The River Current || June 4, 2008 || Issue 68

The twice monthly e-newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association
...bringing our backyard river to your door...

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In this issue:

1. Mass Highway decision
2. Action alert: Conservation Tax Incentives
3. Brown bag on dam removal
4. “Voice Your Choice” campaign

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1) Landmark court decision in Mass. Highway case!
In a landmark decision, MA federal court Judge William G. Young has ruled from the bench on Friday that Massachusetts Highway Department has violated the Clean Water Act and needs to clean up its stormwater discharges.  Under the ruling, MassHighway has two years to adopt a new, more effective stormwater pollution cleanup plan and must expeditiously clean up pollution hot spots in Lancaster, MA and the upper Charles River Watershed near I-495. CRWA was a plaintiff in the case brought several years ago by the Conservation Law Foundation. CRWA’s Director of Projects Kate Bowditch was a key witness, whose testimony was cited by the judge in his decision.  GIS maps created by CRWA scientist David Kaplan were accepted into evidence and provided visual confirmation of the extent of the problem. 

MassHighway manages about 2,500 miles of roadways, a significant portion of which discharge polluted runoff directly into rivers and streams.  Pollutants such as nutrients, toxic metals, oil and grease, deicing salts, and sand are pollutants found in high concentrations in highway runoff and are washed into waterways during rain events. To read an article about the case that appeared online, go to http://www.crwa.org/articles/2008/dirtyrunoff.html

2) Action Alert: Conservation Tax Incentives (update)
The Conservation Tax Incentive act, which would help protect undeveloped land by providing a state income tax credit to taxpayers who donate land for conservation, is still in the House Committee on Ways and Means. Of all the current bills being promoted by the Green Agenda, this one has the best opportunity to be enacted into law this session. The July 31st end of the legislative session is fast approaching, and we need your help! 

Contact your state representative TODAY and ask him/her to support H. 799 by urging House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) to bring this important bill to the House floor for a vote. Dial 617-722-2000 and ask for your representative by name, or then mention your town and the operator will connect you. For more information on this bill, and on how to find your legislator, go to http://www.crwa.org/alert/cons_tax.html

3) Brown bag lunch on dam removal Tuesday, June 10 from 12:30-1:30pm
CRWA welcomes guest presenters from Mass. Riverways to our monthly brown bag lunch series, taking place at our office in Weston. Massachusetts has over 3,000 dams, many of which no longer serve a useful purpose and continue to degrade our rivers and streams. Beth Lambert, fluvial geomorphologist and Tim Purinton, river restoration planner will discuss the status of dam removal in Massachusetts and the growing momentum to remove dams to restore the ecological integrity of our rivers. Mass. Riverways Program in the Department of Fish and Game coordinates river restoration, including dam removal for the state. Riverways and partners have removed six dams in the past five years, and are currently working on two dozen dam removal projects statewide.

 4) Patagonia “Voice Your Choice” Campaign
Patagonia has selected CRWA as one of five non-profits being featured during their "Voice Your Choice" campaign taking place from June 10th - July 19th at the Newbury Street Store.  Drop into the store and fill out a ballot for CRWA (no purchase necessary to vote).  If we get the most votes, CRWA has a chance to win a $4000 grant from Patagonia!