Bedford Minuteman
November 7, 2002

Critics say Hanscom study is 'flawed'

By Barbara Forster / Correspondent

"Where's the beef?" could have been the theme of a presentation made to the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination on Tuesday, Oct. 29, in Concord, regarding an environmental study prepared by Massport about Hanscom Air Field.

Lexington's Richard Canale, co-chairman of the Environmental Sub Committee reviewing the study for the Hanscom communities, said the study is flawed. The document is the Environmental Status and Planning Report that Massport is required to file every five years with MEPA, the state agency responsible for administering the Environmental Protection Act.

First, Canale said, the study fails to address several issues raised by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission during the comment period for the scope itself. The state environmental agency addressed those concerns in the scope certificate issued in December 2001:

"The ESPR should specifically address the consistency of planning strategies with local comprehensive plans, the Four Town Planning Study, and MAPC's regional policy plan (with special attention to issues raised in MAPC's comments), as well as with the Hanscom Master Plan." "The scope is clear that they (Massport) have to talk about consistency," Canale said. "They don't have to be consistent but they have to explain (what they are doing in relation to these other plans."

Instead, argued Canale, Massport variously lists the plans, describes some, and ignores others.

The Air Force, for example, recently completed a cultural study of the area. This report is not mentioned, nor is the MAGIC Carpet Study which discusses traffic mitigation issues such as traffic management demand programs. According to Canale, the report also ignores a regional air transportation plan, which is half-way through Phase 1, that discusses ways to do aviation forecasts.

Not only is this report not mentioned, but Massport's forecast methodology is not consistent with this report.

Massport also did not disclose, as requested, business plans for the next five years.

What's Next?

Initially the plan for the evening was to review issues of concern to the Hanscom area communities, discuss the implications and issues from the broader perspective of the subregion as a whole, and determine what comments, if any, were appropriate for MAGIC.

However, due to low turnout - only five people showed up for the meeting - no decisions were made. The secretary, who also was not present but did receive information before the meeting, will submit a draft response to all members. Once the document is signed, it will be forwarded to the state.

"Massport has said they won't voluntarily change anything (in the draft document) unless the secretary tells them to do so," added Canale.

Community response is very important, stressed Lisa Baci, the environmental consultant hired by the four towns to lead the review process.

"It took two tries to find out how many nighttime cargo flights at Logan are in aircraft fitted with hush kits," she said. "It helps to give MEPA specifics."

Although the deadline is Nov. 15, Canale urged the group to submit comments to MEPA as soon as possible.

"They (MEPA) have five working days to read comments, assimilate them, and write their own response," he said.

State budget cuts mean the department is down to four analysts; only one is assigned to this project.

A week after the comment period closes, the state environmental agency will let Massport know whether the document is acceptable as is or whether it needs more work.

MAGIC is a subregion of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the regional planning agency for the 101 communities of metro Boston. MAGIC includes local officials from Action, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, and Stow. Members generally meet monthly to exchange ideas and plan activities related to multi-community planning, infrastructure, and service delivery.

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