CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
September 2002
Archives—Table of Contents

A Bountiful Yield

For those of us who care about the Parklands, the spring and summer of 2002 have been bountiful in their yield: the formal announcement of the MDC Master Plan for the Charles River Basin and successful passage of the Environmental Bond Bill bode well for the future of our "Central Park." The bill benefits a variety of greenspace and open space initiatives throughout the state. With its passage it recommits the Commonwealth to long-term support for a host of worthy causes.

The Charles River Conservancy salutes both the Metropolitan District Commission for its work in creating the Basin Master Plan and the state legislature and governor for their passage of the Environmental Bond Bill. Given the exceptionally tough economic climate, the courage and commitment of our political leaders in their support for the environment deserves applause.

Special credit must also be given to the Mass Land Trust Coalition, whose tireless work in mobilizing hundreds of thousands of supporters and working with the legislative and executive branches of state government was decisive in passage of the bill. That said, it must be noted that the Environmental Bond will have no impact on critical operating budgets in other areas of state government.

Some specific budget items listed include $150,000 stipulated for a management plan for the parks in the Charles River Basin area. Senator Cynthia Creem, founder and chairperson of the Charles River Legislative Caucus, submitted this request at the suggestion of the CRC.

The bill itself is a bonding authorization for replenishing depleted capital accounts in which parkland renewal shares with other such critical concerns as preservation of greenspace. Given the extremely attractive cost of borrowing in the tax-exempt marketplace, there is no time like the present for the people of Massachusetts to recommit themselves to the environment.

Charles River Parklands is published by The Charles River Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of the Basin parklands of the Charles River.

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Email: crc@thecharles.org

 
© 2002, The Charles River Conservancy.