"The life history of humanity has proved nothing more clearly than that crowded populations, if they would live in health and happiness, must have space for air, for light, for exercise, for rest, and for the enjoyment of that peaceful beauty of nature…"    (Charles Eliot)

There is victory to report!

Thursday, 14 June 2001

In regard to legislative efforts to separate the MDC parkways from the parks and to transfer the parkways to the Massachusetts Highway Department, we are happy to report that none of these bills were approved (bills H3029, S628, and S629).

Approximately twenty-five environmental and neighborhood groups (see list below) have joined the CRC in opposing these bills. At the two hearings on May 17th and May 30th, close to one hundred people showed up and/or testified -- and Pat Sekler from Cambridge arrived with a petition containing more than 800 signatures.

Also, when the Senate budget came out on June 6th, we were initially relieved to see that this proposed transfer was not included. But at the very last moment, Senators Lees and Knapik filed an amendment to the Senate budget to transfer MDC parkways to Mass Highways. But on Wednesday June 13th, the Senate rejected the amendment on a 7-32 vote. This vote should eliminate the threat of a proposed transfer for at least one legislative session.

Here are the comments of a state house insider:

"The MDC will be subject to legislative and gubernatorial attacks for as far the eye can see. However, the issue of transferring MDC parkways to Mass Highways is almost certainly 'safe' for this year.

• The Senate Chairman of the Natural Resources & Agriculture Committee Marc Pacheco opposes the idea.

• The constituents of both Senate President Birmingham and Speaker Finneran benefit greatly from the services of the MDC.

• The Natural Resources Committee will most likely issue either (1) a study of the bill or (2) an "ought not to pass" recommendation.

"A study order is referred to as the graveyard of legislation. However, even if the Committee puts the bill into a study, there is a remote chance that it could be taken 'out' of study further along in the 2001-2002 session, say next spring.

"If the Committee issues 'an ought not to pass' recommendation, then the bill cannot be deliberated on again during the 2001-2002 session. Legislative rules prevent taking up an issue which has already been deliberated on and defeated within the same session."

Thank you for being interested in this issue. We shall keep you informed.

List of environmental and neighborhood groups who opposed these bills:

Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods
Boston GreenSpace Alliance
Boston Natural Areas Fund
Boston Preservation Alliance
Boston Society of Landscape Architects, Radcliffe Chapter
Cambridge Tree Project
Charles River Conservancy
Charles River Watershed Association
Coalition for Alewife
Environmental League of Massachusetts
Esplanade Association
Friends of Alewife Reservation
Friends of Belle Isle Marsh
Friends of Magazine Beach
Friends of Middlesex Fells
Harvard Square Defense Fund
Neponset River Watershed Association
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Sierra Club
Metropolitan Park Council
National Trust for Historic Preservation
People for Riverbend Park Trust
Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety

Previous: Legislation proposed for immediate passage threatens MDC parklands system (includes wording of two Senate bills, as well as names and email addresses of Committee members).

Next: Overall, it seems safe to say that these bills have been successfully defeated for the time being (gives details of current status of three bills).