Please find a brief update on our state government affairs activity.

WRC
I attended the Water Resource Commission meeting yesterday where a majority of their time was spent on discussing the draft Drought Management Plan.  The commented period remains open until February 25th.  We developed the attached comments working primarily with the IANE and want to share that – click here to view.  I made some brief comments at the meeting, highlighting the inconsistency in terminology etc between the DMP, the MGL, the WCS and the DEP Model Bylaw.  I expect there will be some follow up on this.

I saw Lexi Dewey there, who runs the Water Supply Citizens Advisory Committee to the MWRA. Chris Pine and I attended one of their meetings last May and presented on irrigation technology and policy.  She remains supportive of our legislative and regulatory efforts and hopes her group will lend us their voice this session.  She also sent this asking for our thoughts: http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/Landscape-Transformation-Infographic.aspx

I also had the opportunity to speak with Jennifer Pederson with the Massachusetts Water Works Association about our frustrations with the DEP and the lack of movement on the regulatory front.  She offered to meet with us and maybe one of the municipal stakeholders to see if we can discuss how to get the process moving.

DAR
We have requested a meeting with the Commissioner and they agreed to set something up.  I will let you know when we get some dates but timing should be mid to late March.  This will be a good opportunity to catch up on some issues and explore ways to work together.

Committee Assignments
Sen. Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) and Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D-Lenox) will returning as Chairs of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.  Old friend Sen. Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) is the new Chair of the Senate Ways and means Committee and Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston) will helm the House Ways and Means Committee.  

Click here for Senate Committee Assignments

Click here for House Committee Assignments

As always, please do not hesitate to reply of call me directly with any questions or comments.

Stephen A. Boksanski, Principal
BCB Government Relations, Inc.
44 School Street, Suite 710
Boston, MA 02108
617-423-6600 | 617-835-6394 (m)