving into testimony on bills dealing with water. Water and water infrastructure generally do not grab the spotlight in the way that other policy areas like transportation, education and housing do, but lawmakers and advocates who testified before the committee stressed their major economic, public health and environmental implications. Testimony Tuesday touched on issues related to PFAS, lead and other contaminants; water quality standards for private wells; drought management strategies; and the future of the networks of pipes that move water to and from homes. 'Massachusetts is facing a growing water infrastructure crisis. The pipes that deliver drinking water, the systems that treat wastewater and the stormwater infrastructure that protects our neighborhoods is decades or even centuries old. The U.S. EPA estimates that Massachusetts needs almost $37 billion in drinking water and clean water investment over the next 20 years. That is billion, not million,' Jennifer Peterson, executive director of the Massachusetts Water Works Association, told lawmakers. Peterson pitched a bill (H 1022 / S 563) that would establish a program for upgrading and expanding water infrastructure and would call for $200 million in annual state funding. She said state assistance is critical since 'water infrastructure investment is a shared responsibility among rate payers, the state and the federal government.' Local ratepayers have been burdened by, in some cases, double-digit water rate increases in recent years and the Trump administration's fiscal 2026 budget proposes to reduce funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by 90%, she said. The bill, filed by Rep. Ted Philips of Sharon and Sen. John Cronin of Fitchburg, would dedicate $2 billion to expand the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's capacity with an emphasis on 'improving drinking water quality and increasing housing capacity,' designate $375 million for the HousingWorks infrastructure program, allocate $138 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, and provide $78.5 million for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund, according to a summary from Cronin. 'The infrastructure is aging, and we really need to start investing in it. And there's not enough money on the local level, there just isn't. Certainly not with Proposition 2 1/2, that makes it crushing,' Paul Anderson, vice president of the Barnstable County Water Utilities Association, told the committee. Sen. Becca Rausch, the Senate co-chair of the committee, pressed Peterson, Anderson and others on where the roughly $3 billion contemplated in the bill should come from. 'I'll be very frank, right, having done this role and for a number of years now … nobody ever wants to pay more taxes. So where would we get $3 billion for this?' she asked. Peterson responded that the bill calls for a revival of the Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee that was created in a 2014 water law but has been mostly dormant since about 2018. She said that group would 'discuss where the new revenue sources would come from.' She said the conversation in previous years revolved around taxes on products that have a connection to water infrastructure. 'Back in 2012 when Representative [Carolyn] Dykema and Senator [James] Eldridge were leading the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission, toilet paper tax, pharmaceutical tax — things that had a nexus to water — were discussed, but there was never any consensus around how to move those forward,' she said. Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge was joined by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan to support legislation (H 920) that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to create and administer a voucher program to cover the costs of PFAS filtration equipment for households in municipalities where PFAS levels exceed the maximum contamination levels. Citing the Sierra Club, Connolly said 96 communities in Massachusetts had water systems that exceed that maximum containment level for PFAS as of February, up from 56 communities a few years earlier. 'There may be a question as to why the district attorney's office is involved in this water issue. It is what Representative Connolly referenced. I feel that part of the privilege of serving as the district attorney is to be looking at really a whole menu of prevention efforts,' Ryan said. 'We know, as the representative just mentioned, the problem with PFAS in water has grown by 47% in the last four years. Many of those communities are in my county.' The bill got a favorable report from the Environment Committee last session but then died in House Ways and Means, according to the committee's summary. Connolly said the version he filed this session has been updated to reflect feedback from key stakeholder groups. Ryan said the bill would provide vouchers for people to obtain two PFAS filtration devices in a five-year period, and it would cover the costs to change the filters every six months as recommended. She said the filters are placed at the point of water service, like faucets, washing machines, tub spouts and more. The district attorney said a set of filtration devices for a household costs about $300, and the replacement filters cost less than $50 each. Rep. Danillo Sena of Acton focused his testimony on well water, which he said is common throughout his district. Across Massachusetts, about 500,000 people rely on private wells for their water service, he said, but the state has no standards for private well testing or water quality. 'Because of this, many families don't know what is in their water. They purchase their home with no guarantee that their water is safe. Contaminants like lead, arsenic, bacteria and PFAS have been found in wells across Massachusetts. These have long-term effects on health, and with children at more risk than adults,' he said, testifying in support of a bill (H 1049) he filed. 'This legislation ensures that homeowners do not need to worry about the quality of their water through creating standards of wells [and requiring] testing. The Massachusetts Constitution established the right of clean air and water. We must uphold that right and protect 500,000 residents that currently do not have any legal protection.' Similar legislation from Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Reps. Natalie Blais and Meghan Kilcoyne (S 585 / H 900) was also on the committee docket Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Parts of Harwich, Chatham middle school are rotting. Will towns pay share of $11.5M fix?
HARWICH — Town meeting voters overwhelmingly supported spending about $9 million to replace leaky windows and siding at Monomoy Regional Middle School. The siding and windows need to be replaced to stop water from damaging the building's interior and creating poor indoor air quality, according to school officials. During public comment, two Monomoy Regional Middle School seventh-graders addressed the voters and urged them to vote yes. "These are crucial updates because they will help protect our building from weather, especially water. In just a year, we plan to do the roof as well," said student Maggie Braz. "And keeping water out is a huge priority. Water can cause serious damage including mold which can cause students and teachers to get sick." On Monday night, voters gathered for town meeting at Harwich Community Center on Oak Street to tackle the 57-article warrant. Town meeting continues on Tuesday night. Chatham residents also have to vote at their town meeting, which is Saturday, May 10, to approve the work. The project is subject to a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion vote on the ballot for both towns' upcoming elections. School officials have said the repairs are needed for the school because pine trim around windows and the entire building is deteriorating and creating openings for rain, plywood sheathing is rotting in some places, and rotting cedar drip edges no longer keep water out. "The project initially was simply to replace the siding but as we looked into the project, there's a lot more damage, especially around windows, not only to the siding but to the sheathing underneath the siding, the shingles, and the framing around the windows," said Edward McManus, co-chair of the Monomoy Middle School siding project building committee, to town meeting. The school is on Crowell Road in Chatham. Work could begin in early 2026 if approved at both town meetings and elections and following the procurement process. The total project will cost $11.5 million and will be proportionally split between the towns of Chatham and Harwich. In 2024, Harwich and Chatham approved $2.5 million to pay for work on the the remaining cost is $9,007,030. Harwich's share of the project will be $6,918,300 and Chatham will pay $2,088,730. Taxpayers in the towns pay for capital projects at the middle and high school levels, according to the Monomoy Regional Agreement. The regional agreement says that capital projects at the middle and high school are split proportionally based on the enrollment ratio of students living in Harwich and Chatham in grades 5 through borrowing for the middle school siding and windows is spread over 25 years, the average impact on a home in Harwich would be about $58 per year and the impact on the average home in Chatham would be approximately $16 per year, according to preliminary estimates. Borrowing for the subsequent middle school roofing project would add about $20 per year to a Harwich tax bill and about $6 to a Chatham tax bill. In the second phase, the project will include the replacement of the school's roof. With the exception of the areas replaced in 2018 after significant storm damage, the middle school roof was last replaced in 1997. This project will be submitted for approval at town meetings in 2026. The total project cost is estimated to be $8.5 million with a state MSBA Accelerated Repair reimbursement of 37%, which is not available for siding projects. About $5.3 million will be proportionally split between Chatham and Harwich. Business manager Michael MacMillan said he believes an entire new school could cost more than $150 million. In other business during town meeting, Harwich voters passed the $48 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026 and $125,000 to cover anticipated expenses of the Harwich Home Rule Charter Commission. Voters also voted to spend $35 million to implement parts of the town's Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan to build sewers in the Great Sand Lakes area (Bucks Pond, John Joseph Pond, Kiddies Pond and Sand Lake). The borrowing is contingent on the passage of a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion vote at the May 20 town election. According to the town warrant, the proposed wastewater collections system will protect from the potential for nutrients to leach from the septic systems into the freshwater ponds, harming pond water quality. The town is eligible to seek reimbursement of some loan costs as well as 0% to 2% interest loans from the Clean Water Trust and State Revolving Fund, according to the warrant. Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@ Follow her on X @zanerazz. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Monomoy Middle School repair: Harwich town meeting approved. Now what?
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Truro Election Results: Susan Areson and John Dundas win open seats on Select Board
In an election on Tuesday, May 13 that drew about 30% turnout, Truro voters elected Susan Areson and John Dundas to fill two open seats on the Select Board. Dundas garnered the second highest votes, pulling in 490 votes to Areson's 585. Candidate Robert Weinstein received 183 votes in his unsuccessful bid for the seat. According to unofficial results from the Truro's town clerk's office, 700 of the town's 2,333 registered voters came to the polls. For a three-year term as Library Trustee, voters chose Mary Abt (421 votes) over Ann Courtney (210 votes). In a four-way race for a five-year term on the Planning Board, Harlen Howard outdistanced his opponents with 395 votes. Write-in candidate Eric Jansen picked up 334 votes, followed by Paul Kiernan with 267 votes and John Reimer with 249. Janina Richey, running unopposed, was elected to the School Committee. She received 542 votes. Running unopposed Thomas Roda was voted onto the Cemetery Commission for a three-year term. Elizabeth Gallo was elected to the Housing Authority. Voters gave their blessing to all five ballot questions. At the annual town meeting on May 3, voters approved $3.2 million to clean up and contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in the soil and groundwater at Town Hall Hill site. The ballot question, which okays a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion to raise the money, won 510-152. On a 516-145 tally, voters approved Question 2 to spend $200,000 for stormwater infrastructure. Voters also approved by a margin of 540-127 Question 3 to spend $250,000 for HVAC and roof repairs at Truro Central School Voters followed town meeting's lead on Question 4 and approved a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion for $5 million for solar electric facilities on town property. The vote was 508-155. On a 540-53 vote, voters also approved Question 5 a non-binding public opinion advisory that calls on Gov. Maura Healey and other officials to stop Holtec Inc., the owner of the now-closed Pilgrim nuclear power station, from letting radioactive wastewater to evaporate into the air, posing a harm to Cape Cod Bay. The results are based on unofficial election results provided by Truro's town clerk's office. Desiree Nikfardjam is a reporter covering breaking and trending news. She graduated from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. You can reach her at DNikfardjam@ This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 30% turnout for Truro town elections, according to town clerk's office
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wellfleet election results: Voters give Select Board members sewer commissioner power
All eight ballot questions at the Wellfleet town election on May 5 were approved by 432 registered voters, according to unofficial results from the Town Clerk's office. Four of the questions had to do with charter amendments that were approved at a special town meeting in 2024. The Select Board will act as sewer commissioners after voters approved the move 278 to 127. The Town will be allowed to assess an additional $600,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for repairs to the marina. Voters approved the measure 354 to 64. Repairs to the electrical system and bulkhead, and new floats are needed. Voters gave their consent to exempt from Proposition 2 ½ funds needed to pay for subsidies for alternative and innovative septic systems in the Wellfleet Harbor watershed. The vote was 293 to 104 in favor of the exemption. One of the four charter amendments will allow for Town Meetings to continue as long as a quorum is reached at the start of the meeting. In the past, Town Meeting has been stopped when enough voters left to drop below quorum. In one case it was delayed for 30 minutes while attendees telephoned residents to come back and finish voting on all articles. Denise Coffey writes about business, tourism and issues impacting the Cape's residents and visitors. Contact her at dcoffey@ . Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Wellfleet election results: Marina repairs, septic, rule changes, more
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'It's all about the kids': BOE candidate Kim Miller runs for second term
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph School District Board of Education candidate Kim Miller is seeking another term to serve local constituents. Miller said there are three things she wants to focus on in a second term: decreasing bullying and improving safety, increasing parental involvement and driving academic improvement. Although a big topic of discussion for voters this election season is the Proposition 2 bond measure, Miller said her focus is on the kids. "We've spent all of this time on the buildings, that we forget that the students are in those buildings and they are the ones who matter more than the buildings," Miller said. "I understand all of that, and the voters are going to decide, but when it comes to the success of our students, that supersedes everything." When it comes to decreasing bullying, Miller suggests, "enforcing clear and consistent anti-bullying policies, increasing adult supervision in high-risk areas (hallways, lunchrooms and playgrounds) and implementing mentorship programs that pair older students with younger ones. "Most of the time the board is supposed to be like an oversight to come alongside. We're not supposed to get in the weeds with the staff but to help encourage like those policies, to help get some clear and consistent policies that everyone can understand and implement," Miller said. "We get a lot of complaints, whether emails or phone calls from parents complaining. You know, 'My kid was bullied in the bathroom,' 'My child was bullied on the bus.'" When it comes to increasing parental involvement, Miller said she attended a few sessions offered by the Family Leadership Institute, which suggests ways families and school administrations can work together. "Sometimes we use family forums. It's opening the doors, 'Hey, we have, we have dinner and information for you, come on.' It encourages better relationships," Miller said. "You know, again, it's not oversight of staff. It's not getting in the way of the teaching, but it's it's allowing them privilege to be participant and investor in their children in schools." Miller is also in support of the district's Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, or CSIP, which allows teachers to see where they can improve in classrooms and how to foster student improvement. "It's what's happening in the classroom, how successful they are in providing information and how well the students are taking that in and applying it," Miller said. "So I think that's why and it's comparable. These also show how we rate along with other districts similar in size." You can learn more about each candidate running for the St. Joseph School Board every Tuesday through the end of March.
