Michigander in Mass

Massachusetts DEP extended the deadline for written public comments on the Ozone SIP Transit Commitments, including the Green Line extensions to Somerville and Medford.

The public hearings will still take place on Wednesday, December 21st at DEP, which is located at the center of Downtown Crossing in Boston, at both 10 AM and 6 PM. DEP at One Winter Street is easily reached via either the Red or Orange Lines and is also a short walk from the Green Line at Park.

Additonal comments on the DEP Hearing appear below, but first a few words on the four steps, toward Green Line entitlement, remaining over the next nine months:

Following these important December 21st hearings, DEP will produce a final draft of proposed changes to the State Implementation Plan language and forward that to US EPA for their consideration. Additional steps necessary this year, if the Somerville Green Line is to stay On Track, include incorporation of the project in the next Boston MPO Regional Transportation Plan and designation by the Massachusetts Legislature of a real financial source for transit expansion projects. The SIP is a legal agreement between EPA and Massachusetts derived from the state's "non-attainment" status under the Clean Air Act.

By Federal regulation, SIP transportation projects must take priority over most other projects in the Boston MPO Regional Transportation Plan. Also by Federal regulation, major projects in the Boston MPO Regional Transportation Plan must have real financial sources. Failure on either count would put huge Federal transportation dollars that will otherwise flow to Massachusetts at risk. As a result of Clean Air Act failures, Atlanta's Federal transportation funding was cut-off several years ago. More recently, San Francisco and Baltimore / Washington transportation funding has been put at risk.


To recap, the following steps are needed in the next nine months to keep the Green Line and (other SIP transportation projects) ON TRACK:

1. DEP acceptance of the proposed projects.
HEARINGS December 21st, 2005.
Written comments by January 17th, 2006.

2. EPA acceptance of revised SIP regulations.
Comment period in early 2006.

3. Inclusion in the Boston MPO Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).
Comment period in June 2006.

4. Definition of a state transit expansion funding source.
By date of submittal of MPO RTP to Federal agencies.


With regard to the proposed SIP regulation changes that are now in a critical DEP public comment period, Somerville citizens should also be aware:

1. That EOT and DEP are proposing that there be a three year delay in the Green Line implementation date - moving the deadline from 2011 to 2014. At the very least a realistic and aggressive "critical path" outline should be produced before any delay is accepted.

2. That EOT and DEP have not proposed any mitigation for the possible delay in transit implementation. In the past there has always been an expectation of full environmental mitigation - i.e., temporary corridor air quality improvements - for any delays in meeting the SIP obligations.

3. That the proposed SIP language would allow much easier substitutions for SIP transit projects in the future, as long as they met air quality goals in Boston, Cambridge, Medford or Somerville. The Green Line could be replaced by the Urban Ring, new transit to Harvard's Allston campus or another project.

In the past, the Ozone SIP Transit obligations have always had very strict substitution conditions, requiring proof of "infeasibility", and substitutions have been required to be located in the corridors that would have been served by the original project.


It is critical that Somerville citizens turn-out once again at the DEP Hearings to keep the Green Line ON TRACK and continue to respect other advocates.

STEP will be providing some suggested speaking points shortly, but Somerville citizens own words have done a remarkable job of advocacy in the past year. If you continue to speak thoughtfully and from your own hearts, we will do just fine. It is important that EOT and DEP hear our thanks for their consideration and our pledge to make the Green Line extensions work superbly for the Somerville community. The Green Line is a major step toward cleaner air and better service.

Somerville has borne an enormous environmental and public health burden from regional commuter trips on the highways and railways through our neighborhoods. We are the only community in the state with over 200,000 vehicle miles traveled per day per square mile. We are the only community in the state with 15,000 diesel train trips per year per square mile. Over 90% of the commuters on I93, Route 28, Route 38 and the six diesel rails cutting through do not live or work in Somerville.

Despite our local grievances and needs, in our past testimony we have been very respectful of the transportation aspirations of the other communities involved, especially those from Jamaica Plain and those in favor of the Red and Blue Line connection. At DEP on Wednesday, December 21st, we need to maintain that practice even as we continue our local advocacy. Somerville and the region should be evolving together toward a healthier transportation system that broadly serves both quality of life and economic opportunity.

Regards, Wig Zamore

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THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

BUREAU OF WASTE PREVENTION

DIVISION OF CONSUMER AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS



NOTICE OF EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD


Notice is hereby given that the Department of Environmental Protection, under its authority pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111, Sections 142A through 142M, and in conformance with M.G.L. Chapter 30A, will extend the public comment period on amendments to 310 CMR 7.36, Transit System Improvements, from January 3, 2006 to January 17, 2006. The purpose of the public hearing is to solicit comments on proposed amendments to 310 CMR 7.36. The proposed amendments were requested by the Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) and include substitute projects for the three remaining transit projects required as air quality mitigation measures for the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project. The proposed amendments also modify the procedures in the regulation to delay and substitute transit projects.



As indicated in a previous notice, public hearings will be conducted to receive public comment, both oral and written, on the proposed regulation.



On: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 - 10:00 am and

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 - 6:00 pm

At: Washington Street Conference Center, 2nd Floor, Rooms A, B, & C

Department of Environmental Protection

One Winter Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02108



The public hearing site is wheelchair accessible. This information is available in alternative format upon request by contacting Donald M. Gomes, DEP's ADA coordinator, at (617) 556-1057. TDD Service 1-800-298-2207, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108.



Testimony may be presented orally and/or in writing at the public hearing. Following the hearing, written testimony will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on January 17, 2006. The Department requests that written testimony be submitted electronically via e-mail to: christine.kirby@state.ma.us. Written testimony may also be sent to: Christine Kirby, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste Prevention, One Winter Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.



Copies of the regulation and background document will be available for inspection during normal business hours at the Department of Environmental Protection, One Winter Street, Boston, MA. In addition, these documents will be available on DEP's website at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/laws/regulati.htm#proposed and

http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm.



By order of the Department.

Robert W. Golledge, Jr., Commissioner