It's Thursday. The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Italy isn't until tomorrow, but some of our Massachusetts-grown Olympians are already hitting the ice today. Here's when and how to watch: In other news: Cue The Standells: The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is proposing a new plan to curtail sewage discharge into rivers like the Charles. As WBUR's Barbara Moran reports, the revised approach comes after a backlash by environmental advocates against the previous plan, which would have allowed untreated sewage to continue to be released into the Charles and Mystic rivers, as well as Alewife Brook, when heavy rain overwhelms local wastewater and stormwater systems. Under the new plan, that practice would be eliminated in "typical" years by 2050 — even with an expected increase in precipitation due to climate change. - What will it take? The new plan is expected to cost about $1.3 billion over the coming decades to upgrade and prepare old stormwater and wastewater systems for the heavier rain climate change is expected to bring. MWRA advisory board chair Richard Raiche said the plan is the "first in the nation that looks forward at the impacts of climate change rather than backwards at records of rainfall."
- What do the critics say? Emily Norton, the head of the Charles River Watershed Association (which led the charge against the previous plan), said the new plan is better, but not ideal. "It will still result in millions of gallons of sewage entering the Charles on a regular basis, making people sick, making it impossible for people to swim, or in those days, even boat in the river," she told Barb.
- Why are we releasing sewage into the Charles anyways? It's a byproduct of a time (the 1800s, to be specific) when wastewater systems and stormwater systems were built to flow into the same pipes. WBUR's Miriam Wasser explains more here.
On ICE: Worcester is moving to ban federal immigration agents from using city-owned property for their operations. City officials announced yesterday that they're expanding an executive order prohibiting ICE agents from entering non-public areas of municipal buildings. The amended order bans ICE agents from using city-owned open space, parking lots, garages, parks or any other buildings for staging. - The order also requires Worcester police officers responding to reports of ICE activity to verify that the individuals are actually federal agents. City Manager Eric Batista told WBUR's John Bender the changes are in response to ICE's recent aggressive tactics across the country. "What it's doing is undermining our ability to work with the community," Batista said. "They're using tactics that are challenging the trust that we as a community have built for many years."
Death, taxes... Bill Galvin is officially running for a ninth term as Massachusetts secretary of state. He announced his decision yesterday, aiming to extend his record as Massachusetts' longest-serving statewide elected official. Since taking office in 1995, he's never received less than 63% of the vote. - Why run again? The 75-year-old had previously hinted that his eighth term may be his last. But he said his decision to run again is largely due to concerns about the Trump administration's handling of the 2028 election and 2030 census. State House News Service has more on Galvin's reelection plans here.
P.S.— Valentine's Day is coming up quickly. You can send a bouquet almost anywhere in New England (and support independent journalism) when you order Winston Flowers through WBUR. Check out the options here, and save if you order by Feb. 10. |
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