Nov 2009 
John Keith 
Who says nothing ever happens on Beacon Hill? Who says nothing ever happens on Beacon Hill when its not in session and the legislative branch is on a six-week vacation? Not me!
From the NorthEndWaterfront.com website:
On Tuesday, December 1, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture will hold a hearing on a landmark bill to protect groundwater. You can support this important legislation by:
1. Attending and, ideally, offering testimony in support of the need for groundwater protection;
2. Writing a letter in support of the legislation to the Committee (co-Chairs Senator Anthony Petruccelli and Representative William Strauss); and,
3. Forwarding this information publicizing the hearing and encouraging others to attend the hearing.
As everyone in the South End knows, our neighborhood is built on created land, landfill trucked in and spread over marshland. To help support all the buildings, piles were drilled into the ground, over which slabs were laid, on top of which our homes were built. The piles are made of wood. If they stay covered by groundwater, they can last forever. If they’re exposed to the elements (air), they can degrade. Starting sometime this century, the area groundwater level dropped and the wood pilings were exposed. They are degrading.
Why, how, and, most importantly, who is responsible for it, is the big question. This legislation will help.
Details on what will be discussed as well as a copy of the proposed legislation can be found on the NEW website.
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