Senate passes budget amendment effecting the MSH clean up

John Nunnari reported yesterday evening that the state senate had passed Sen. Timilty’s second budget amendment in an altered version, that appears below.  First, it calls for the “unrestricted use” standard, which I understand to mean that the dumped waste needs to be removed.  Second, the amendment calls for a result that “fully complies with the recommendations regarding flood plain restoration and management as described in the September 2011 Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report.”  The Board of Selectmen will met in executive session with our new environmental attorney at our 6/5 meeting, and since it was her idea to cite that Climate Change Adaptation Report, we will learn from her the ramifications.  My current understanding is that the report is aimed at restoring wetlands for flood storage, which would seem to argue for removal of the waste dumped into the wetlands at the MSH.

This was John’s email –

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Amendment was adopted.

john

2nd Redraft GOV 135

Medfield State Hospital Cleanup Plan

Mr. Timilty moved that the bill be amended by inserting after section 156 the following section:-

“SECTION 156A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the division of capital asset management and maintenance, in consultation with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, shall review its cleanup plan for the site of the former Medfield State Hospital and report on whether it: (i) is based on a standard of unrestricted use for the site; (ii) fully complies with all state and federal environmental regulations and standards; (iii) fully complies with the recommendations regarding flood plain restoration and management as described in the September 2011 Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report; and (iv) addresses the concerns of the town of Medfield and of surrounding communities in the Charles River watershed. The division shall report its findings and any reasons for non-compliance or failure to address the concerns of the town of Medfield and of surrounding communities in the Charles River watershed to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives not later than October 1, 2012.