[MassHistPres] (no subject)

[Steinitz, Michael (SEC)]

I am forwarding to you the following message from Brona Simon, State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission.

Dear Preservationists,  The attached amendment (Clerk #4 to the Senate's Supplemental Budget Bill S.2108) was filed by Sen. Rodrigues and was adopted by the Senate yesterday.  It is what's called an Outside Section of the Supplemental Budget, which means that it gets no hearing, no public comment.  The next step is that it will go to the House for the House to adopt or concur or not concur (also done without a hearing) in the House's version of the Supplemental Budget (H.3887).

This amendment would exempt the Meditech parcel from MHC's review, including the MHC's responsibilities under the state unmarked burial law.
The amendment would allow construction to proceed and destroy the Peace Haven 3 archaeological site without any archaeological mitigation.  If any Native American burials are discovered during construction, they would not be protected under the State Archaeologist's law sections regarding unmarked burials.  The amendment would apply to any and all future development of the Peace Haven Site on the lots specified in the amendment.

Please consider the ramifications for future projects if this amendment were to be adopted by the House and then signed by the Governor.  It would set a precedent for using the Budget process to file an Outside Section to exempt any other controversial project elsewhere in the state to exempt it from MHC's or any other state environmental review.

Please contact the Speaker of the House and your Representatives, asking them not to adopt Clerk #4 of Senate 2108 into the House version of the Supplemental Budget.  Please also let the Governor know that you are opposed to this amendment.  The House will have its next informal session next Monday Jan. 23, and could consider this amendment as soon as that day.

Thank you for your support and interest in historic properties and archaeological sites.

Brona



Michael Steinitz

Director

Preservation Planning Division

Massachusetts Historical Commission

220 Morrissey Blvd

Boston MA 02125

617-727-8470

617-727-5128 (fax)

michael.steinitz at state.ma.us

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