Concord Journal
October 6, 2005

State rules Crosspoint can proceed

By Ben Aaronson/ Staff Writer

Town officials expressed anger and skepticism this week upon learning
that the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs had denied a request for
an environmental review of the proposed Crosspoint development at Hanscom
Field. This summer, the Massachusetts Port Authority proposed the
60,000-square-foot development at Hanscom, which would include expanded
passenger services, extensive fueling operations and additional parking.

The ultimate fate of the development seems to have hinged not upon a
review of key construction plans, but rather upon an interpretation of key
language, specifically the definition of what constitutes a passenger
terminal. In a ruling last week, the EOEA determined that the proposed
development constitutes a "hangar" and not a "terminal," and is therefore
not eligible for review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act.

"I find that the proposed Crosspoint development is not a 'terminal'...
and is unlikely to have significant environmental consequences," EOEA
Secretary Stephen Pritchard wrote in a Sept. 28 letter.

Days after the ruling was handed down, members of the Concord Board of
Selectmen were still struggling to understand Pritchard's explanation.

"This, to me, is truly strange. We were told that it doesn't rise to
the threshold of being a terminal, but we don't know what that threshold
is," said Chairman Anne Shapiro. "There are 13,000 square feet of passenger
amenities. There are 100 parking spots. I don't see how this isn't a
terminal."

A flabbergasted Shapiro expressed concern that the decision not to
grant a MEPA review was based largely upon undisclosed communications
between state and federal agencies.

"There's a sense that there was a part of the process that we were not
a party to," she said. "We had no chance to comment [and] we were not privy
to all the information. What kind of process is this?"

Shapiro stressed there are numerous environmental concerns related to
the Crosspoint project. Most notably, she said, nearly the entire
development will be built upon impervious surfaces, which greatly increases
the risk of water contamination from runoff.

"The [Department of Environmental Protection] has a responsibility to
respond to the impervious surfaces in this problematic high water area," she
said.

Now that the state has denied the request for a MEPA review of the
project, the only other opportunity for consideration of environmental
issues may be through the Environment Status and Planning Report, a study
which is published every five years to review the potential environmental
impacts of operations at Hanscom Field. The EOEA has extended the comment
period of the 2005 ESPR by 20 days to give residents and town officials the
chance to suggest ways to expand the scope of the study to include the
Crosspoint project. The problem, however, is that the report is not expected
to be completed until 2007, well after the Crosspoint development is up and
running.

Selectman Philip Benincasa dismissed the extended the comment period on
the ESPR as "brain candy" offered to placate those who would oppose the
development.

"This is not an issue to be taken lightly. It speaks to the governor's
failure to follow through on campaign promises (not to allow further
development of Hanscom) and MEPA's (failure to) live up to its obligation,"
an irate Benincasa said. "MassPort is a rogue agency hell-bent on doing
whatever they choose with Hanscom. I'm not optimistic about their
willingness to listen."

Shapiro agreed that submitting comments on the ESPR would probably have
little impact.

"We can take advantage of it, but it's rather pointless," she conceded.

Regardless of her colleagues' grim assessment, Selectman Peggy Briggs
encouraged all concerned citizens to take advantage of the opportunity to
comment. In addition, Briggs argued that the town should send a strong
letter asking that the project be delayed until the ESPR is completed.

"It's not what we were hoping for, but we should still comment," she
said.

Ultimately, the selectmen resolved to draft a letter responding to the
extended comment period as well as a letter requesting that the EOEA
reconsider their determination. In addition, the town will file a request
under the Freedom of Information Act for access to all materials that were
used at a basis for the determination. The selectmen opted against filing an
official appeal at this time, but Shapiro said the Hanscom Area Towns
Committee (HATS) will meet in executive session this week to decide if any
legal action should be taken.

Beyond that, Shapiro urged the board to take the issue to the federal
level and contact Sens. Ted Kennedy and John Kerry as well as Rep. Marty
Meehan. Both Shapiro and Benincasa expressed a desire to arrange a trip to
Washington, D.C., to meet with the congressional delegation personally.

"[This project] does us as a community very little good and, in my
opinion, great harm," Benincasa said. "We have an obligation to help our
fellow citizens who are not being helped by these government agencies."

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