Legislation will invest in park infrastructure, recreational facilities, DCR roads & bridges, land conservation and farmland
Boston – The House of Representatives unanimously approved a $1.6 billion environmental bond bill to preserve and improve the Commonwealth’s “green infrastructure” through targeted investments in open spaces, parks, beaches, and recreation facilities across Massachusetts.
“Investing in our environment today will have a positive impact on our Commonwealth for generations to come. The House has taken action to ensure communities across the state have the resources needed to maintain public parks, protect open spaces and keep their overall green infrastructure thriving,” said Representative Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover)
“With the passage of comprehensive energy and alternative fuels legislation this session, the House has made great strides to curb greenhouse gases and decrease waste in the Commonwealth. Our efforts to promote the use of green technology and alternative energy will have long-term benefits for our environment,” said House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi (D-Boston).”With this bond bill, the House has taken another meaningful step to preserve Massachusetts’s natural resources by investing in state beaches, parks and open spaces.”
“This document, our first full bond in six years, sets the stage for our environmental work over the next half-decade. The bond is comprehensive, is generous in its bottom line, and puts us back on track after years of neglect,” said Representative Frank Smizik (D-Brookline), Chairman of the Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “I’m particularly pleased to include authorization for subjects like climate change adaptation, land preservation, dam removal, and water supply protection.”
The bill provides over $600 million in borrowing authority for infrastructure and park assets, $250 million for design and construction of DCR-maintained bridges, and over $350 million for land conservation.
In addition to general authorizations, the bond bill includes funding for cities and towns to repair water infrastructure, acquire more open space, and maintain existing park properties.
Under the environmental bond bill adopted by the House, Haverhill will receive:
• $300,000 for the rehabilitation, improvement and enhancement of city parks;
• $100,000 for drainage for a culvert on Old Ferry Road to mitigate years of flooding on Frye road;
• $400,000 for a infiltration elimination program;
• $200,000 for the design and construction of a walking path connecting the upper part of the city of Methuen to the Lower portion near Searle’s Estate;
• $500,000 for drainage improvements on Frye Road
