MassDEP's Clean Energy Results Program Makes Progress Recycling Organics for Fuel
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MassDEP’s Clean Energy Results Program Makes Progress
Recycling Organics for Fuel
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Results Program
(CERP) is an innovative, first-of-its-kind new
program that was launched in November 2011
by the Department of Environmental Protection
(MassDEP) and the Department of Energy
Resources (DOER). The program is designed
to maximize the combined resources of both
An anaerobic digester in Rutland, Mass. Photo by Randy
agencies to better advance the siting and
Jordan, owner of Jordan Dairy Farm.
successful implementation of renewable energy
and energy efficiency projects. A key goal of CERP is to promote an increased capacity in the
Commonwealth for anaerobic digestion (AD) - a
process that breaks down food and other organic
This issue material to produce a renewable biogas (largely
MassDEP’s Clean Energy comprised of methane). This biogas is then
Results Program Makes combusted to generate electricity and heat. Just
Progress Recycling Organics over a half-year from launch of this new program,
for Fuel
the agencies are making great strides toward this
MassDEP, Environmental goal.
Agencies Advance Sustainable
Water Management Efforts Diverting commercial organic wastes (such as
vegetable waste from farms, food processers,
Western Mass. Recycling grocery stores, institutions, and restaurants) from
Effort Gets ‘Greener’ with the waste stream and converting them to a useful
Installation of Solar Panels at fuel has many significant benefits. Removal of
Springfield MRF
these materials from the waste stream saves them
MassDEP’s News Briefs taking up limited capacity in the state’s landfills. In
& Updates addition, because Massachusetts has some of the
highest solid waste disposal rates in the country
(ranging from $60-$90 a ton, nearly double the
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
national average), recycling organic material MassDEP is in the final stages of amending
for reuse can considerably off-set disposal its solid waste regulations to facilitate
costs for the businesses that generate significant expansion of the state’s capacity
these materials. Furthermore, producing to process and recycle source-separated
renewable biogas from anaerobic digestion organics and other recyclable materials.
is a sustainable, renewable energy solution. Concurrent amendments to regulations
Active capture and use of methane from governing municipal wastewater treatment
the breakdown of organic material reduces plants will allow those facilities to accept
emissions of greenhouse gases and appropriate source-separated organics for
diminishes our dependency on fossil fuel. AD processing, which will in turn boost
their energy production and reduce their
MassDEP is working with DOER, the operating expenses. The agency has been
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, working with stakeholders to address the
the Mass Clean Energy Council, and the thoughtful comments received on draft
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulations earlier this year, and MassDEP’s
ensure that, by 2020, the Commonwealth final AD regulations are expected to be
is generating 50 megawatts of electricity published by the fall of 2012.
from this renewable source - up from the
less than 10 megawatts being generated In addition, agencies have made great
now. These partners also have a goal of progress conducting a preliminary
diverting 350,000 tons per year of organic evaluation of sites on public lands that may
material from landfills and incinerators to be well-suited for new anaerobic digestion
anaerobic digestion and other organics- facilities. We have narrowed the sites to a
processing facilities; organic material manageable list of eight, and are meeting
represents more than 25 percent of the with the state Division of Capital Asset
total amount of waste currently being Management, agency heads, and host
thrown away in Massachusetts. communities to talk about the feasibility for
siting these demonstration projects.
MassDEP and its partner agencies have
identified specific steps to increase diversion Massachusetts has already made significant
of organic material for productive reuse via progress in diverting organics from the
anaerobic digestion and other processing waste stream and has been a leader in
facilities. Those actions include: streamlining working with commercial generators of
and clarifying regulatory requirements; organics on building an infrastructure
increasing diversion of food waste at large for collection. Over the past decade,
businesses and institutions to ensure a MassDEP has worked extensively with major
supply of material for anaerobic digestion; supermarket chains in Massachusetts,
and encouraging appropriate siting of more and as a result more than 300 of the
anaerobic digestion projects across the 600 supermarkets are diverting organics
Commonwealth. (produce, breads) from disposal for
compost at nearby farms. MassDEP has also
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
worked with a number of other business MassDEP, Environmental
sectors that generate significant quantities
of food waste to help them establish Agencies Advance
diversion programs. Sectors with active Sustainable Water
diversion programs include hotels, colleges
Management Efforts
and universities, convention centers,
hospitals, and large restaurants.
For many years, there has been an
absence of clear, predictable, science-
Given the importance of diverting
based standards to answer the question:
organic materials away from landfills and
How much water can be taken out of the
into beneficial renewable energy, the
ground before causing significant harm to
Commonwealth will soon be proposing
our streams and rivers?
adding commercial organics to the other
materials currently banned from landfills
MassDEP has been working closely
and incinerators.
with the Executive Office of Energy
and Environmental Affairs (EEA), the
The Patrick-Murray Administration seeks
Department of Conservation and Recreation
to put all of these pieces together so
(DCR), the Division of Fish and Game (DFG),
that, before too long, all commercially-
and a number of important stakeholders,
generated organic waste is diverted from
on the Sustainable Water Management
disposal and processed through AD to
Initiative (SWMI). This major undertaking
harvest the renewable fuel source. In
is intended to balance the sometimes
many European countries, large-scale
competing needs in the Commonwealth -
anaerobic digestion of organic waste
water supply for human use and protection
has proven successful in the creation of
of fish habitat. To do this, the agencies have
jobs, improving energy independence,
been working on developing predictable,
stimulating economic growth, and
science-based, and protective standards for
being an important component of the
high-quantity water withdrawals.
renewable-energy strategy. Through the
combined efforts of DOER, MassDEP, and
other key stakeholders, Massachusetts is
leading efforts to make this a reality in the
Commonwealth.
For more information on the recycling of
organic wastes, go to: http://www.mass.
gov/dep/recycle/reduce/composti.htm.
The SWMI Interactive Map application is available
at: http://209.80.128.252/flexviewers/SWMI_
Viewer/index.html
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
The underpinning for the standards was restoration and monitoring in some of
a USGS report that used extensive fish- the pilot communities and evaluating the
sampling data and sophisticated modeling potential for the same in all of them.
to demonstrate that as water is withdrawn
in August, and the percentage of The process of developing revised WMA
impervious area in a watershed increases, regulations is proceeding on a parallel track.
the abundance of sensitive fish populations In this way, the pilot analyses will serve to
decline. While some stakeholders inform and guide the development of those
challenged some of the findings, MassDEP regulations. In addition, MassDEP and DCR
is in the process of obtaining two have been improving data management to
independent peer reviews. better assist with the permitting process.
In the winter of 2012, the agencies released The SWMI team expects to prepare and
a draft framework for stakeholder review. disseminate a final framework later in
This framework consists of a scientific the summer of 2012, while the revised
categorization of 1,400 stream and WMA regulations should be out for public
river basins, criteria to ensure adequate comment by early 2013. For more details
streamflow, a revised formula to calculate on SWMI, go to: http://www.mass.gov/dep/
safe yield, and concrete proposals to water/resources/swmi.htm.
embody this work into regulations under
the Water Management Act (WMA). EEA
Western Mass. Recycling
and its agencies received many thoughtful
and useful comments, and are now Effort Gets ‘Greener’
reviewing those comments to inform the with Installation of Solar
development of the final framework and
proposed revisions to the WMA regulations.
Panels at Springfield MRF
Recycling in western Massachusetts became
In order to evaluate how the SWMI
“greener” this spring when the state-
framework will play out in the real world,
owned Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in
the draft framework is being applied in
Springfield began operating its new solar
a handful of pilot communities, which
panel system and utilizing that renewable
are going through a “mock permitting”
energy in the MRF’s operations.
exercise. Through these public water
supply system pilots in Amherst, Danvers-
The Commonwealth utilized federal
Middleton, Dedham-Westwood, and
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
Shrewsbury, the SWMI team will be able
(ARRA) funds and Clean Energy Renewable
to see potential costs of implementation
Bonds to install 616 roof-mounted solar
and environmental benefits that could
panels, resulting in a 130-kilowatt photo-
result from water management actions
voltaic (PV) system that will supply up to
under the framework. DFG, with MassDEP
35 percent of the MRF’s annual energy
funding assistance, is also supporting river
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
usage. The new system reduces demand The solar panels were manufactured
for electricity generated from fossil fuels, in Massachusetts by Evergreen Solar,
and also cuts back on greenhouse gas and the 28 solar system inverters were
emissions. manufactured by Solectria Renewables in
Lawrence. Ostrow Electric of Worcester was
the installation contractor.
DOER Commissioner Sylvia said the MRF
solar project is one of many funded by
DOER with federal ARRA funds. “Together,
these clean energy installations at 24
state facilities represent almost four
megawatts of solar electricity, enough to
power 633 homes for a year,” he said.
Workers installing solar panels on the roof of the The Commissioner added that these solar
Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Springfield
projects will lower state energy bills by
more than $500,000 annually, and reduce
The new PV system installation was greenhouse gas emissions by more than
celebrated in May at a ceremony featuring 1,900 metric tons.
MassDEP Commissioner Ken Kimmell,
Department of Energy Resources (DOER) The Springfield MRF was built in 1989, and
Commissioner Mark Sylvia, officials from is operated by Waste Management Recycle
the Division of Capital Asset Management, America (WMRA) under a contract with
and the Springfield MRF Advisory Board. MassDEP, which owns the facility.
“The Springfield MRF greatly benefits At the ceremony, Commissioner Kimmell
the environment and the economy for also announced that that the WMRA
communities in western Massachusetts,” operating contract has been extended until
said Commissioner Kimmell at the June 30, 2020. The extension provides
ceremony. “The new solar panels are the that a single-stream recycling option will
next step in the ‘greening’ of the recycling be offered to those MRF communities that
services offered here, and the alternative adopt the program. Approximately 700,000
energy generated will help to reduce tons of waste will be diverted from area
emissions from fossil fuel use.” landfills and incinerators over the life of the
WMRA contract. The contract also ensures
It was pointed out at the ceremony that both dual-stream and single-stream
that the recycling and reuse industry in municipalities will receive a revenue share
Massachusetts employs nearly 14,000 from the sale of recyclable materials, and
people, with annual receipts topping $3 each community is guaranteed a zero-dollar
billion a year. tipping fee at the facility.
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
During 2011, the 77 MRF communities News Briefs & Updates
recycled more than 31,000 tons of
plastic, paper, metals and glass, with the
communities receiving more than $1.4
Draft Regulations
million in payments for the recyclables Coming Soon for
delivered. Also last year, the estimated Regulatory Reform
avoided-disposal cost savings for the
MRF municipalities by recycling was
Initiative
approximately $2 million.
In the spring of 2011, MassDEP kicked off a
major Regulatory Reform Initiative designed
to maintain the agency’s current high
standards of environmental protection with
the present level of staff - which has been
reduced by more than 30 percent during
the last decade. MassDEP’s Regulatory
Reform Initiative also was a mechanism for
reviewing existing regulations to identify
efficiency improvements as required of
SPRINGFIELD MRF: MassDEP recently celebrated all state agencies under the Economic
the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Development Reorganization Act of 2010.
Springfield Materials Recycling Facility. Shown (l-r) We developed a range of regulatory reform
are: Department of Energy Resources
Commissioner Mark Sylvia; Springfield MRF ideas with input from environmental
Advisory Board Chairman Eric Weiss holding a advocates, business leaders, and municipal
solar panel sample; MassDEP Commissioner Ken officials, and released a draft action plan for
Kimmell; DCAM Acting Deputy Commissioner
Hope Davis; and Waste Management Recycle broad public comment over this past winter.
America Area Director Terry Bennett.
After considering public comments
Since the Springfield MRF began operation, received, MassDEP issued its final
the facility has processed nearly two Regulatory Reform Action Plan in March
billion pounds of recyclables, and during 2012. The agency has worked closely with
that time, the member communities have its external advisory committees and other
received approximately $11.5 million in stakeholder groups to flesh out each of
revenue sharing. the reforms in detail. Now the agency is
preparing draft changes to regulations to
For more information on the Springfield implement the reforms.
MRF, go to: http://springfieldmrf.org/index.
php. The draft regulations under the Regulatory
Reform Initiative will be released in waves
over the coming months. MassDEP is eager
to have robust public review and comment
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
on these proposed regulatory changes.
Notice of availability of draft regulations
for public review will be made through the
normal channels and also via the agency’s
free e-mail service for Regulation Updates
and Related Notifications.
More information on MassDEP’s Regulatory
Reform Initiative and the Final Regulatory
Reform Action Plan is available at: http:// A portion of the Housatonic River.
www.mass.gov/dep/about/priorities/
regreform.htm. EPA and the states have been in discussions
in recent months to reach the best cleanup
You can sign up to receive notice of draft solution for the PCBs contained in the
regulations out for public comment at: river banks, floodplains, and in the waters
http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/reglist. that flow south from Pittsfield through
htm. Connecticut and into Long Island Sound.
Those discussions continue. However, a
State, Federal 10-page updated report outlining some of
the proposed cleanup options was issued
Environmental Officials during the recent public meetings, and the
Issue Update on report is available at this link: http://www.
epa.gov/region1/ge/thesite/restofriver/
Housatonic River Cleanup
reports/508662.pdf.
Options
The Housatonic River is contaminated with
Massachusetts environmental officials, PCBs and other hazardous substances
including MassDEP and the Department released from the General Electric Co.
of Fish and Game, recently hosted two facility in Pittsfield over many decades. Over
public information sessions along with U.S. the past 10 years, EPA and GE have cleaned
EPA Region 1 and Connecticut officials up a portion of the river adjacent to the
to update the public on the cleanup in GE facility. Now the agencies, the public
the “rest-of-the-river” segment of the and river stakeholders, and officials from
Housatonic River. The meetings were held communities along the river are seeking
in Lenox and Connecticut, and the agencies to finalize cleanup plans that will remove
were able to report that EPA and the states PCBs from the river areas, while ensuring
of Massachusetts and Connecticut have that nearby wetlands, floodplains and river
come a long way in bridging the differences resources are not seriously damaged in the
in approach to the cleanup of PCB process. Once the agency discussions are
contamination in the Housatonic River. finalized, EPA will issue a proposed cleanup
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
plan for the river, and that plan will be
open for public comment before the plan is
implemented.
MassDEP Tornado
Response Team Honored
with Carballo Award for
Public Service Excellence One of MassDEP’s emergency response vehicles
on the scene of the June 1, 2011 tornado.
A little more than one year ago, on June 1,
2011, Massachusetts experienced nature’s MassDEP set up an Emergency Operations
deadly force, as the first in a string of three Center in their Springfield office, and
tornados touched down in Westfield. As established a unique Point-of-Contact
these storms moved eastward, they left (POC) program for each of the affected
behind a destructive path that stretched 39 communities in order to provide direct
miles across 10 communities. technical assistance to local officials and
residents.
In the wake of these storms - most notably
an F3 tornado - the toll was profound: For all of the great work accomplished in
three dead, more than 200 people injured, the wake of the tornadoes, the MassDEP
and more than 1,500 homes destroyed or Tornado Response Team was nominated
severely damaged. In addition, electrical for and this month will receive the Manual
power was knocked out to more than Carballo Governor’s Award for Excellence
50,000 customers, thousands of trees were in Public Service. Here is a link to the award
leveled and more than $100 million in announcement: http://www.mass.gov/
damage was left to the infrastructure and anf/employment-equal-access-disability/
environment of these communities. employee-prog-and-training/performance-
recog-prog/2011-prog-and-award-winners/
Twenty-two staffers from MassDEP’s carballo-award/massdep-tornado-team.
Western Regional Office in Springfield, with html.
help from a staffer each from the Central
and Northeast regional offices, immediately The Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award
jumped into action with a plan to assess for Excellence in Public Service is the
the environmental damage and help local Commonwealth’s highest honor for
officials and residents address that damage. Executive Department employees. The
MassDEP and other first-responders helped award recognizes and honors state
with vital recovery efforts in helping the employees who personify excellence
victims of this terrible storm to get their in public service. A special Selection
lives back to normal as quickly as possible. Committee reviews nominations
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
received from state agencies and makes The members of MassDEP’s Tornado
recommendations to the Governor. The Response team are: Eva Tor, Dave Howland,
committee is comprised of the Speaker of Brian Harrington, Dave Slowick, Stacey
the House of Representatives, the President Dakai, Joel Rees, John Bourcier, Joanne
of the Senate, and various appointees Flescher, Tony Kurpaska, John Ziegler, Dan
chosen by the Governor from business, Laprade, Mike McGrath, Paul Nietupski,
labor, academia, media and community Dan Kurpaska, Doug Paine, Catherine
groups. Skiba, Brian Bordeaux, Bob Shultz, Peter
Czapienski, Rick Larson, Cathy Wanat,
As Secretary of the Executive Office of Kellie Niemiec, John Fitzgerald (NERO) and
Health and Human Services, Manuel Dino DelleChiaie (CERO).
Carballo oversaw 14 state agencies.
His dedication and commitment to the Tornados and storms can be terrifying
physically and mentally challenged, older and devastating, and weather disasters
citizens and children, families in crisis and like this will always be an unfortunate
the less fortunate is remembered through and seemingly-random part of life.
these annual awards. MassDEP recognizes there is a need for the
Commonwealth to prepare and to plan
for the worst that can happen. MassDEP
remains committed to being part of the
emergency response infrastructure in
Massachusetts, and having an effective
emergency response team at MassDEP is an
integral and essential part of the mission
to protect the environment and the public
health.
Tornado Response Team Accepting the Manuel
Carballo Award: From left - Governor Deval New Guide Available
Patrick, Eva Tor, Catherine Skiba, Catherine Wanat,
David Slowick, Kellie Niemiec, David Howland,
for Developing Solar
Secretary Jay Gonzalez, Secretary Richard Sullivan,
Commissioner Ken Kimmell, John Ziegler, Brian
on Closed Landfills;
Harrington, Michael McGrath, Brian Bordeaux, Another Solar at Landfills
John Bourcier, Daniel Kurpaska, Anthony
Kurpaska, Dino Dellechiaie. Not pictured: Daniel Workshop Slated for July
Laprade, Douglas Paine, Joanne Flescher, Joel
Rees, John Fitzgerald, Paul Nietupski, Peter 26, 2012
Czapienski, Richard Larson, Robert Shultz, Stacey
Dakai The Clean Energy Results Program
(CERP), a joint initiative of MassDEP
and the Massachusetts Department of
Energy Resources (DOER), harnesses the
expertise of both agencies to advance
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
the development of renewable energy covered include: physical requirements
and energy efficiency projects. One goal of photovoltaic (PV) systems; PV system
of CERP is to achieve 50 megawatts of economics; landfill considerations; public
new solar photovoltaic energy generation procurement; and PV system development,
by 2020 on environmentally challenged design, and installation. The complete
land (closed and capped landfills and guide can be found on DOER’s web site at:
Brownfields). Achieving this goal will http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/green-
help reduce air pollution associated with communities/pubs-reports/pvlandfillguide.
electricity production from fossil fuels, pdf.
while also cutting energy costs, creating
green jobs, and generating tax revenue for Across the Commonwealth, there are more
Massachusetts communities. than 400 inactive or closed landfills. To
date, more than 20 of these closed landfills
Generating solar power on closed municipal have received “post-closure use” permit
landfills makes both environmental and approvals from MassDEP for solar PV, and
economic sense. There has never been a one closed landfill has been approved for
more opportune time for municipalities a wind turbine. If each of these projects
to develop solar PV systems on landfills. advances to completion, they will total
Although not every closed landfill is suitable more than 48 megawatts toward the CERP
to host a solar PV system, municipal landfills 50 megawatt installation goal.
with advantageous site characteristics
may provide an opportunity for cities and To supplement the new Guide, MassDEP
towns to generate revenue from otherwise and DOER, with support from the
undevelopable land. Environmental Business Council of
New England, are presenting another
MassDEP and DOER have been working “Renewable Energy at Closed Landfills”
hard to provide cities and towns with the workshop in July 2012. At this event,
tools they need to explore whether their experts will provide municipalities with the
closed landfills are well-suited for solar tools needed to assess the redevelopment
arrays and wind turbines. The agencies potential of closed landfill sites, navigate
held two workshops for communities the permitting process, and harness state
and solar developers in June 2009 and renewable-energy incentives. The workshop
January 2010. Now, with help from agenda will highlight successful renewable-
MassDEP and other agencies, DOER has just energy installations on closed municipal
released the “Guide to Developing Solar landfills, including the first Massachusetts
Photovoltaics at Massachusetts Landfills.” solar-on-landfill project to begin operation -
This guidebook will help municipal officials a 2.3-megawatt solar array in Easthampton.
identify, evaluate, and pursue opportunities The workshop will take place on Thursday,
to harness the sun’s power to generate July 26, 2012 at the Boxborough Holiday
electricity and revenue from undeveloped Inn. For details on the upcoming workshop
space over closed, capped landfills. Topics and for more information about developing
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
renewable energy on closed landfills, please
visit MassDEP’s web site at: http://www.
mass.gov/dep/energy/landfill.htm.
MassDEP Contemplates
Improvements to
Requirements under the
Public Waterfront Act,
‘Chapter 91’
The Commonwealth’s primary tool for MassDEP is now reviewing the policy covering
protection and promotion of public use Facilities of Public Accommodation under Chapter
of its tidelands and other waterways is 91 for buildings built over state tidelands.
the waterways licensing program under
the Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act In February 2012, MassDEP Commissioner
(Mass. General Laws Chapter 91). Through Ken Kimmell convened a stakeholder
“Chapter 91,” the Commonwealth group to examine the agency’s “facilities of
guarantees that private uses of tidelands public accommodation” (FPA) rules under
and waterways serve a proper public Chapter 91. FPAs under Ch.91 require that
purpose. Specifically, the MassDEP when constructing non-water-dependent
Waterways Regulation Program preserves buildings, no less than 75 percent of the
pedestrian access to and along the water’s ground floor must accommodate the
edge for fishing, fowling and navigation transient public in order to draw people to
and, in return for permission to develop the waterfront. This can be in the form of
non-water-dependent projects on filled retail stores, restaurants, community space,
private and Commonwealth tidelands, and public restrooms.
to provide publicly-accessible ground-
floor facilities to enhance public use and While FPAs have been successful in most
enjoyment of the water. Other objectives instances, according to the development
of the program include: protection of community, in certain cases they may
public strolling and public navigation rights; result in under-utilized ground-floor space,
promotion and protection of tidelands as a which represents a lost opportunity for
workplace for commercial fishing, shipping, the public and landowners. The purpose
passenger transportation and other water- of the Commissioner’s FPA group is to
dependent activities; and protection of assess the results of the current rules and
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern to provide recommendations to the agency
and other ecologically sensitive areas from on modifications that will better activate
unnecessary encroachment by fill and the waterfront and encourage its use and
structures. enjoyment by the public.
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
Based on the thoughtful input from this designed to improve water quality, upgrade
stakeholder group, MassDEP staff will or replace aging wastewater infrastructure,
craft a set of potential changes to the FPA and cut energy use and costs.
requirements under Ch. 91. The agency
hopes that proposed changes will go out The Commonwealth is offering these loans
for public review and comment in the fall under the State Revolving Fund (SRF) to
of 2012, and be finalized by the end of the assist financing for communities throughout
calendar year. Public notice about these the state to fund necessary projects that
draft changes will be posted on MassDEP’s cities and towns, regional water supply and
website and will also be distributed to wastewater treatment districts, and the
interested parties via the agency’s “List- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Serve” for regulations and related updates. (MWRA) submitted for consideration.
Sign up for notifications at: http://www.
mass.gov/dep/public/reglist.htm.
$418M in SRF Funding
to Support 90 Drinking
Water, Wastewater
Projects
Life here in the Bay State requires a
substantial infrastructure to protect,
treat and distribute drinking water, and The Lowell Wastewater Treatment Facility, as seen
from the air, has received SRF funding from this
to remove wastewater so that it can be latest round.
treated and safely discharged. Doing this
requires treatment plants, large and small, These projects include 55 clean-water
that all told provide a network that is quite initiatives totaling more than $303 million
extensive, and expensive, to maintain. To and 35 drinking water projects totaling
assist communities with the costs of fixing nearly $115 million. Communities offered
or replacing these big-ticket projects, the SRF funding in this round must decide to
Patrick-Murray Administration announced move forward with the project by June 30
in May that nearly $418 million in loans and secure local funding authority.
were awarded to help fund a total of 90
such projects across the Commonwealth. In accordance with MassDEP’s Clean Energy
Results Program, 38 of the 90 projects, or
These recipients are now eligible to $124 million of the total $418 million, are
receive low-interest (2%) loans to fund for green infrastructure projects or green
construction and planning projects that are components of projects. Those projects
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
would involve energy efficiency upgrades to water requirements, while addressing the
treatment plants and the on-site installation Commonwealth’s drinking water needs.
of renewable energy technologies for solar
and wind power. To see the full listing, click on the following
links for either Clean Water or Drinking
Energy use at wastewater and drinking Water projects.
water facilities is a major contributor to
overall energy consumption for many cities Clean Water SRF projects for 2012, go to
and towns, with communities statewide Table No. 1 at:
spending approximately $150 million http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/
per year on electricity to treat 662 billion wastewater/cwsrf.htm.
gallons of wastewater and drinking water.
Approximately 30 percent of municipal Drinking Water SRF projects for 2012, go to
energy use derives from water treatment. Table No. 1 at:
http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/
This funding round also provides $6.44 wastewater/dwsrf.htm.
million in loan principle forgiveness on
$220 million in loans for 36 construction Reducing Water Pollution
and planning projects in 25 municipalities,
which are considered Environmental Justice from Lawn Fertilizing:
(EJ) communities with below average Northeast States Kickoff
Median Household Income levels.
Voluntary Initiative
The SRF is comprised of two programs:
In the fall of 2011, MassDEP Commissioner
the Clean Water Fund, which has awarded
Ken Kimmell, along with the environmental
approximately $4.8 billion in loans since
agency commissioners from the other
the program’s inception in 1991; and the
five New England states and New York,
Drinking Water Fund, which has awarded
agreed to pursue a voluntary regional
approximately $1.2 billion in projects since
initiative to reduce nutrient pollution
it began in 1999.
to water bodies from the use of lawn
fertilizers. The states have called upon the
This year, the Clean Water SRF funds 14
New England Interstate Water Pollution
planning and 41 construction projects,
Control Commission (NEIWPCC) to help
such as wastewater treatment facilities and
facilitate this endeavor. This Northeast
upgrades to existing sewer systems. The
States Voluntary Turf Fertilizer Initiative
Drinking Water SRF funds one planning
was formally launched into action in late
and 34 construction projects; these funds
May 2012 as these state partners, with
support the engineering, design and
strong support from the U.S. Environmental
construction of drinking water facilities
Protection Agency, began a series of issue-
and systems that protect public health
specific meetings with various stakeholders.
and strengthen compliance with drinking
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MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
The goal is to jointly develop voluntary
guidelines for reducing nutrient pollution
to water bodies from lawn fertilizing, and
have broad stakeholder buy-in on these
guidelines by early 2013.
U.S. EPA estimates that roughly half of the
nation’s water bodies suffer from some
level of water pollution caused by excessive
amounts of the nutrients nitrogen and The Northeast Voluntary Turf Fertilizer Initiative
phosphorus. The Charles River is a high- aims to reduce nutrient pollution that causes
excessive algae in streams.
profile example of a water body that is
highly impacted by nutrient pollution, and
The first stakeholder meetings in late
countless local ponds, lakes, streams and
May 2012 focused on manufacturers
bays throughout the Northeast face similar
of synthetic and organic turf fertilizers.
nutrient problems. In the majority of cases,
Subsequent sessions, targeted for early fall
polluted runoff is the primary source of
2012, will include professional landscapers,
nutrients to our waters. When it rains and
retailers, watershed associations,
when snow melts, the rain or snowmelt
and others. The northeastern state
picks up pollutants as it travels across
commissioners hope to have voluntary
developed land. Eventually, this runoff will
agreements between the stakeholders
enter a storm drain, which empties into a
and the agencies that will address fertilizer
local water body. When homeowners or
formulations, labeling, and consumer
professional landscapers apply too much
education regarding application guidelines
fertilizer on lawns, and when they apply
in place near the end of calendar 2012.
fertilizer while the ground is frozen or right
before a heavy rain storm, nutrients in the
For more information about the Northeast
fertilizer are carried off to the nearest body
States Voluntary Turf Fertilizer Initiative,
of water. There, nutrients over-feed algae,
please visit the NEIWPCC web site at: http://
contributing to problematic algae blooms
www.neiwpcc.org/turffertilizer/meetings.
and declining aquatic health.
asp. For more information about water
pollution coming from run-off and what
we can all do to prevent it, please visit
MassDEP’s web site at: http://www.mass.
gov/dep/water/resources/nonpoint.htm.
14E nv i roMatter s
MassDEP Newsletter Summer 2012
MassDEP Fetes Top
Achievers Among State’s
Many Notable Public
Water Systems
As part of National Drinking Water Week
in May, MassDEP announced a total of
29 winners of the annual Public Water
Systems Awards, which are given each MassDEP Commissioner Ken Kimmell presents the
Energy Conservation and Water Conservation
year to systems large and small across the awards to the Chelmsford Water District,
Commonwealth. Since 1991, MassDEP has represented by (left to right) Ronald W. Wetmore,
annually awarded citations to acknowledge Chairman, Board of Water Commissioners, Todd
Melanson, Environmental Compliance Manager,
the silent, hard-working, and mostly and Robert J. Delaney, Superintendent, during
invisible accomplishments provided by those Drinking Water Day ceremonies at the Waterworks
systems that help provide safe, reliable and Museum in Chestnut Hill.
clean drinking water to Bay State citizens
every day. For more information on the Drinking
Water Awards, go to: http://www.mass.
“We rely on the protection, treatment gov/dep/public/press/0512wsad.htm.
and distribution of water by public water
systems, and the constant attention to This year also marks the 38th Anniversary
these tasks by these systems is worthy of of the Safe Drinking Water Act that forms
special commendation,” said MassDEP the core of the nation’s efforts to provide
Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “These quality drinking water and protect the
systems were chosen from 1,477 public public health. MassDEP works with drinking
water systems in Massachusetts, because water utilities to make sure that the water
their effort was particularly noteworthy.” delivered to consumers meets all federal
and state standards and is clean and
abundant. These efforts are vital to the
Massachusetts economy and to the public
health of our citizens.
15Printed July 2, 2012 Kenneth Kimmell, Commissioner Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108 On the Web: www.mass.gov/dep/ On Twitter: www.twitter.com/massdep Free e-Newsletter: www.mass.gov/dep/public/publications/enews.htm
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