Alewife cleanup stirs Hope By Christina Pazzanese

As the state plans to build a boardwalk and recreational path through the Alewife Brook Reservation next year, long-ignored demands that officials address flooding problems and possible contamination from decades of sewage overflows and illegal dumping are finally being heard.

Last month, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation fished 3.5 tons of debris from the brook, including motorcycles, bikes, and old traffic signals, as well as trees and branches, said Wendy Fox, a spokeswoman for the agency.
Consultants are testing sediment from the waterway to see what kinds of pollutants might be lurking beneath the brook’s surface. Officials have “no idea what’s in there,’’ said Fox.

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By Christina Pazzanese Globe Correspondent / July 23, 2009

MyRWA Engages Youth in Water Quality Monitoring

Three participants with the Lewis Latimer Society test dissolved oxygen levels of the Mystic River. In June and July, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) successfully implemented three workshops for over 30 youth in Chelsea and East Boston. These hands-on workshops were organized through Chelsea Green Space, the Lewis Latimer Society, and the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH), with the goal of engaging youth in water quality issues and testing methods, as well as their local ecology. Each workshop enabled youth to test for ammonium, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, and conductivity as well as make observations about the weather, water, and surrounding site. Through these experiential workshops, the youth not only learned about their surroundings, but also explored their role in helping clean the river. MyRWA would like to thank the Boston Foundation for funding these opportunities, as well as our partnering organizations.

MyRWA Works with the City of Everett and ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil Green TeamThe Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) is pleased to announce its partnership with Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria and ExxonMobil Green Team. As part of a summer program to engage Everett’s youth and to beautify the city, MyRWA will provide environmental education to complement their work with the City of Everett DPW and Parks Department. The youth teams will explore the watershed’s history, participate in water quality testing through various methods, discuss environmental justice concerns, and discover the watershed via boat. The Green Team is comprised of two teams of youth, with each team receiving two days of hands-on programming aimed at deepening the participant’s sense of place, understanding of the Mystic River Watershed, and their role as citizens. MyRWA would like to thank ExxonMobil for inviting us to participate and for funding this valuable opportunity and for Everett's City Services staff and Mellon Bank for their hospitality!

On the Malden River’s shore, an industrial wasteland is reborn

River’s Edge, a 200-acre development along the Malden River nearly 15 years in the making, will have new tenants this summer, marking a vital step in a project spanning three cities. The project - originally called TeleCom City when the idea was to attract Internet companies to the site, a plan that fizzled with the dot-com bust - is shared by Malden, Medford, and Everett.

by  Travis Andersen Globe Correspondent / June 28, 2009

NOTIFICATION OF AQUATIC TREATMENT OF UPPER MYSTIC LAKE FOREBAYS-WINCHESTER

The Middle and Upper Forebays of Upper Mystic Lake in Winchester, will be chemically treated with USEPA/MA registered aquatic herbicide(s) and algaecide to control nuisance aquatic vegetation and algae on Thursday, June 18th. These areas of the lake only, will be closed to all water usage’s (including swimming, fishing, and boating) on the day of treatment. There is also a seven day restriction on the use of the Forebay waters for irrigation (watering lawns, shrubs or vegetation of any kind) and watering livestock (ie; cattle, horses, etc.) following treatment. Neither the DCR Sandy Beach nor the Medford Boat Club will be impacted or closed. Printed signs warning of the specific water use restrictions will be posted along the shoreline of the two Forebay’s, immediately prior to treatment. The work is being performed under contract with Aquatic Control Technology, Inc., of Sutton, MA for the Friends of Upper Mystic Lake and the Winchester Boat Club, pursuant to permits (license) issued by the MA DEP, Office of Watershed Management and in accordance with an Order of Conditions from the Winchester Conservation Commission.

For more information or questions contact Aquatic Control Technology at 508-865-1000

Dine for MyRWA

We are pleased to announce that the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) was chosen as the Not Your Average Cause (NYA Cause) recipient with the Not Your Average’s Joe’s restaurant in Medford, MA.

For the month of June, Not Your Average Joe’s at 501 Fellsway, Station Landing in Medford* will donate 15% of your total purchase to MyRWA through their NYA Cause campaign. Just simply let your server know that you are a MyRWA supporter and they will calculate the contribution.

We are also very happy to invite you to the Mystic River Watershed Night on Tuesday, June 30th hosted by the Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant. On this evening, NYA Cause will donate 20% of the revenue generated by MyRWA supporters.

To take advantage of this generous offer, we plan to get a group together for dinner on June 30th and will have a Mystic River Watershed section at the restaurant. We will meet at the restaurant at around 6pm and will be there to enjoy a nice meal and meet new friends.

We hope that you will join the festivities on June 30th and help celebrate the Mystic River as we provide support for MyRWA. Once you are there on the 30th be sure to let your server know that you are dining for MyRWA.

If you would like any more information or to confirm that you would like to join the group for dinner, please contact our office. Please forward this email to all of your family and friends in the area.

Spill fine to help cleanup efforts for Mystic River

Local advocates for the cleanup of the Mystic River watershed are welcoming the pending infusion of new resources for the effort through the recent sentencing of a firm in a pollution case.

US District Judge Patti B. Saris on April 30 sentenced ExxonMobil Pipeline to pay $6.1 million after the firm pleaded guilty to violating the criminal provisions of the federal Clean Water Act, in connection with a 2006 incident at its Everett oil terminal in which 15,000 gallons of low-sulfur diesel and kerosene spilled into the Mystic and Island End rivers. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil.

Under the terms of the sentencing, based on a plea agreement the company reached with prosecutors last December, a good portion of that money could be spent on projects to clean up the 76-square-mile watershed.

"Overall, it's a positive outcome and a victory for the US attorney's office," said EkOngKar Singh Khalsa, executive director of the Mystic River Watershed Association, noting that it would mean "a significant amount of money" for the watershed.

ExxonMobil was sentenced to pay $179,364 in cleanup costs and a $359,018 fine, and to make two community payments totaling $5.6 million, according to the US attorney's office.

One of those payments is for $1 million to the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to support initiatives to clean up the Mystic River watershed. The other is for $4.6 million to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act fund for restoration projects in Massachusetts, with preference given to those in the Mystic River watershed.

Khalsa said environmental groups in the watershed, including the Chelsea Green Space and Recreation Committee, Woburn Residents' Environmental Network, and the Mystic River Watershed Association, had pressed to have the bulk of the community payments go to the Mystic River watershed.

He said those efforts resulted in a strengthening of the language in the agreement giving the watershed priority status in the use of the federal trust money, and the set-aside of funding to the state trust, which can fund a wider variety of projects.

The payment to the state trust will be used exclusively for water quality and wetlands projects in the Mystic River watershed, according to trust spokeswoman Catherine Williams.

"The Patrick administration is pleased these funds will be used to protect the Mystic River Watershed," Environment Undersecretary Philip Griffiths said in a statement. "With these funds the Commonwealth, specifically the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, will partner with local communities on water quality and wetland restoration projects so that these waters are preserved for future generations."

Khalsa noted that Saris made clear at the sentencing that she wants to see worthy projects within the Mystic River watershed - and especially projects in the vicinity where the oil release took place - receive funding from the payment to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

Local environmental organizations have compiled a list of projects they hope will be considered for funding from the community payments. Among them are restoration of the former Hess petroleum storage site on Chelsea Creek and its dedication for public use. Khalsa said it is also hoped funding could be used to cover the local match for an already permitted US Army Corps restoration project for the Malden River.

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By John Laidler Globe Correspondent / May 17, 2009

Report Card for Mystic River: "C-" with Notable Improvement

Photo Credit: JoeBrownPhotos.com

(Boston, Mass. – May 2, 2009) – At events today in Chelsea and Woburn, MA, EPA announced the third public reporting on the condition of the Mystic River since kicking off a collaborative effort addressing water quality issues in the urban river in 2006. This year, EPA is pleased to report that the Mystic River Watershed received a grade of "C-" for the calendar year of 2008.

EPA New England’s acting deputy regional administrator, Stephen Perkins, joined community members and environmental advocates at Mill Creek in Chelsea, and at Horn Pond Conservation Area in Woburn, to announce the grade, and celebrate the communities’ annual spring clean up and Earth Day events, as community members pitched in to help with river cleanup projects.

Charles River/Alewife Connector - Multi-use Path Hearing

The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Charles River/Alewife Connector - Multi-use Path - Phase I Project in Watertown, Massachusetts. All views and comments made at the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.

Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee

The first official Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee meeting was convened by the US EPA in downtown Boston on March 11, 2009. This momentous event was the culmination of many meetings amongst groups active in the Mystic River Watershed such as the Chelsea Collaborative, MyRWA, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Charlestown Waterfront Coalition (CWC), and EPA New England. These groups agreed that there was a need to convene a Steering Committee to guide the strategic direction of collaborative efforts to improve water quality and environmental conditions in the Mystic River Watershed. The Steering Committee will operate as a coordinating and information exchange organization to help establish strategic direction and priorities as well as to recommend key projects and actions needed to improve environmental conditions in the Mystic River Watershed.

The three-hour meeting was attended by an impressive cast of characters including MyRWA, Chelsea Greenspace, CWC, Friends of Upper Mystic Lake, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH), Woburn Residents’ Environmental Network (WREN), Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), EPA New England, Executive Office of Energy and the Environment, MAPC, MWRA, MassPort, and the City of Chelsea. MyRWA's Executive Director, EkOngKar Singh Khalsa, will continue to represent the organization at future Steering Committee.

The highlight of the event was a Roundtable Brainstorm Discussion of activities to be undertaken in 2009. Many ideas surfaced during the discussion, illuminating the need for continued engagement and activism in the watershed.

To learn more about the EPA's Mystic Initiative, visit the US EPA's Mystic Watershed website.