Senator Jason Lewis Announces Funds for Pine Banks Park in Senate Environmental Bill

This week, the Massachusetts Senate passed an environmental bond bill; and, Senator Jason Lewis is pleased to announce funding in the legislation directly benefitting the City of Melrose.

Senator Lewis successfully secured in the Senate’s environmental bond bill $1.2 million for improvements and remediation to Pine Banks Park in Melrose and Malden.

“Pine Banks Park has been a recreational center for the residents of Melrose and Malden for over a century,” said Senator Lewis.  “I’m very pleased that this worthwhile investment in Melrose’s outdoor recreation was included in the legislation.”

Further benefitting the greater Melrose area, the environmental bond bill also included $3 million for comprehensive renovations and deferred maintenance projects by Zoo New England, the non-profit that operates the Stone Zoo.

Another noteworthy feature of the environmental bond bill is that it establishes a Climate Change Adaptation Infrastructure Investment Fund for projects related to seawalls, jetties, revetments, retaining walls, and inland flood control, which will allow Massachusetts to better prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Additionally, the bill included a number of provisions to improve the Commonwealth’s energy efficiency and enhance our environment, including: $310 million for the accelerated energy program to improve the energy efficiency of state-owned facilities; $75.4 million for the Department of Environmental Protection for investment in water and air quality protection; $10 million for the Department of Energy and Resources’ Leading by Example Program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts; $5 million for recreational trails matching grants; and, $3 million for oil or hazardous waste assessment, containment, cleanup, control, removal, or response.

With the state House of Representatives having passed their version of the environmental bond bill, the Legislature will now form a conference committee to negotiate a compromise between the two bills.

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