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 State Rep. Will Brownsberger, the Democrat of Belmont who represents part of East Arlington, has provided what he sees as "progress on the Silver Maple Forest issue." The House has a bill providing approval for spending as much as $6 million to help acquire the environmentally sensitive site near Route 2 and Alewife. His comments from July 28 and 30 e-mails follow.
Silver Maple Forest info: Background, Map, Q&A (PDF)
"I'm pleased to report some progress on the Silver Maple Forest issue. Last Wednesday night [July 23], the House passed the Environmental Bond Bill as House 5005.
"The bill includes an express authorization of the expenditure of up to $6 million towards the acquisition of the Silver Maple Forest. This authorization does not compel the Department of Conservation and Recreation to make the expenditure, but it expresses legislative support for it.
"Of course, $6 million is not sufficient to purchase the property. The bond bill, as passed by the House, includes an outside section which would also allow for local contributions towards the acquisition. The outside section incorporates much of the language of House Bill 21, the bill that I filed last year with Senator Tolman as a co-sponsor.
"Under the language that the House approved, the Commissioner of DCR will have 90 days to conduct an appraisal of the property and then an additional 30 days to decide how much he feels that the state should contribute towards an acquisition. He could decide any amount between $0 and $6 million.
"The communities of Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge will then have another 120 days to determine how much they are willing to contribute (including possible private donations). If the state and local contributions add up to the fair market value of the property, then the state would move forward to make the acquisition.
"The House-approved language does not allow for an eminent domain taking. The owner of the property would have to agree to the acquisition.
"So, in summary, the bill authorizes up to $6 million in state funds for an acquisition and creates a timeline for DCR, the localities and the owner to decide whether an acquisition should occur. It preserves the freedom of all parties, forcing only that a decision be made, but not what that decision should be.
"I am very grateful to the leadership of the House for supporting this important local legislation.
"It is important to note that the Senate has yet to take action on the bill and, of course, that even if the Senate also approves the language, the Governor will then need to decide whether or not to approve the language.
"I will keep you posted as to the next steps. Things should move quickly over the next week."
He noted in a July 30 e-mail:
"Thanks to Senator Tolman, the Silver Maple Forest language described [above] is now also in the Senate version of the Environmental Bond Bill.
"The bill still needs to be conferenced, but since both sides are in agreement, the chances are that the language will end up on the Governor's desk shortly. "
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