Seventh legislator supports wetlands protection at Blue Hills Reservoir

Representative Robert Coughlin (11th Norfolk) has become the seventh local legislator to write to DEP Commissioner Robert Golledge asking that he require MWRA to replace the protected wetlands that will be lost if MWRA drains and fills the Blue Hills Reservoir on Chickatawbut Road in Quincy in order to construct concrete water tanks. We have posted Rep. Coughlin's letter here:

http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/reservoir/legisltrs/coughlin100405.htm

Since 1990, every state agency proposing to fill protected wetlands has been required to replace them, in conformance with the commonwealth's 'no net loss of wetlands' policy. DEP broke with that history by allowing MWRA to fill wetlands wholesale at the Reservoir without replacing any of them.

Coughlin joins six other local legislators who have asked DEP Commissioner Golledge to require the proposed tanks to conform with the policy. They are Sen. Brian Joyce and Reps. Bruce Ayers, Ron Mariano, Geraldine Creedon, William Galvin, and Walter Timilty. Similar letters were written by the Quincy and Milton Conservation Commissions.

On Sept. 29 Friends of the Blue Hills filed a Motion for Reconsideration asking the Commissioner to review his Sept 20 Final Decision affirming MWRA's permit to fill the Reservoir.

Last week MWRA issued a press release: "FACTS ABOUT MWRA’S BLUE HILLS COVERED STORAGE PROJECT." It is available at:

http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/01news/2005/100505bluehills.htm

The release makes no mention of the Blue Hills Reservation, even tho' the tanks are the largest construction project proposed within the park in 50 years. Because the release ignores or misrepresents many important aspects of the site and the project, we have posted an annotated version here:

http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/reservoir/MWRArelease100505/100505bluehills.htm

The project has garnered little if any public support. Alternatives that would have been much less damaging to the Reservation got short shrift from MWRA planners. We will continue to oppose the tanks until MWRA consents to take responsibility for its actions.

Tom Palmer
FBH Brd of Directors

more information at:
http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/BHreservoir.htm ___________________________________________________________________________
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