"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)

Update on MDC Parklands System

Monday, 2 July 2001

Concerning the legislative bills proposing transfer of MDC parkways to the Massachusetts Highway Department:

H 3029: "The Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture issued an 'ought not to pass' recommendation on H 3029, the Governor's reorganization bill. This would effectively 'kill' H 3029." Chris Hardy, Massachusetts Audubon Society.

S 628 and S629: The Joint Committee on Housing and Urban Development placed both of these bills into a study. "A 'study' is commonly referred to as the graveyard of bills. However, the legislature can pull a bill out of study and take action (favorable or unfavorable) on it at any time . . . the bill is not permanently defeated until July 31, 2002. However, very few bills are taken out of study and the chances that S 628 and S 629 will see the light of day again are slim." Chris Hardy, Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Interagency agreement: "There is a possible end run by the Administration to try and transfer MDC monies to MHD under an interagency service agreement to do the same thing . . . it was tried some years ago, but the unions threatened court action and it was dropped." Mary Richards, Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers and Scientists (MOSES).

Overall, it seems safe to say that these bills have been successfully defeated for the time being, and the Conservancy shall be keeping watch to make sure they remain inactive. Thanks for all of your help in preserving the MDC Parkways!

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: Approximately 100 people attended and/or testified at two public hearings.