The River Current

Issue 2, Volume 1.  May 19, 2003.

|| THE RIVER CURRENT || ISSUE II || MAY 16, 2003 ||
The mostly monthly e-newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association
. . . bringing the region's backyard river to your door . . .

Dear Friends of the River -

With the arrival of May, the watershed has been jumping lately.  From the Run of the Charles to state reorganization, CRWA has been in the thick of the public and political arenas. In this issue of the River Current, we will detail the work being done on the Charles and in the statehouse to protect the region's natural spaces.

**********
What you'll find inside this issue:

I) CRWA Wins Prestigious EPA Grant
II) Reorganizing for the Environment: How MA State Government Can Be Restructured Most Effectively
III) Call To Action: Contact Your State Senator Regarding Reorganization
IV) CRWA news and notes
**********

I) CRWA Wins Prestigious EPA Grant

Last week, the Charles River Watershed Association was thrilled to learn that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected CRWA to receive a prestigious $400,000 grant to apply innovative solutions to flow and pollution problems along the Charles River.  CRWA's proposal was one of only 20 selected from 176 nominations around the country.  For more about this, click here: http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?400K.html&2

***********************************************
II) Reorganizing For the Environment: How Massachusetts State Government Can Be Restructured Most Effectively

As we write, several proposals to reorganize state government are being considered by the legislature.  This is an important issue for CRWA and the watershed, both because these proposals aim to change management of the Metropolitan Park System (currently under MDC), and because there is an opportunity to make real progress on sustainable development.  The three current reorganization proposals come from the Governor, the House and the Senate. (For information on these proposals go to: http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?reorg/3props.html&2)

Environmental reorganization proposals fall into two general categories:  those that propose to reorganize at the parks agency level; and those that propose a more ambitious cabinet level reorganization that would bring together the offices of energy, housing, transportation and the environment.  The parks agency reorganization is embedded in proposed cabinet level reorganization plans. CRWA has been working with a number of other environmental advocacy groups to build consensus and develop a sound position.  Virtually all of the groups we work with support reorganization at the park agency level; many also support the goal of reorganizing at the cabinet level.

CRWA supports reorganization at both levels.  We believe the time has come to finally address the longstanding problems of lack of accountability and disjointed management at the MDC by creating a stronger, more accountable, unified parks management agency that will manage the current MDC system of parks, reservations, playgrounds, rinks, pools and parkways.  We also believe that we must attack sprawl and give our communities the opportunity to develop sensibly and sustainably.

CRWA's reorganization main page: http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?reorg/reorgmain.html&2

***********************************************

III) Call To Action: Contact Your State Senator Regarding Reorganization

The time is right to improve the management of Massachusetts' parks and forests!  We urge you to call, e-mail or write to your Senator indicating your support for reorganization. 

We ask you to tell them that you:

1) support reorganization of the park management agencies that will merge MDC and DEM, but keep the metropolitan park system intact and create an advisory council;

2) support reorganization coordinating the environment, transportation, housing and energy; and

3) oppose the reorganization amendment passed by the House (House 4001) 

A list of state senators is available by clicking here:
http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?reorg/statesens.html&2

Click here for a sample letter of support for reorganization:
http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?reorg/sampleletter.html&2

Call to Action main page:
http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?reorg/calltoaction.html&2

***********************************************

IV) CRWA News and Notes

EVENT: UN Water Scarcity Conference http://www.crwa.org/index.php?events/events.html&2

2003 ROTC: See Charles Run! ROTC results http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?rotc/rotc.html&2

SMARTSTORM: New FAQs page http://www.charlesriver.org/index.php?SmartStormFAQ1.html&2

VOLUNTEERING: Help CRWA monitor the Charles's herring population http://www.crwa.org/index.php?callforvolunteers.html&2

***********************************************
The River Current, May 16, 2003, Issue II, batch

If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to the River Current, send an email with your request to rivercurrent@crwa.org. 

The River Current is published by the Charles River Watershed Association.  Editor: Ariel Dekovic

Mailing address: 48 Woerd Avenue || Waltham, MA  || 02453

Phone: 781-788-0007  Fax: 781-788-0057

Further information and back issues of The River Current can be found at http://www.charlesriver.org. 

Get The Current out: forward this to a friend!