Senate Passes Environmental Bond Bill

The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill providing for the preservation and improvement of land, parks and clean energy in the Commonwealth, Senator Patricia Jehlen announced.

“The environmental bond bill provides imperative funding to protect our natural resources and improve the well-being of our community,” said Senator Jehlen. “We all will benefit specifically from the much needed improvements to the Condon Shell, a staple in the Medford community, making it safer for pedestrians to access.”

The legislation authorizes a $1.9 billion, 4-year capital plan which includes:

– $300,000 for Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) outfall monitors in the Mystic River

– $250,000 for the CSO public information website

– $1m for bicycle and pedestrian safety, signal improvements and traffic calming measures on Alewife Brook parkway and Fresh Pond parkway

– $5m to fund the reconstruction of the navigation locks at the Charles River Dam and at the Amelia Earhart Dam on the Mystic River to address flooding issues

– $2.75m for Condon Hatch Shell in Medford including pedestrian safety improvements on Mystic Valley Parkway

– $2m for a grant program incentivizing Installation of Green Technology to deal with storm water runoff

The Senate and House will now produce a compromise bill for final passage and consideration of the Governor.

– Submitted by State Senator Patricia Jehlen’s office