 | Newsletter #42 November 16, 2024 https://alewife.org |
The ASG Newsletter includes the following updates:
- Conservation Commission Public Hearing about MBTA Hi-Rail Access Tunnel proposal on Monday, November 18 at 7pm on Zoom
- How and When to Submit Your Comments on the T’s Draft RAM Plan
Conservation Commission Public Hearing about MBTA Hi-Rail Access Tunnel proposal on Monday, November 18 at 7pm on Zoom
Click on this link for the Meeting Agenda and to Register
This is the second meeting of the Conservation Commission (ConCom) on this project. The first was on October 21. Based on a request from ASG and other community members, ConCom and the MBTA held a public site visit on November 8, so that ConCom and members of the community could see the project location and learn more about the project.
Please attend the meeting this Monday to show continued community interest and concern about this project, including:
The big impact on mature trees, and on the 4 acre restored ecosystem that is one of IQHQ’s commitments in their Special Permit with the City of Cambridge Planning Board. See ASG Letter to the Conservation Commission – November 15, 2024 for more information and ideas about these issues.
Ask the MBTA for more information, so the ConCom and community can better understand the impacts on trees, ecosystem, the future community experience, other impacts, and then propose revisions to the plan. See ASG Letter to the Conservation – October 29, 2024 for ASG’s requests.
Ask the MBTA to follow the intent of the Cambridge Tree Ordinance, and revise the plans to enable actual replacement of the caliper inches lost from the removal of about 30 mature trees. Ask the MBTA to bring their landscape architect team to the next ConCom meeting to discuss the planting plans for this project.
Ask the MBTA to conduct a new tree study of the area of the project, so that the assessment of the tree impacts, including caliper inches lost, is up to date.
Ask the ConCom and MBTA to consider, as they schedule future meetings on this project, that another time consuming permitting process is still in process and not yet resolved. The community continues to raise concerns about the proposed RAM plan, and ASG is advocating with the T that they follow the Cambridge Asbestos Protection Ordinance requirement of “tenting and venting”, with HEPA filtration, during soil excavation for the construction of the tunnel.
For more information about the proposed Alewife Hi-Rail access tunnel, including issues and impacts, see ASG Newsletter #39 and ASG Newsletter #41.
The ConCom administers the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (310 CMR 10.0) for the City of Cambridge. This includes reviewing, permitting and inspecting projects in or adjacent to Cambridge’s wetlands, floodplains and water bodies.
More info about the Cambridge Conservation Commission can be found here.
How and When to Submit Your Comments on the T’s Draft RAM Plan*
Currently, the T has set a deadline of November 30, 2024 for comments on the draft RAM Plan* for their proposed Hi Rail Access Tunnel at Alewife. In response to a request from ASG to extend the comment deadline, the MBTA extended it from the original deadline of October 30.
If you would like to send comments or questions to the MBTA about their RAM plan, email them no later than November 30 to:
Brian Miller, LSP, CDW Inc., at: bmiller@cdwconsultants.com
Please also consider CC’ing or forwarding your comments to ASG at contact@alewife.org.
Wondering what to include? You might consider any or all of these:
– Mentioning if you are a T rider. And that you are eager for improved reliability and service.
– A flawed public process. The T did not include any public input when choosing their proposed site for the Hi-Rail access tunnel. And, the T introduced the project, started the RAM Plan comment period, and started the Conservation Commission permitting processes, all within 5 weeks, resulting in a very intense and stressful experience for community members.
– A poorly considered location for this tunnel. Yes, this location is relatively far from houses, but it goes through one of the most contaminated areas of the old W. R. Grace site. And, it goes through the 4-acre restored ecosystem that IQHQ’s was required to provide as a community benefit in order to receive a Special Permit from the City of Cambridge Planning Board for their development. The MBTA should consider a different location or provide a more detailed explanation to the public why no other site seems possible.
– The T’s draft RAM Plan does not follow the Asbestos Protection Ordinance (APO), which requires tenting and venting. Ask that they follow the APO.
Thank you!
*RAM Plan stands for Release Abatement Measure Plan
In this case the potential release of asbestos is the main concern. The abatement the T proposes is wetting the soil. ASG wants the better solution of “tenting and venting” to eliminate or reduce inhalation of asbestos fibers.
For more about the MBTA’s Hi-Rail Access Tunnel proposal, including a link to their RAM Plan, see ASG Newsletters #39 and #41.
For questions or comments about issues in our community, contact ASG contact@alewife.org