Proposed bill would restructure Brunswick Landing leadership, require environmental stewardship
If passed, the bill would amend the goals of the authority to require it to engage in "environmental stewardship." It would also restructure the authority's board of trustees, an 11-member body appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature.
Brunswick Landing is the site of an August 2024 firefighting foam spill that released 51,450 gallons of foam laced with toxic forever chemicals. The redeveloped naval air base is now home to businesses, residences and the Brunswick Executive Airport. MRRA was established by state law to manage the transition of the former air station, which was decommissioned in 2011.
The bill would increase membership of the MRRA's board of trustees to 14 members by:
— Adding a voting member appointed by the chairperson of the Brunswick Town Council.
— Requiring the governor to appoint an additional commissioner of a state department to the body.
— Adding a nonvoting member who is a senator or representative from Brunswick or Topsham.
The law currently states that at least seven appointees to the board of trustees must be residents of Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties. It also states that one member should be a commissioner of a department of state government. Charlotte Mace, director of the Maine Office of Business Development, currently sits on the board.
The bill would remove the requirement that seven appointees represent Androscoggin, Cumberland or Sagadahoc counties. Instead, at least four appointees would be required to be residents of Brunswick, Brunswick town officials or Brunswick business owners.
The bill also would remove certain permitting exemptions around environmental impacts that apply to Brunswick Landing as a former military facility. It would also remove liability exemptions that MRRA board members and employees hold in case of another environmental incident.
Another section requires any transfers of property within the former base to be subject to the Maine Uniform Environmental Covenants Act, which provides a structure for environmental land use.
The bill, LD 1637, proposed by state Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, is co-sponsored by Maine Reps. Dan Ankeles and Poppy Arford, both D-Brunswick, among others.
"MRRA's work directly impacts the health and well-being of Brunswick and its immediate neighbors," Daughtry said in an emailed statement about the bill.
"LD 1637 will finally give community members a true say in what happens on the former naval air base and provide vital public health and environmental protections. It also stands as a powerful reminder that the absence of transparent, responsible governance can have serious, real-world consequences."
Brunswick lawmakers are also backing three bills intended to prevent another accidental release of AFFF. The bills call for a statewide foam inventory (LD 400); a state-run voluntary foam collection, storage and disposal program (LD 222); and removal of foam concentrate that remains at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station (LD 407).
Asked for comment Monday, MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson said he was reviewing the bill.
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Politico
4 hours ago
- Politico
How Newsom could redraw career ambitions
LEADING THE DAY — MAPPING IT OUT: The potential contours of a snap California redistrict are coming into focus (more on the politics of that exercise below). Attorney General Rob Bonta suggested yesterday that lawmakers could put a new, fully realized map before voters for up-or-down approval. 'I think that's what's being contemplated here and I think that's what the legal pathway is,' Bonta told reporters, noting he'd been in touch with Gov. Gavin Newsom's office. Remember, Bonta's office would write an initiative's official title and summary. Newsom has said he's reviewing three or four options to proceed, including simply having the Legislature draw lines on the theory it retains the authority to do so despite California's independent commission. But Bonta's remarks suggest a special election could be the smoothest path — though it would still be a bumpy one. Speaking of which ... MAPMAKING MELEE — Newsom's push for a Democrat-boosting California gerrymander would have to run through the Legislature — where it could collide with lawmakers' career plans. Few prizes tantalize term-limited state lawmakers quite like a safe House seat that's effectively a lifetime gig. But returning to a bygone era of redistricting hardball could complicate life for ambitious incumbents redrawing the seats they hope to one day represent. California voters chose in 2010 to sideline self-interested politicians from the map-making process; restoring their role, as the governor wants to do, reopens some of those old incentives. 'I've seen the negotiations. I've seen all the arm-twisting that Willie (Brown) and Phil Burton had to do,' said Bruce Cain, who helped craft maps for the former Democratic leaders. Burton, he added, 'had to browbeat people into things they wouldn't want to do.' For now, California Democrats are publicly rallying behind a national push to counter Texas' planned GOP gerrymander. Even frontline House members are saying Democrats have to be armed with every option. But it's one thing to proclaim your support for a plan embraced by party grandees like Newsom and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Getting 54 Assembly votes and 27 Senate votes for new maps is a different matter. Some of the Democrats who will be asked to vote for the gambit will have to balance personal plans and party priorities. Rarely does a vote in the state Legislature so directly tie into national politics or draw in national figures. Some career ambitions are an open secret: state Sen. Scott Wiener's run to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi is only a matter of when Pelosi retires, and Speaker Robert Rivas is widely seen as a contender to replace Rep. Zoe Lofgren when she exits. A half-dozen other House Democrats sitting on safe seats around the state are in their 70s or 80s. Then there are people actively campaigning for a promotion, like Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, who's running to unseat GOP Rep. David Valadao in a seat that could soon look very different (and that Valadao has held onto despite a sturdy Democratic edge). Caveats apply: Newsom has talked about redoing only House seats, not the Legislature's, which would spare incumbents being drawn into the kind of clashes with colleagues we saw repeatedly in 2022. Congress' lack of a residency requirement could spare people moving costs (or FBI probes). The current nonpartisan process still yielded crowded, multi-incumbent Democratic primaries like the brawl for ex-Rep. Adam Schiff's seat. And there's a specific type of state lawmaker whose options would be affected: one who overlaps with a safe House seat, held by a member nearing retirement, that is close enough to a Republican seat to be affected by its redraw. That's a limited universe — solidly blue seats with octogenarian incumbents, like Pelosi's, may not shift much. 'You might have a situation where 90 percent of voters are going to be in their same district,' said redistricting guru Paul Mitchell. Governors have a way of getting what they want — particularly when they're rowing alongside the national Democratic apparatus — and Newsom's message of confronting and countering Republicans has resonated with plenty of Democrats. But the changes Newsom is seeking may compel incumbents to dust off their contingency plans. 'Every day,' said Susannah Delano, head of the female candidate recruiting organization Close the Gap, 'is a good day for succession planning.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. Like what you're reading? Sign up to get California Playbook in your inbox, and forward it to a friend. You can also text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Not attending Lady Gaga's concert tour in California, unlike another prominent San Francisco politician. More on that below … IN THE COURTS BILL BACKS DOWN — Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on Tuesday dropped charges against Alejandro Orellana — who was previously indicted by a federal grand jury for handing out masks to protesters of immigration raids. Bloomberg earlier Tuesday reported that Essayli forced staff to prioritize prosecuting Orellana against their counsel — one of several episodes that sparked internal backlash and reportedly led to mass departures in the Los Angeles-based Central District prosecutor's ranks. MAGA faithful celebrated Orellana's arrest, holding it up as a path-clearing victory for the president's deportation agenda. A spokesperson for Essayli's office declined to comment on why the charges were dropped. 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Politico
6 hours ago
- Politico
The road to rent control
TRY, TRY AGAIN — Housing advocates are taking another shot at reversing the state's ban on rent control. Hundreds of supporters poured into the State House yesterday to rally and testify in support of a bill that would allow cities and towns to tie rent increases to the rate of inflation. Under the legislation, rent hikes would be capped at 5 percent. Getting the bill passed is likely to be an uphill battle. Voters ended rent control through a 1994 ballot question, and in the more than three decades since then, there hasn't been much appetite from the Legislature to bring it back. When a similar proposal was added as an amendment to an economic development bill, it failed on a 22-136 roll call vote in the House. The big question: Will supporters take the fight to the ballot next year? 'For us, everything's on the table,' Carolyn Chou, the executive director of the advocacy group Homes for All, said in an interview. 'Our communities urgently need rent control, so we're exploring all options to win.' There's a lot to consider. Those backing the return of rent control would have to contend with the powerful real estate lobby, which has made it clear in the past they're ready to spend big to thwart the effort. A push to put a rent control question on the ballot failed to clear one of the first major hurdles last cycle, with supporters divided over whether the timing was right. And if voters reject the effort, state law says they can't bring it back before voters for six years. Working in their favor: Housing for All is working with the Service Employees International Union and what they say is more than 100 organizations across the state on the push. During the hearing, residents from Easthampton to Worcester to Framingham testified in support of the bill. For now, 'no decisions have been made' about bringing the battle to the ballot, Chou said. Keep an eye out for some action by Aug. 6, when the first round of initiative petition signatures is due to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey hosts a ceremonial swearing-in for Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Kiame Mahaniah at 12:15 p.m. at the State House. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at LGBTQ+ Youth Day on the Hill at 10:30 a.m. and chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon at the State House. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark joins the Natick Service Council for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in Natick. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a campaign event with small business owners at 11 a.m. downtown. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale is releasing its slate of endorsements for Boston's mayoral and City Council races this fall. 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In a statement, McCauley said he has become 'increasingly concerned about the direction the current Mayor [Sean Reardon] is taking Newburyport.' Since Reardon took office, 'spending has increased an unprecedented and unsustainable 20% and a disintegrating work culture at City Hall has seen the departure of 6 department heads,' McCauley, a Democrat, added, calling for 'a new chapter' in the city. DATELINE BEACON HILL — Lawmakers solicit major dollars to fund national legislative gathering in Boston by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: 'Thousands of lawmakers and policy makers from across the country will descend on Boston Monday for three days of networking, programming, and socializing for what Massachusetts legislative leaders likened to a 'World Cup'-level event. Those same Massachusetts lawmakers have also been asking corporations and others with interests before the Legislature to fork over as much as $250,000 each to help fund the celebration. 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FROM THE HUB — Boston Mayor Wu dismisses calls for National Guard deployment to tackle Mass and Cass spillover by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Boston Mayor Michelle Wu dismissed calls from South End residents to bring in the National Guard to deal with the 'war zone' that Mass and Cass spillover has created in that particular neighborhood. Wu said this week that while it's 'not acceptable' for residents to have to side-step needles and fear for their safety at and around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, the open-air drug use, filth and violence that has spilled over into surrounding neighborhoods like the South End does not warrant a response from the U.S. military.' — Wu says full White Stadium cost won't be known til end of 2025 by Sharon Brody and Rob Lane. FROM HARVARD YARD — Trump administration wants Harvard to pay far more than Columbia as part of settlement by Collin Binkley, The Associated Press: 'The Trump administration is pressing for a deal with Harvard University that would require the Ivy League school to pay far more than the $200 million fine agreed to by Columbia University to resolve multiple federal investigations, according to two people familiar with the matter. Harvard would be expected to pay hundreds of millions of dollars as part of any settlement to end investigations into antisemitism at its campus, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.' RELATED — Rep. Katherine Clark says Harvard's reported deal with Trump is troubling, but might be necessary by Nicole Garcia, GBH News. DAY IN COURT — Further legal action against Republic to come by Caroline Enos, The Salem News: 'Although six communities' request for an injunction against Republic Services Inc. was denied Monday, that won't be the end of legal troubles for the company over its lacking service during the Teamsters strike. The injunction was filed in Salem Superior Court on July 17 by Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Malden and Canton. It requested that a judge order Republic to immediately collect all trash and recycling within the municipalities and provide all contracted services, putting a stop to stinking, piled-up trash on sidewalks and in dumpsters that are public health hazards.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Mass. Reps. Pressley, Lynch and Moulton lead call for end to trash strike by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'All nine members of Massachusetts' U.S. House delegation have called on trash hauler Republic Services to reach a deal with striking Teamsters, ending a work stoppage that has caused garbage to pile up across Greater Boston this month. The letter, led by Democratic U.S. Reps Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch, whose 7th and 8th Congressional District seats span Boston, and Seth Moulton, D-6th District, of Salem, underlined the 'sweat equity' of its employees, and the need for good wages and benefits.' IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN — Nantucket Officials Blast Vineyard Wind, Deliver List Of Demands by JohnCarl McGrady and Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current: 'Nantucket officials called Vineyard Wind on the carpet Tuesday, claiming the offshore wind developer had failed to live up to its agreements with the town, and telling the company to 'lead or leave.' In a press conference Tuesday morning held on Zoom, the Nantucket Select Board made 15 demands of Vineyard Wind, setting a two-week deadline for the offshore wind company to reply. If no reply is forthcoming, or if the Select Board deems Vineyard Wind's responses inadequate, the town is leaving all of its options open -including legal action.' MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — Final Motions Filed In Brawl Between Former CCC Chair O'Brien And Mass Treasurer Goldberg by Chris Farone, Talking Joints Memo: 'Going back to fall of 2023 when she was first suspended from her chair seat at the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission for (what were still at the time) unspecified offenses, Shannon O'Brien claimed the backstory and details of her time at the agency would contradict allegations against her. From O'Brien's suspension on through her subsequent firing in September 2024, the former state rep, senator, and treasurer (who was appointed to the CCC by current state Treasurer Deb Goldberg two years earlier) said, sometimes through her lawyers, that confidential documents and information would at least add context around claims that she behaved in ways that warranted removal. In early June, a Suffolk County Superior Court justice granted that wish, denying Goldberg, CCC employees, appointees, and the agency itself their requests to have some names anonymized and information kept secret.' — Bay State regulators approve draft pot cafe rules by Matthew Medgar, Boston Herald: 'After two days of intensive wrangling with the wording in their draft, the Cannabis Control Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the rules which will govern social consumption of marijuana in Massachusetts. Said another way, the state's pot regulators have finally signed off on a plan that will — eventually — see Amsterdam-style weed cafes in the Bay State. The key word is 'eventually.'' FROM THE 413 — Former Select Board member suggests current member is spying on him by Cliff Clark, The Westfield News: 'During the Select Board meeting Monday, former member Joseph Deedy suggested that current board member Russ Anderson of spying on him using Town Hall security camera footage and requested a public investigation to determine if his allegations are true.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Something rotten in New Bedford, or much ado about nothing? by Colin Hogan and Grace Ferguson, The New Bedford Light: 'Councilor Brian Gomes rose to speak and, in his signature booming crescendo, cried out, 'They're saying we should be federally indicted! Send it in! Because I did nothing wrong.' Many of New Bedford's political junkies and hangers-on have for weeks made the case over talk-radio broadcasts and during City Council sessions that there is something rotten in Denmark. Some elected officials, it recently became known, had for years received 'longevity payments' — annual bonuses between $450 and $850, intended for unelected city staffers who served 10 years or more. These elected officials — including some long-serving city councilors, assessors, and the mayor — were mistakenly receiving longevity payments through 2023, when Mayor Jon Mitchell noticed a difference in his own paycheck upon reaching the 10-year mark of service.' — Assault charge against woman detained by ICE agents in Worcester is dropped by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: 'A charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against Rosane Ferreira De Oliveira, the woman detained by federal agents in a highly publicized May 8 immigration raid on Eureka Street, has been dropped, court records show. Her 17-year-old daughter, whom Ferreira De Oliveira was accused of striking with a phone charger cable in February, 'does not wish to proceed,' Assistant District Attorney Matthew Kimmelstiel said in a motion to the Worcester District Court.' — Newbury lauded again for accounting, financial reporting via Newburyport Daily News: 'For the third consecutive year, the town is being honored for excellence in accounting and financial reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association recognized Newbury for its fiscal 2026 town report and budget, a comprehensive 267-page document that explains the foundation of the town's budget decisions. The award is a significant achievement in governmental accounting and financial reporting, reflecting the commitment of a governing body and its staff to meeting the highest standards of governmental budgeting, according to local officials.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Kait Rogers is the new chief financial officer of the YMCA of Greater Boston. She was previously the CFO of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston. — Kris Sarri will be the new Massachusetts state director at The Nature Conservancy. She previously served as the USAID acting chief climate officer. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Brendan Roche and Anita Hill. Happy belated to Kyle McGrath of Rep. Josh Tarsky's office and Amy Burke, who celebrated Monday.
Boston Globe
7 hours ago
- Boston Globe
The fight over a private Martha's Vineyard beach with statewide implications
Each time, the courts have reaffirmed that when underwater land emerges over time at the edge of a great pond or the ocean (known as 'accretion') that land belongs to the upland property owner along the shore — not the Commonwealth or the public. That principle has been upheld in rulings like Kubic v. Audette and White v. Hartigan because it respects longstanding ownership, ensures clarity, and preserves the character of coastal neighborhoods. Friedman wants to rewrite that rule for one reason: to claim access to a beach he does not own. Having exhausted the legal process, he is attempting to accomplish what he could not in court: change settled law. Advertisement Section 33 asserts that the Commonwealth 'retains title to any waters or land below the low water line of a great pond in perpetuity.' That sounds benign — perhaps even principled — until you realize that it would retroactively turn privately owned beaches into state-owned property, including carefully stewarded conservation land. That would trigger a flood of lawsuits and claims for thousands of parcels in the state. The cost to the Commonwealth could be hundreds of millions in legal fees, settlements, and lost tax revenue. Advertisement There is a healthy dose of hypocrisy at the heart of Friedman's quest. Years ago, he placed a conservation restriction on his Edgartown property for the purpose of blocking any future public access to Oyster Pond and the beach beyond. Even as he positions himself as a champion for public access, that restriction remains in place. When Healey was attorney general, she opposed Friedman's arguments in a 2018 amicus brief in the Kubic case, affirming the rights of upland property owners. It's not clear why she would contradict that view today now that she's governor. What is clear is that Section 33 is about not public access but instead about one man's private interest. It will not protect Massachusetts communities from rising seas or strengthen the careful environmental stewardship private owners have practiced for generations. What it will do is undermine long-held property rights, pit neighbors against one another, and send countless acres of sensitive environmental lands into stewardship turmoil. Advertisement That's not lawmaking in the public interest. It's supporting a private gain — and the Legislature should reject it.
