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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
Random musings from a Midwesterner in Beantown.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Green Line: No time to rest on laurels
THE SOMERVILLE GREEN LINE IS NOT A DONE DEAL YET
IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED BY SOMERVILLE RESIDENTS TO KEEP THE GREEN
LINE EXTENSIONS ON TRACK
Please attend one of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Public Hearings on Wednesday December 21st and/or send written
comments by January 17th to ensure that the Green Line Extensions move
forward as soon as possible.
Hearings: Wednesday, December 21st at 10 AM or 6 PM
at the DEP Offices, One Winter Street, 2nd Floor, at Downtown Crossing
in Boston.Easily reached by Red & Orange Lines or a short walk from
Green Line at Park.
In May 2005 the state agreed to extend the Green Line along two
branches - one to Union Square and another in the Lowell Line
right-of-way through Somerville to Medford - as part of its Transit
Commitments obligation under the Ozone State Implementation Plan
(SIP). But the Ozone SIP must be formally modified by Massachusetts
DEP to include these projects and then be accepted by US EPA before
they will be on track.
The DEP hearings seek to know if the public supports proposed changes
in the regulations.
Written comments will also be accepted at DEP until January 17th, 2006:
Submit via Email to: christine.kirby@state.ma.us
Send via US Mail to: Christine Kirby, Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Waste Prevention, One Winter Street, 10th Floor,
Boston, MA 02108.
After the DEP Hearings, what happens next in 2006…
• DEP will prepare a final draft of proposed changes to the
State
Implementation Plan and submit it to the US Environmental Protection
Administration (EPA) for their approval.
• EPA must review and accept the revised SIP regulations. There
will
be a written public comment period in early 2006 although there may
not be a hearing.
• The Green Line Extensions must be included in the next Boston
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Regional Transportation Plan
(RTP) â€" comments in early Summer 2006.
• A real financing plan must be developed by the Massachusetts
Legislature for the SIP Transit Commitments by date of submittal of
the MPO RTP to Federal agencies in late Summer 2006.
More Ozone SIP Details and Suggested Speaking Points on the Flip Side

MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE OZONE SIP. The Ozone SIP is a set of
state regulations that are also a legal agreement between EPA and
Massachusetts resulting from the state's "non-attainment" status under
the Clean Air Act. This simply means the state is legally committed to
building more public transit to alleviate poor air quality in this
region. The Green Line Extensions will help prevent future
transportation pollution at a level that satisfies the remaining
Transit Commitments. Preventing future air pollution in Somerville
that leads to regional ozone formation is especially appropriate
because we have long been overrun by commuters, and severely
underserved by clean and convenient public transit.
SOMERVILLE'S CONGESTION AND HEALTH BURDENS. With I93, Route 28, Route
38, the five northern commuter rail lines and AMTRAK all passing
through Somerville, we are uniquely burdened. Over 90% of the
travelers on these highways and trains neither live nor work here.
Somerville is the only community in Massachusetts with over 200,000
vehicle miles driven per day per square mile of land area. We are the
only community with 15,000 diesel trains per square mile per year.
Our high heart attack and lung cancer deaths have been a terrible
consequence of the regional commuter burdens imposed on our
neighborhoods. From 1996 through 2000, Somerville had 36% higher lung
cancer and heart attack mortality rates than the state as a whole even
though a 2002 survey showed lower than average smoking rates. Over
these five years Somerville had 145 excess deaths from these two
leading causes. During the same period, we had 25 traffic fatalities
(total), 25 suicides (total) and only two murders. Air pollution from
regional transportation is the most serious public health problem in
Somerville.
SOMERVILLE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY. With the highest
ratio of multi-family to single family housing in the state, the
second highest concentration of immigrants after Chelsea and roughly
5,000 carless citizens per square mile, healthier transportation would
immediately help many of our residents get to their schools and jobs
more easily. In the longer term it would become the foundation for
new mixed income housing and new economic development opportunities
for our diverse population.
NEW SIP PROJECT DETAILS. DEP has proposed new language which would
make the two Somerville Green Line branches a top transportation
priority and includes both within the regulations. DEP is also
proposing, at the same time, to commit the state to additional
investments in new stations along the Fairmont Commuter Rail Line in
Roxbury, and to build 1000 new parking spaces at MBTA stations (which
may be in the suburbs). The proposed Ozone SIP language would drop
the restoration of the Arborway Green Line to Jamaica Plain and also
the connection of the Red and Blue Lines. We must be very grateful
for and support inclusion of both Green Line Extensions in the revised
Ozone SIP. But we should not undermine the transit aspirations of any
other community.
OTHER NEW SIP DETAILS ARE NOT SO GOOD. The proposed Ozone SIP
language also has two provisions which are not helpful, though we may
be able to live with them. These draft regulations extend the
deadline for completion of the Green Line Extensions from 2011 to 2014
and make it easier for the MBTA to substitute projects for one another
in the future. The new deadline may be more realistic but should be
justified with a schedule that details the major intermediate steps
necessary for project completion. In the past DEP has required
additional environmental mitigation when clean air obligations are
delayed â€" for example, cleaner buses or more shuttle vans for
seniors.
The new substitution provision would allow any transit project
meeting the clean air goals in Boston, Cambridge, Medford or
Somerville to substitute for the proposed projects, including the
Green Line Extensions.
Additional Ozone SIP Transit Commitment details at:
http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/laws/regulati.htm#catht
Visit our website at somervillestep.org for Green Line and
Somerville transportation news.
Karen Molloy
STEP
www.somervillestep.org
IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED BY SOMERVILLE RESIDENTS TO KEEP THE GREEN
LINE EXTENSIONS ON TRACK
Please attend one of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Public Hearings on Wednesday December 21st and/or send written
comments by January 17th to ensure that the Green Line Extensions move
forward as soon as possible.
Hearings: Wednesday, December 21st at 10 AM or 6 PM
at the DEP Offices, One Winter Street, 2nd Floor, at Downtown Crossing
in Boston.Easily reached by Red & Orange Lines or a short walk from
Green Line at Park.
In May 2005 the state agreed to extend the Green Line along two
branches - one to Union Square and another in the Lowell Line
right-of-way through Somerville to Medford - as part of its Transit
Commitments obligation under the Ozone State Implementation Plan
(SIP). But the Ozone SIP must be formally modified by Massachusetts
DEP to include these projects and then be accepted by US EPA before
they will be on track.
The DEP hearings seek to know if the public supports proposed changes
in the regulations.
Written comments will also be accepted at DEP until January 17th, 2006:
Submit via Email to: christine.kirby@state.ma.us
Send via US Mail to: Christine Kirby, Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Waste Prevention, One Winter Street, 10th Floor,
Boston, MA 02108.
After the DEP Hearings, what happens next in 2006…
• DEP will prepare a final draft of proposed changes to the
State
Implementation Plan and submit it to the US Environmental Protection
Administration (EPA) for their approval.
• EPA must review and accept the revised SIP regulations. There
will
be a written public comment period in early 2006 although there may
not be a hearing.
• The Green Line Extensions must be included in the next Boston
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Regional Transportation Plan
(RTP) â€" comments in early Summer 2006.
• A real financing plan must be developed by the Massachusetts
Legislature for the SIP Transit Commitments by date of submittal of
the MPO RTP to Federal agencies in late Summer 2006.
More Ozone SIP Details and Suggested Speaking Points on the Flip Side

MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE OZONE SIP. The Ozone SIP is a set of
state regulations that are also a legal agreement between EPA and
Massachusetts resulting from the state's "non-attainment" status under
the Clean Air Act. This simply means the state is legally committed to
building more public transit to alleviate poor air quality in this
region. The Green Line Extensions will help prevent future
transportation pollution at a level that satisfies the remaining
Transit Commitments. Preventing future air pollution in Somerville
that leads to regional ozone formation is especially appropriate
because we have long been overrun by commuters, and severely
underserved by clean and convenient public transit.
SOMERVILLE'S CONGESTION AND HEALTH BURDENS. With I93, Route 28, Route
38, the five northern commuter rail lines and AMTRAK all passing
through Somerville, we are uniquely burdened. Over 90% of the
travelers on these highways and trains neither live nor work here.
Somerville is the only community in Massachusetts with over 200,000
vehicle miles driven per day per square mile of land area. We are the
only community with 15,000 diesel trains per square mile per year.
Our high heart attack and lung cancer deaths have been a terrible
consequence of the regional commuter burdens imposed on our
neighborhoods. From 1996 through 2000, Somerville had 36% higher lung
cancer and heart attack mortality rates than the state as a whole even
though a 2002 survey showed lower than average smoking rates. Over
these five years Somerville had 145 excess deaths from these two
leading causes. During the same period, we had 25 traffic fatalities
(total), 25 suicides (total) and only two murders. Air pollution from
regional transportation is the most serious public health problem in
Somerville.
SOMERVILLE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY. With the highest
ratio of multi-family to single family housing in the state, the
second highest concentration of immigrants after Chelsea and roughly
5,000 carless citizens per square mile, healthier transportation would
immediately help many of our residents get to their schools and jobs
more easily. In the longer term it would become the foundation for
new mixed income housing and new economic development opportunities
for our diverse population.
NEW SIP PROJECT DETAILS. DEP has proposed new language which would
make the two Somerville Green Line branches a top transportation
priority and includes both within the regulations. DEP is also
proposing, at the same time, to commit the state to additional
investments in new stations along the Fairmont Commuter Rail Line in
Roxbury, and to build 1000 new parking spaces at MBTA stations (which
may be in the suburbs). The proposed Ozone SIP language would drop
the restoration of the Arborway Green Line to Jamaica Plain and also
the connection of the Red and Blue Lines. We must be very grateful
for and support inclusion of both Green Line Extensions in the revised
Ozone SIP. But we should not undermine the transit aspirations of any
other community.
OTHER NEW SIP DETAILS ARE NOT SO GOOD. The proposed Ozone SIP
language also has two provisions which are not helpful, though we may
be able to live with them. These draft regulations extend the
deadline for completion of the Green Line Extensions from 2011 to 2014
and make it easier for the MBTA to substitute projects for one another
in the future. The new deadline may be more realistic but should be
justified with a schedule that details the major intermediate steps
necessary for project completion. In the past DEP has required
additional environmental mitigation when clean air obligations are
delayed â€" for example, cleaner buses or more shuttle vans for
seniors.
The new substitution provision would allow any transit project
meeting the clean air goals in Boston, Cambridge, Medford or
Somerville to substitute for the proposed projects, including the
Green Line Extensions.
Additional Ozone SIP Transit Commitment details at:
http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/laws/regulati.htm#catht
Visit our website at somervillestep.org for Green Line and
Somerville transportation news.
Karen Molloy
STEP
www.somervillestep.org
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