Dear,
It’s been a busy week but, in these tough and trying times, we need to uplift victories when we get them. First, you may have heard about the climate bill proposed last week that would have weakened MA’s 2030 climate mandate to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced Mass Save’s budget, and worst of all requires electricity customers to help pay for new gas pipelines. I’m elated to share that the bill has been punted for the rest of the year after facing intense opposition from climate activists.
Another recent win, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Board (MWRA) was set to vote on a change that would allow combined sewer overflows (CSOs), or more simply put, poop water, to continue spilling into the Mystic and Charles river with continued inaction. In other words, the plan was to kick the can down the road. After political and public pressure, they have decided to table the vote on the do-nothing CSO plan.
In our efforts to stop this terrible CSO plan, I signed on to a joint legislator letter opposing the CSO proposal. In this newsletter, I’ll break down what CSOs are, how it impacts our community here in Somerville (and the greater Boston area), and what next steps are for continuing to clean up our rivers.
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What is a CSO?
CSOs are combined sewer overflows, which is when untreated sewage (from your toilet) is mixed with storm water and gets dumped into our waterways. Due to the very archaic design of our sewer infrastructure, this happens when we have heavy rains and our old sewer systems get overwhelmed. |
Below are photos of CSOs where the mix of stormwater and untreated sewage overflows directly into the Charles River, Mystic River, and Alewife Brook. |
And the sewage does not just flow into the rivers. When our storm water system gets overloaded, our current infrastructure floods tens of millions of gallons of “minimally treated” fecal matter into our river, streets, trails and parks. Here is a map of all the spots where overflows happen:. |
Bacteria and viruses in untreated poop water pose many public health threats, including ear and eye infections, skin rashes, hepatitis, and inflammation of the intestines. But even if you avoid these rivers completely, a recent study showed that communities near these rivers are at a substantially increased risk of developing stomach illness in the days following a CSO.
What can we do about it?
After nearly ten years of advocacy, in 2021, Governor Baker signed a law put forward by Former Rep. Denise Provost and Sen. Jehlen that required the public to be notified of when these CSO events occurred. This was a first step and brought awareness to an issue many people did not even realize existed. To truly protect the health of our communities and our river's ecosystem, we need to stop these sewer overflows completely. The best solution is a major infrastructure upgrade: building separate pipes for rainwater and sewage. This would prevent them from ever mixing and overflowing in the first place. This is a massive and expensive project that will require a strong, coordinated effort between our cities, state, and federal agencies and sustained support from the public to make it a priority.
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Progress is Happening
Over the last 40 years, many of the old overflow points have been shut down, and others now have some treatment before water is released. Even with this progress, sewer overflows remain a serious problem for everyone who lives near, works by, or enjoys our local rivers and streams. It will take continued investment and attention to finish the job and ensure a clean, safe river for the future.
Many of these wins along the Mystic are thanks to the Mystic Watershed Association (MyRWA). Recently MyRWA organized a community meeting to discuss the dire need to eliminate CSOs. |
MyRWA has been a wonderful partner in advocating for climate resiliency and environmental justice. And last year, I led the campaign to double funding through the Community Preservation Act which funds many amazing preservation projects spearheaded by MyRWA. |
We Need to do More
Thanks to public and legislative pressure, we got a temporary victory. The MWRA delayed voting on a proposal that would just keep kicking the can down the road. The proposal would have just given up and closed areas to recreation and swimming for bad water quality. Plus it would dilute MWRA’s legal mandate for clean water. With these extreme weather events occurring more and more, we need to finally clean up our rivers and prevent CSOs from happening altogether!
We must keep up the public pressure so that the plan is not simply voted on at a later date. Join us in telling the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Tepper, who chairs the MWRA Board at ([email protected]) that we need MWRA to help fund infrastructure projects to separate sewer. You can also reach out directly to MWRA ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected]) or become a member of the rivers alliance like your local watershed association or Sierra Club to take more action!
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Upcoming Events Starbucks Strike
Boston DSA has been in close contact with the workers and union staffers this fall to create support infrastructure as we gear up for rolling strikes at 7 local shops starting November 13th—including locations in Allston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, and Newton. Boston DSA is calling on our members and community members to show up and show out over the next 6 weeks and beyond, providing material support through food donations and fundraising, planning picket line social events with live music and food, hosting movie screenings, flyering shops to promote the boycott, and more! To get involved in one of the biggest union struggles in the last hundred years, sign up for events on our campaign page! Current events are updated regularly and new events are added every week.
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Event updates on Beacon Hill and in Somerville
Veterans Day in Somerville
A special thank you to Iraq War Veteran Ward 1 City Councilor Matt McLaughlin for sharing your powerful words with us. Thank you Mayor Ballantyne for sharing your father’s story and for your team for organizing this event and luncheon. It was powerful to hear from veterans and families of veterans at the VFW Dilboy Post. |
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BC Law's Civil Rights Clinic visit to the State House I once again had the privilege of welcoming the Boston College Law’s Civil Rights Clinic to the State House this morning! It was great to meet with you all. Thank you for all you do fighting for social change and justice.
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Japanese American legislators of New England
Thank you to the Japan Consulate General Takahashi for bringing together all the Japanese American legislators of New England. It was really meaningful to connect with fellow legislators Rep Sangiolo, Senator Ujifusa (Rhode Island), and Rep Sato (Maine) to learn about their journeys into politics and each of our family’s path to immigrating to and building a life in the United States. I’m especially proud that we are also all progressive women legislators! |
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As always, it is a joy and honor to serve you in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas! |
{{Disclaimer}} Committee to Elect Erika Uyterhoeven
11 Wesley Park
Somerville, MA 02144
United States Campaign website: www.ElectErika.com |
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