Settlement paves way for cable, dredging work in Boston Harbor

/

By Colin A. Young
State House News Service

An electrical cable under Boston Harbor that has been the source of delays for a dredging project required before new supertankers can dock in Boston will be removed and replaced, the result of a federal court settlement that clears the way for the Boston Harbor Deep Draft Navigation Improvement Project.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Massachusetts Port Authority are pursuing a $310 million project to carve out a deeper channel in Boston Harbor, making the port accessible to the larger class of ships now able to fit through an expanded Panama Canal and already serving deeper ports.

But a cable laid in 1990 to bring power to the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant was installed closer to the seafloor surface than allowed by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit and would pose a danger to people and equipment dredging the harbor, according to the suit filed by the federal government and MassPort.

Last week, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and Eversource settled the suit filed against them over the cable that spans two of the harbor's shipping channels, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced, an outcome that will allow the dredging to move ahead.

“The Deep Draft project is necessary to keep the Port of Boston and its shipping facilities competitive with other East Coast ports,” William Weinreb, acting U.S. attorney for the district of Massachusetts, said in a statement. “The settlement also means there will be no interference with the provision of electricity to the Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant, which is critical to keeping Boston Harbor clean. This is a victory for both the local economy and the environment.”

The Deer Island facility was built by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) as part of the effort to clean up Boston Harbor. The MWRA now serves 2.5 million people, supplying 215 million gallons of water and treating an average of 350 million gallons of sewage daily.

The settlement requires Eversource to install a new cable connecting the K Street substation in South Boston to Deer Island and have it powered by Dec. 31, 2019. That cable is expected to cross land in South Boston, cut through MassPort's Conley Terminal, and enter the harbor just north of Castle Island. It is to be laid at least 75 feet below the low-water line.

The existing and improperly installed cable is to be de-energized by Feb. 28, 2020, per the settlement, and the 1.4-mile section closest to the container terminal is to be removed by May 31, 2020. The settlement allows the other portion of the cable to be abandoned in place if the various permitting agencies allow it.

“We're pleased to have reached a resolution with all parties that permits us to continue providing safe and reliable service to MWRA, while also accommodating the moving forward of the Massport/ACOE harbor dredging project,” Eversource spokesperson Rhiannon D'Angelo said in a statement.

D'Angelo said Eversource is still working to determine the cost of installing a new cable and removing the old one, and expects to file its plan with the state Department of Public Utilities later this summer.

"Once the cost recovery is approved by the DPU, we'll recover the cost from the MWRA, Harbor Electric Energy Company's sole customer," she said, referring to the Eversource subsidiary that powers Deer Island.

 

Lots to do in Hull today

/

Tales from the Peace Corps. Hull’s own Steven Greenberg joined the Peace Corps in 2013 and spent two years in Armenia. He was 64. He will be at the Anne Scully Senior Center at 10:30 a.m. to share tales of his exciting and rewarding experience and stories about other retiree Peace Corps volunteers. The senior center is located at 197A Samoset Ave.

Meet the Author. Richard ‘Butch’ Neal grew up in Hull and rose through the ranks of the Marine Corps to retire as a four-star general who had been the Corps’ assistant commandant. His life story – and life lessons he wants to share – are the stuff of his memoir, the recently published “What Now, Lieutenant?” Neal is tonight’s featured speaker at this month’s Nantasket Beach Lecture Series installment, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Nantasket Beach Resort, 45 Hull Shore Dr. These popular talks are free [Donations are welcome!] and sponsored by the Hull Lifesaving Museum, the Friends of the Hull Public Library, and the state Dept. of Conservation & Recreation. Bring your copy of Neal’s book to have it signed, or purchase one at the event and have the genial general autograph it on the spot. For event details, call the lifesaving museum at 781 925-5433.

Aquarion Water Rate Increase Hearing. The state Department of Public Utilities will hear public comment about Aquarion Water Co.'s petition for a rate increase that would add about $9 a month to the average water bill in Hull. The forum begins at 7 p.m. at Hull High School auditorium.

Michael Devine named new school superintendent

/

By Susan Ovans

The Hull School Committee voted Monday evening to promote Hull High School Principal Michael Devine to the helm of the town's three public schools.

The original school board vote was 3-2 in favor of Devine. Chairman Eric Hipp and board members Kelley Huxtable and Jennifer Fleming voted for him.

SchoolCom members Stephanie Peters and David Twombly cast their votes for Assistant Superintendent Judith Kuehn. When it became clear that she could not win a board majority, Peters and Twombly made the vote for Devine unanimous.

During the course of four hours of interviews and deliberations, board members repeatedly spoke of how conflicted they were in having to choose between two stellar in-house candidates, agreeing among themselves that they could not make a bad choice.

Board members credited current Superintendent Kathleen Tyrell for having successfully mentored two colleagues to prepare them to lead school districts of their own.

After 10 years as Hull's superintendent, Tyrell will retire next month.

A full account of Monday's meeting will be published in Thursday's Hull Times.

 

 

MassDOT schedules 1-night closure of Atlantic Avenue in Cohasset

/

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division District 5 has announced that Atlantic Avenue over Little Harbor Inlet in Cohasset will be closed to vehicular traffic for one night on Tuesday, July 11. 

This portion of roadway will be closed from 8 p.m., on Tuesday to 5 a.m. on Wednesday. The action is necessary to allow for installation of the temporary utility bridge. 

MassDOT advises motorists to seek alternate routes during these times. All scheduled work is weather dependent and/or may be impacted should any sort of emergency situation occur.

Minyanaires needed next week

/

Arnie and Lois Freedman, new members of the Temple Beth Sholom community, asked temple staff to arrange several minyans next week for a visiting relative who is reciting kaddish. 

The times are Monday and Tuesday evenings, July 10-11, at 7:30, and Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, July 11 -12, at 8 a.m. 

Please call the temple at 781 925-0091 if you can attend any – or all – of the minyans.

Police investigate pedestrian accident on Nantasket Avenue

/

The Hull Police Department is investigating after a pedestrian was struck Monday afternoon on Nantasket Avenue. 

At approximately 3:35 p.m. Monday, officers responded to the area of 264 Nantasket Ave. for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

Upon their arrival, officers observed that a man had been struck by a vehicle, but was alert and responsive.

The 45-year-old man was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Hull Police continue to investigate, Chief John Dunn said, along with the Plymouth County Bureau of Criminal Investigation's accident reconstruction team.

Nantasket Avenue was closed for three hours and reopened to traffic at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Gov. Baker issues Independence Day proclamation

/

Whereas Nearly 241 years ago today, our Nation's Founders declared, "these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States."; and

Whereas This Declaration marked an influential milestone in the history of human freedom and liberty; and

Whereas On this anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, we pay tribute to the courage and dedication of those patriots who established our great country. We celebrate the values of justice and equality that strengthen our country; and

Whereas At the core of our country's Declaration of Independence, "all men are created equal" and "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." In pursuit of these ideals, generations of Americans have unveiled new hopes of freedom that simply cannot be bound by the borders of our country; and

Whereas As citizens of our beloved Commonwealth, celebrating our country's cherished independence, we should not only take pride in our vibrant history, but also look to the future with hope, confidence, and grace; and

Whereas We offer immense gratitude to all the patriots of both our past and present who have sought to advance freedom, establish virtue, and build foundations of peace. Because of their sacrifice, this country remains a beacon of hope for all who dream of a life filled with liberty, justice, and happiness; and

Whereas As members of the "shining city on the hill," we exemplify all that is possible for a body of free people,

Now, Therefore, I, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim the July 4th, 2017 to be,

INDEPENDENCE DAY

And urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this first day of July, in the year two thousand and seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and forty-first.

By His Excellency Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth
Karyn E. Polito, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth
William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth

God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts