54th Annual Meeting
Our first ever virtual Annual Meeting was a success! We were fortunate to have Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Katie Theoharides with us as we awarded her the Rita Barron Public Official Award for her work advancing climate resilience solutions at the municipal level with an emphasis on nature-based solutions. As EEA Secretary, Theoharides oversees the Commonwealth's six environmental, natural resource and energy regulatory agencies, which include the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Utilities, Energy Resources, Conservation & Recreation, Agricultural Resources, and Fish & Game. Secretary Theoharides also serves as Chair of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Learn more about our Annual Meeting.
Learn more about our Annual Meeting.
Speaker bios
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Secretary Katie Theoharides oversees the Commonwealth's six environmental, natural resource and energy regulatory agencies, which include the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Utilities, Energy Resources, Conservation & Recreation, Agricultural Resources, and Fish & Game. Secretary Theoharides also serves as Chair of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
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Emily Norton joined CRWA as Executive Director in August 2018. She previously served as Massachusetts Chapter Director for the Sierra Club where she focused on advocating for stronger renewable energy policies at the state and local level. Prior to that she spent ten years as a research and communications consultant to groups such as Conservation Law Foundation, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund and the US EPA ENERGY STAR Program. Emily serves as an elected City Councilor in her hometown of Newton, where she is a member of the Finance Committee and the Public Safety and Transportation Committee. Some of her local victories include a citywide ban on plastic bags, restrictions on the use of polluting leaf blowers, and changing the name from the outdated and sexist term “Alderman” to “City Councilor."
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Linda McLane joined CRWA’s Board in 2011 and became Board President in 2017. She was formerly a Trusts and Estates Officer at Bank of New England. Frequently on the Charles rowing, she is a member of the Cambridge Boat Club. As a rower, she deeply appreciates the transformational change that the Charles has undergone. Linda serves on the Board of Advisors of the Appalachian Mountain Club and is a former board member of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts. She and her husband Andy have four sons and reside in Weston. Linda received her Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College and a Masters in Trust and Estates from the National Trusts and Estates Institute.
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related resources
- Main presentation
- I-90 Breakout Room presentation with Heather Miller and Pallavi Kalia Mande
- Blue Cities and Green Infrastructure Breakout Room presentation with Nishaila Porter
- River Science Data & Communications Breakout Room presentation with Lisa Kumpf
- Volunteering during COVID-19 Breakout Room presentation with Delilah Bethel
Charles River Climate Compact
Many communities across the Charles River watershed are taking proactive steps to adapt to climate change. Even though many cities and towns are allocating resources to climate adaptation, the reality is there are challenges that individual towns cannot address on their own and are more appropriately addressed at a regional scale. Additionally, communities cannot act in a vacuum as the actions of one community will have impacts on neighboring or downstream communities.
In 2019, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) launched the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC). The mission of the CRCC is to bring together communities in the Charles River watershed to work collaboratively on climate adaptation by sharing information and experiences and taking a watershed view of adaptation strategies. Currently, 22 of 35 communities are participating in this regional collaboration.
Learn about what the group has done over the past six months and what our plans are for the future.
In 2019, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) launched the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC). The mission of the CRCC is to bring together communities in the Charles River watershed to work collaboratively on climate adaptation by sharing information and experiences and taking a watershed view of adaptation strategies. Currently, 22 of 35 communities are participating in this regional collaboration.
Learn about what the group has done over the past six months and what our plans are for the future.
Speaker bios
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Julie Dyer Wood works closely with the executive director and staff to continue the great work CRWA does and to take on the many issues the river and watershed residents face as we confront a changing climate. Julie also oversees CRWA’s science program which includes Climate Change Adaptation, Blue Cities, Field Science, and Education. Julie provides support for CRWA’s advocacy work, analyzing CRWA’s research and data to inform organizational focus and reviewing project or permit applications. Julie often presents CRWA’s work at conferences, with local officials or committees, and at public events. She has a B.A. in Mathematics from Boston College and an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
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Stephanie Carlisle is the Compliance Coordinator for the Town of Medway’s Department of Public Works. She is tasked with ensuring the Town’s compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations as it pertains to energy, drinking/sewer/stormwater, and solid waste and recycling. She was the Project Manager of the Town’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program planning grant, and will be the contact person for the Town in the proposed regional MVP Action grant flood modeling project. Stephanie earned B.A. in English at Endicott College and a dual Master’s degree in Sustainability Science and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her love of nature began as child growing up near the Charles River, and that fascination brought her to different areas of the world including Belize, where she helped create a Climate Action Plan for the coastal Town of Dangriga. She feels honored to work for the Town of Medway and help promote environmental stewardship over the places and spaces that started it all.
Teaching Resilience:
Green Infrastructure and Education
Green Infrastructure and Education
What happens when a watershed group, community decision makers, and schools come together to restore nature in their urban neighborhoods?
In 2015 CRWA partnered with Boston Water and Sewer Commission, Boston Public Schools, and Horsley Witten Group to install Green Infrastructure (GI) at five BPS: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers in Fenway, Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale, Rafael Hernandez School on Roxbury, Jackson Mann School in Brighton, and Ellis Elementary School in Roxbury. Curriculum was also created specifically for 5th and 7th grade science teachers to assist in incorporating GI into their curriculum to educate students. In this webinar, we discuessed the integration of GI and education and its benefits to the community.
CRWA uses GI, a nature based solution that uses vegetation, soil, and other materials to naturally manage stormwater runoff, as a means for creating healthier urban and suburban environments. GI has additional benefits such as increasing biodiversity, assisting with cooling, improvements to air quality, and beautification of neighborhoods.
In 2015 CRWA partnered with Boston Water and Sewer Commission, Boston Public Schools, and Horsley Witten Group to install Green Infrastructure (GI) at five BPS: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers in Fenway, Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale, Rafael Hernandez School on Roxbury, Jackson Mann School in Brighton, and Ellis Elementary School in Roxbury. Curriculum was also created specifically for 5th and 7th grade science teachers to assist in incorporating GI into their curriculum to educate students. In this webinar, we discuessed the integration of GI and education and its benefits to the community.
CRWA uses GI, a nature based solution that uses vegetation, soil, and other materials to naturally manage stormwater runoff, as a means for creating healthier urban and suburban environments. GI has additional benefits such as increasing biodiversity, assisting with cooling, improvements to air quality, and beautification of neighborhoods.
Speaker bios
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Nishaila Porter supports CRWA by coordinating volunteer outreach events, managing advocacy opportunities, and assisting with various projects. Nishaila is currently assisting with green infrastructure mainly in urban areas and resilience planning projects.
Nishaila holds a B.A. in Earth and Environmental Science from Wesleyan University. Most of her undergraduate research focused on the investigation of Antarctic sediment where she specialized in the identification of epiphytic diatoms. She aspires to further her education and research experience in the near future. Nishaila enjoys playing volleyball, crossfit workouts, and traveling, in her spare time. |
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Kris Grymonpre teaches middle school Science at the John W McCormack School in Boston, MA. He has taught for 16 years, mostly in the Boston Public Schools. In addition to classroom teaching, Kris hosts a Science/Astronomy Club after school and leads an annual student trip to the rainforest of Costa Rica.
Kris and Nicole Ruttan piloted and added on to a Green Infrastructures curriculum, and have led trainings for other Boston teachers. In 2019, they were awarded the Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education in Massachusetts for their work on GI. |
Speakers also included Nicole Ruttan from Mario Umama Academy and Kate England from the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation.
Managing Stormwater:
MS4 Permit Workshop
MS4 Permit Workshop
Stormwater runoff is a major threat to local waterways that will be significantly exacerbated by our changing climate. A new Massachusetts municipal stormwater (MS4) permit was issued in 2016 that includes special requirements for communities in the Charles River watershed.
CRWA hosted a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit workshop sponsored by Foundation for MetroWest to help our community partners better understand these requirements. Our diverse and experienced speakers addressed many relevant topics including the funding sources, legal analysis, and kicking off your phosphorus control plans. This training was geared towards municipal staff and/or volunteer boards who are responsible for MS4 compliance in one of the thirty-five Charles River municipalities.
Note: While we acknowledged changes made in the amended permit currently out for public comment, this webinar did not focus on changes made in the amended permit.
CRWA hosted a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit workshop sponsored by Foundation for MetroWest to help our community partners better understand these requirements. Our diverse and experienced speakers addressed many relevant topics including the funding sources, legal analysis, and kicking off your phosphorus control plans. This training was geared towards municipal staff and/or volunteer boards who are responsible for MS4 compliance in one of the thirty-five Charles River municipalities.
Note: While we acknowledged changes made in the amended permit currently out for public comment, this webinar did not focus on changes made in the amended permit.
Speaker bios
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Julie Dyer Wood works closely with the executive director and staff to continue the great work CRWA does and to take on the many issues the river and watershed residents face as we confront a changing climate. Julie also oversees CRWA’s science program which includes Climate Change Adaptation, Blue Cities, Field Science, and Education. Julie provides support for CRWA’s advocacy work, analyzing CRWA’s research and data to inform organizational focus and reviewing project or permit applications. Julie often presents CRWA’s work at conferences, with local officials or committees, and at public events.
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Newton Tedder is an environmental scientist at EPA Region 1. Newton holds a masters degree in Geology from Boston College specializing in surface water and groundwater contamination due to road salt application. Newton has over 15 years of experience in hydrology and hydrogeology in the public and private sectors where he has worked developing public water supplies, tracking surface water pollution and, most recently, regulating surface water contamination due to stormwater through Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits. Newton has been at EPA Region 1 for 9 years and currently serves as the lead permit writer for the Massachusetts Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Separate Storm Sewer System (TS4) permit.
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Andrew Goldberg is an environmental scientist and planner at Kleinfelder with five years of professional experience in water resource planning. He has worked with several communities in the Charles River Watershed to develop stormwater management, asset management, and climate preparedness programs. Mr. Goldberg completed his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and is currently pursuing a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.
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James McKay has served the Town of Millis’ Department of Public Works for over a decade. As the Department Director, he manages daily operations and water, sewer, stormwater, and highway infrastructure. He establishes and maintains budgets for the Department, oversees capital improvement projects, and maintains public communication with Town rate payers. He was instrumental in leading the implementation of the Town’s stormwater utility. Prior to his role in Millis, Jim worked at the Boston Water and Sewer Commission.
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Paige Dolci is Mass Audubon’s Central/MetroWest Regional Coordinator for the Shaping the Future of Your Community program. Her primary role is performing outreach and providing technical assistance to municipalities with high rates of development in support of sustainable planning and nature-based solutions for climate resilience. Through previous roles like TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator with Sudbury Valley Trustees, she has experience engaging local communities and organizations on topics like open space protection and urban pollinator habitat. Paige studied environmental science and policy at Boston University.
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related resources
Presentations:
Resources
- Managing Stormwater Introduction by CRWA
- Phase 1 Phosphorous Control Plan Requirements by EPA
- Implementation of Stormwater Utility in Millis, MA by Kleinfelder and Town of Millis
- Bylaw Review for Stormwater Management by Mass Audubon
Resources
Restoring a Living River:
Past, Present, and Future of Dams on the Charles
Past, Present, and Future of Dams on the Charles
Tune into a lively and informative presentation and discussion about dams on the Charles River, what CRWA is doing to promote their removal, and how you can help.
Early settlers relied heavily on dams to provide power for industry. As a result thousands of dams were constructed on waterways across the Commonwealth. Today, these relics remain, typically offering no benefit to society, but still impeding river connectivity and degrading water quality and wildlife habitat. Many of these aged structures are in poor condition and are vulnerable to breaches from intensified storms, and increased precipitation caused by climate change. This hazard puts downstream residents and infrastructure at risk. CRWA was involved in the removal of the Old Mill Dam in Bellingham on the main stem of the Charles River in 2016. Now, we are working with local and state officials to assess the feasibility of removing other dams in our watershed, including the Watertown Dam and the South Natick Dam.
Early settlers relied heavily on dams to provide power for industry. As a result thousands of dams were constructed on waterways across the Commonwealth. Today, these relics remain, typically offering no benefit to society, but still impeding river connectivity and degrading water quality and wildlife habitat. Many of these aged structures are in poor condition and are vulnerable to breaches from intensified storms, and increased precipitation caused by climate change. This hazard puts downstream residents and infrastructure at risk. CRWA was involved in the removal of the Old Mill Dam in Bellingham on the main stem of the Charles River in 2016. Now, we are working with local and state officials to assess the feasibility of removing other dams in our watershed, including the Watertown Dam and the South Natick Dam.
Speaker bios
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Lisa Kumpf is CRWA's Aquatic Scientist, hired after serving as Rita Barron Fellow from June 2018 to February 2019. As the Fellow, she coordinated CRWA's Volunteer Monthly Monitoring Program and provided support to the Field Science programs. As the Aquatic Scientist, Lisa works as project coordinator for CRWA's Field Science programs such as Volunteer Monthly Monitoring, Flagging, and Canoeing for Clean Water. Lisa has a B.S. in Geology from UMass Amherst, and is finishing her M.S. in Geology from Boston College where she does research on the Yellow River Delta in China. She has previously worked at Mass Audubon and other nonprofit organizations in the state, teaching kids and adults about Massachusetts' natural history. Lisa loves combining her passions for science, education, and advocacy to engage citizens with the natural world around them. Outside of her work at CRWA, Lisa enjoys singing, hiking, playing with her cats, and spending time with her family.
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Sara P. Grady, Ph.D. is the South Shore Regional Coordinator for the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program and Watershed Ecologist at the North and South Rivers Watershed Association in Norwell, MA. She received her Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Biology from Brown University in 2001 and her Ph.D. in Biology from the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole in 2006. Her specialties include coastal and estuarine ecology and ecological restoration. Sara lives in Plymouth and loves to sing and write poetry.
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related resources
Climate Resilience for Activists
You're concerned about climate change. You support more solar, more wind, more public transit, maybe you've even urged your political leaders to invest in these, and other ways to speed our transition to a clean energy future. But what about climate resilience? We know that even if we were to stop using fossil fuels tomorrow, many changes are already baked in - more storms, more extreme weather, more heat, more drought. What can be done to protect ourselves and our communities from the changes we already know are coming?
Many of the most effective and inexpensive solutions to building climate resilience involve bringing nature back into our built environment. Such nature-based solutions include restoring urban tree canopy, restoring wetlands, daylighting buried streams, and installing “green infrastructure,” such as bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable pavers that absorb water, thereby reducing stormwater runoff and flooding and recharging aquifers. Not only do these solutions offer protection, they offer co-benefits of cleaner air, cleaner water, and the psychological benefit we all get from living in and around green space. Especially in the Covid-19 era, we are seeing the value of nature to our mental health.
Many of the most effective and inexpensive solutions to building climate resilience involve bringing nature back into our built environment. Such nature-based solutions include restoring urban tree canopy, restoring wetlands, daylighting buried streams, and installing “green infrastructure,” such as bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable pavers that absorb water, thereby reducing stormwater runoff and flooding and recharging aquifers. Not only do these solutions offer protection, they offer co-benefits of cleaner air, cleaner water, and the psychological benefit we all get from living in and around green space. Especially in the Covid-19 era, we are seeing the value of nature to our mental health.
Speaker bios
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Rev. Vernon K. Walker is originally born and raised in Philadelphia. Rev. Walker attended Penn State University for college where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Psychology in 2012.
After graduating from Penn State University, Rev. Walker attended Boston University's School of Theology and earned a Master Degree in Theological Studies (M.T.S) in 2016. During this time, Rev. Walker also registered to take courses at Harvard University' Divinity School on non-profit leadership. Rev. Walker also took classes at the School of Social Work at Boston University that focused on social justice and macro social work practices. While a member of the Berachah church in Dorchester, Rev. Walker helped to develop the social action and outreach department. Currently, Rev. Walker is a part of the Pentecostal Tabernacle community engagement team. Rev. Walker has also lectured about his social justice work at Wellesley College, Boston University, Bentley University.
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Emily Norton joined Charles River Watershed Association as Executive Director in August 2018. She previously served as Massachusetts Chapter Director for the Sierra Club where she focused on advocating for stronger renewable energy policies at the state and local level. Prior to that she spent ten years as a research and communications consultant to groups such as Conservation Law Foundation, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund and the US EPA ENERGY STAR Program. Emily also spent several years working in politics as a fundraiser for the Democratic Leadership Council in Washington, D.C. and as Finance Director for a Congressional campaign on Cape Cod.
Emily serves as an elected City Councilor in her hometown of Newton, where she is a member of the Finance Committee and the Public Safety and Transportation Committee. Some of her local victories include a citywide ban on plastic bags, restrictions on the use of polluting leaf blowers, and changing the name from the outdated and sexist term “Alderman” to “City Councilor." In her City Council role Emily serves on the Massachusetts Municipal Association Environmental Policy Committee. Emily holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Vermont and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
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related resources
- Presentation slides
- Commonwealth Magazine article, "Bringing Nature Back into Our Environment"
From Dirty Water to a Clean Charles:
Victory of Science & Data Over Conventional Wisdom
Victory of Science & Data Over Conventional Wisdom
Bob Zimmerman served as Executive Director of CRWA from 1990 to 2018. When he began his tenure, the Charles River was literally used as a dumping ground for sewage and industrial pollutants. Today, US EPA considers the Charles River to be the cleanest urban river in the nation, and the Charles River and CRWA were the 2011 winners of the International River Foundation’s Theiss International Riverprize.
Bob did not come into the job with a background in science. He has a master’s degree in English, and prior to CRWA he had founded a winter sports academy. What he did bring was a skepticism of conventional wisdom, and belief in science. In the early 1990s the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) said the Charles River is dirty, and that the public should accept that it would never meet swimming and boating standards.
Bob did not come into the job with a background in science. He has a master’s degree in English, and prior to CRWA he had founded a winter sports academy. What he did bring was a skepticism of conventional wisdom, and belief in science. In the early 1990s the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) said the Charles River is dirty, and that the public should accept that it would never meet swimming and boating standards.
Speaker bio
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Bob Zimmerman served as the Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association from 1990-2018. During his tenure, CRWA became a leading authority on the science of water in urban watersheds, and developed programs that addressed stormwater pollution, water quality, low instream flow, nutrient loading, habitat protection and restoration, community zoning, suburban sprawl, sustainable development and water demand, the economics of water infrastructure transformation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Today, US EPA considers the Charles River the cleanest urban river in the nation. Prior to working at CRWA, he co-founded and was the Headmaster of the National Sports Academy at Lake Placid, a boarding school offering a preparatory curriculum and training program for winter sports athletes. He has an MA in English, and a BA in English and History from Central Michigan University. The Charles River and CRWA were the 2011 winners of the International River Foundation’s Theiss International Riverprize.
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related resources
- Charles River Cleanup
- Historical Photos of Pollution and the Charles River
Allston Multimodal Project
Pallavi Kalia Mande of Charles River Watershed Association and Ari Ofsevit of Transit Matters convened on Thursday, April 16, 2020 for a discussion about the project to redesign the Mass Pike’s Allston interchange.
Sometimes referred to as “the next Big Dig,” this project would straighten the Mass Pike at the Allston interchange and improve transit with an additional commuter rail stop. The potential benefits include increased parkland, expanded public access to the Charles River, and converting an abandoned rail yard into a vibrant neighborhood.
But as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” Do we really need to put a road *into* the Charles River? Do we really need to replicate the current number of car travel lanes?
Sometimes referred to as “the next Big Dig,” this project would straighten the Mass Pike at the Allston interchange and improve transit with an additional commuter rail stop. The potential benefits include increased parkland, expanded public access to the Charles River, and converting an abandoned rail yard into a vibrant neighborhood.
But as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” Do we really need to put a road *into* the Charles River? Do we really need to replicate the current number of car travel lanes?
Speaker bios
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Ari Ofsevit supports the technical components of ITDP’s work in greater Boston, especially related to developing the BRT Roadmap. He has previously worked in transportation demand management in the Boston area, car sharing in Minnesota and backcountry lodging and education in New Hampshire. He is a recent graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Masters of Science in Transportation and Master in City Planning, where he completed research in the TransitLab with the Chicago Transit Authority. Ari serves on the board of TransitMatters, a regional transit advocacy group in Boston, has twice been honored as “Advocate of the Year” by LivableStreets, and spent several years as a member of the Cambridge Bicycle Committee. He has a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Urban Studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota
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Pallavi Kalia Mande directs CRWA’s climate and watershed resilience work which builds on our Blue Cities Initiative to restore natural hydrology in the built environment. She joined CRWA in 2005 as an Urban Restoration Specialist to develop organizational capacity and expertise in planning, design and implementation of green infrastructure projects. She has since led CRWA's urban resilience work in the lower basin in partnership with municipal agencies, institutions, environmental advocacy, and parkland groups. She currently serves on the Citizen Advisory Committee for the New Charles River Basin and the Allston Multimodal Project Task Force. Pallavi has more than 20 years of experience in urban design and environmental planning. Pallavi received her Bachelors in Architecture from New Delhi, India, a Masters in Philosophy, Environment and Development from University of Cambridge, U.K., and an MA in Architecture and Urban Design from Washington University.
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resources
- Presentation slides from the webinar
- CRWA I-90 Updates