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Daily DigestYuck!
 There's a winter storm warning in effect until 7 a.m. on Thursday with another 1 to 3 inches of snow expected. Could be another messy commute. |
Duff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
Wanted: Eagle Eyes
MassWildlife's annual eagle count runs Dec. 31 to Jan. 14. Anyone sighting one of the regal birds in Massachusetts is asked to participate.
Send date, time, location and town of eagle sightings, number of birds, whether juvenile or adult and observer's contact information to Mass.wildlife@state.ma.us. |
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Like to Write?
 iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
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Other StuffMars Rovers Mark 5 Years
 Spirit and Opportunity have been trekking the red planet for half a decade. Spirit hit the 5-year mark on Sunday; Opportunity will on Jan. 24. |
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Patrick Files $1.4B Bond Bill for Parks, Land Protection - December 22, 2007
BOSTON – The Patrick administration is asking for a record $1.4 billion bond authorization to invest in parks, recreational facilities and roadways around the state.
"The commonwealth needs parks, farmlands, and recreational facilities that are second to none, in order to attract new residents and visitors, and enhance our quality of life," said Gov. Deval Patrick in a statement.
The bond bill, filed Friday, is nearly double the size of the last environment bond bill, passed in 2002, and is in line with the governor's commitments to protecting open space from development and enhancing recreational facilities for all citizens, according to his office.
The funding authorization is based on the administration's five-year capital investment plan and related debt affordability analysis published in August. The billion energy and environment bond bill is designed to upgrade and maintain transportation infrastructure and recreational facilities operated by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.
The Patrick administration has said it's dealing with millions in deferred maintenance at parks around the state, a problem that Lt. Gov. Timothy Murphy referred to in a visit to Pittsfield recently.
The bond bill provides $665 million in borrowing authority for infrastructure and park assets. This bond authority includes $250 million for design and construction for DCR bridges in dire need of repair and reconstruction. Bridges likely to receive attention include the Woods Memorial Bridge in Everett and bridges in the Charles River Basin, pending the results of a sequencing study to determine the optimal order of repair and reconstruction.
Also included in this bonding authority is $75 million in borrowing authority for urban parkways and $213 million for other spending on state parks, urban reservations, harbor islands, hiking and biking trails, swimming pools, skating rinks and campgrounds.
"This bond bill advances Governor Patrick's priorities – land conservation and upgrading of assets in the care and custody of our state parks agency," said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles in a statement. "It provides the bonding authority to give the citizens of the commonwealth the great open spaces and the great parks, beaches, and recreation facilities they deserve."
For land conservation, the bond bill authorizes $355 million, up from $250 million in the 2002 bill, allowing the administration to meet its goal of investing at least $50 million per year under the five-year capital spending plan announced in August. The five-year projected spending plan represents a 65 percent increase over annual land protection spending in the past four years and 24 percent over annual spending from 1993 to 2003, adjusted for inflation.
Spending on land preservation cuts across agencies and programs, but going forward will reflect Patrick's three priorities:
Commonwealth Urban Parks: visionary urban parks located in neighborhoods where outdoor recreation is lacking.
Commonwealth Habitat Reserves: saving the remaining large, undisturbed blocs of natural habitat for future generations and as destinations for "green tourism."
Commonwealth Working Landscapes: preserving agricultural and forest lands as viable enterprises that also maintain the rural landscape of Massachusetts.
State-funded conservation programs can leverage a great deal of investment in land protection by private land trusts and municipalities. Based on past experience, Patrick's commitment to at least $50 million a year in state land acquisition and conservation restrictions should leverage an additional $75 million annually in municipal, land trust, federal, landowner gifts, and other private fund raising, according to his office.
In addition, conservation restrictions obtained by towns and land trusts working with conservation-minded landowners, which may reach 10,000 acres this year, often abut state-protected land, adding another $40 million in land conservation associated with state land programs. It is estimated that the state is losing more than 40 acres of open space a day.
"Many communities are seeking to preserve their defining landscapes before they're overwhelmed by development pressures," said Whitney Hatch, regional director of the Trust for Public Land, in a statement. "We find that communities are stepping up to the plate, but more often than not, a state matching grant is an essential piece of the conservation puzzle. We need this bond to replenish those grant programs. We thank Governor Patrick for this wise proposal to invest in our irreplaceable resources, and we hope the Legislature will quickly approve a new environmental bond."
The bond authorization would cover the estimated five-year spending amount, say administration officials, and provides flexibility to fund additional spending if needed over the five-year period. |
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