Reports: Executive Director’s Reports

June 5, 2006

1. Funding - Full funding for the Trust for FY2007 was in the budget that the Mayor submitted to the Council. There has been no indication that it will not be included in the final budget adopted by the Council, and several councilors have spoken of their appreciation of the work of the Trust. We received the $25,000 check from BWSC for a one time grant for 2006.
2. Zoning - Jim Hunt convened a meeting on June 4 including ISD, BWSC, the ZBA, the BRA, and the Trust to discuss implementation of the GCOD. The group committed to expedited consideration for those projects that had filed for building permits or zoning relief before the January 26 submittal date of the GCOD with the Zoning Commission and were now facing a different zoning situation. I attended the May 23 session of the ZBA at which four of those cases were rescheduled for July 11, the shortest deferral that would allow proper advertising of the hearing. These will be the first GCOD cases actually heard by the ZBA.
3. BWSC - Our Technical Advisory Committee will be meeting with John Sullivan on June 22 to discuss the results of the recharge system installed in the alley behind Hemenway Street and potential improvements to future systems. BWSC will be holding a public meeting on June 8 to discuss the rebuilding of the Back Street sewer. The contract for the lining of the West Side interceptor has been let, and work will take place in July and August.
4. DCR - I have prepared comments on the ENF filed by DCR for the Storrow Drive underpass reconstruction project. They are being reviewed by the cochairs and will be filed before the June 13 deadline. DCR is studying the timing of the Storrow project vs. that for the reconstruction of the Longfellow Bridge. They are trying to avoid having both underway simultaneously. This may lead to a delay of the Storrow project start until 2012.
5. MBTA - The T held a meeting with the City, BWSC, Citywide GET, and the Trust on May 26 to discuss their plans for an interim solution in the St. Charles Street area while a permanent solution is under design. The interim solution would include two additional recharge wells that would also allow the T’s consultant to study water flows in the area and the ability of the ground to accept recharge. They are to reveal their thoughts on one or more permanent solutions before the next City-State Groundwater Working Group meeting on July 13. The Legislature’s conference committee is working on the Supplemental Budget for FY2006 and still likely to include $2,000,000 for the project, which the T has agreed will be in addition to the $2.97 million included for groundwater related issues in the T’s Capital Improvement Plan. There is still some discussion on the exact language to be included.
6. MTA - The MTA will be taking bids soon on a project to renovate the Sumner/Callahan vent buildings in East Boston and the North End. As part of the project, they will install recharge systems for both. They will also include relining the pipes near Herald Street that had some leakage as part of the same package. They are also working on a project to clean and video their main trunk line between the Prudential Center and Pump Station 7. They will then video the line; there is some indication of small leaks in the vicinity of Exeter and Huntington that could need repair. In the North End, they are close to hiring a contractor to repair a leak in the approach to the Callahan Tunnel that could be drawing down groundwater.
7. Chandler Street - The MBTA will be studying the very low readings from the wells near the end of Chandler Street, including one installed by the Columbus Center project, as part of their development of their interim solution for the St. Charles Street area. They are to come back with more information on that solution on June 26.
8. East Boston - MWRA continues to investigate the possibility that they have leakage in an 18" line near the groundwater depression along Porter Street.
9. Well Installation - We have begun our final push toward completion of the last well installation contract funded under the Environmental Bond Bill. We installed some of the wells slated for the North End/Waterfront area, but ran into obstacles on others and will move them and try again shortly. Well installation in East Boston has been proceeding very smoothly. We should complete the 180 well project in July.
10. City Council Hearing - The City Council held a hearing on progress on groundwater related issues on May 18. My testimony is posted on our website. The hearing, held in the evening, was well attended. Councilors Kelly (who we were all pleased to see back chairing the committee), Feeney, and Murphy stayed for the entire hearing, while Councilor Ross also attended prior to another community meeting that was taking place at the same time. In addition to Jim Hunt and Andrew Gottlieb, testimony was given by Rep. Walz, as well as by representatives of the Trust, BWSC, MWRA, MBTA, MTA, and Citywide GET, followed by members of the public. The tone was generally optimistic about progress that is being made. The biggest complaints were about neighborhoods not yet included in the GCOD and about implementation of the new zoning. The Council will probably continue these hearings on a semiannual basis.
11. 212 Stuart St - The project presented revised plans at a public meeting that I attended on June 1. They have committed to meeting the requirements of the GCOD, although the recharge is a challenge because the building will extend to the lot line. They will have no construction below the groundwater level and no underdrains.
12. Website - We have added sections on the data logger readings and on public testimony to the website. I have continued to post articles about groundwater issues, as well as new comment letters to the site. Traffic in May was almost identical to that in April, and I continue to get positive comments about the site and its ease of use. We will be adding a feature to our database that will automate the preparation of our maps, speeding their preparation and reducing the potential for error.
13. Children’s Museum - I expect to meet with the museum COO this month for further discussions about the potential for a groundwater related exhibit and potential funding.
14. City Grant - I am working with Jim Hunt and Jim Lambrechts in defining some of the projects to be funded by the proceeds of grant money that the City expects to receive. We expect funded projects to include work on standard recharge designs, new methods of determining piling cutoff elevations and possibly condition, and a groundwater handbook to be distributed by the City.
15. Press - There were several articles recently in the Boston Courant and in the Back Bay Sun, a new paper that just began publication.
16. Scoping Sessions - I attended a BRA scoping session on 15 Miner Street (the Stonewall Audubon Circle project) as well as a MEPA scoping session for Storrow Drive.
17. Comment Letters - I filed comments on the South Station air rights, Lovejoy Wharf, 316-322 Summer St, and 15 Miner St projects. All have been posted to the website.
18. Accounting - I expect to sign shortly a commitment letter with Raphael and Raphael to once again review our accounts and prepare our tax return. The cost is the same as last year.
19. 501(c)3 - We are still waiting for approval from the IRS on our filing. There has been no comment since we filed our return.