Michael Cunningham, PE, Senior Program Manager, Kleinfelder, BSCES Past President
Last summer, I was given an opportunity to represent BSCES on the Massachusetts Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee (WIAC). This committee was established by Chapter 259 of the Acts of 2014 to “…monitor the progress of closing the gap in funding for water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure,” a gap first documented in the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission’s (WIFC) February 2012 report. This report, titled “Massachusetts’s Water Infrastructure: Toward Financial Sustainability” identified a funding gap of $10.2 billion for drinking water, $11.2 billion for clean water, and conservatively estimated stormwater needs at $18 billion.
Recognizing the immense water infrastructure funding needs facing the Commonwealth’s municipalities, the legislature formed the WIAC to oversee the progress in addressing these needs. However, the WIAC last met in 2018 and hasn’t been active since. Last year, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) sought to reconvene the WIAC to gather input on water infrastructure spending priorities. The WIAC is comprised of agencies and professional organizations that are responsible for the maintenance, expansion, and innovation of water infrastructure in the state, including BSCES. I was asked by our President and Executive Director if I would represent BSCES on this committee and was happy for this opportunity to provide input on critical water-related needs and spending priorities facing the state.
EEA held meetings with WIAC members in September 2024 to gather input on water infrastructure needs for potential inclusion in the upcoming environmental bond bill. The last environmental bond bill was passed in 2018 and it provided funding for environmental programs, including authorizations for municipal infrastructure improvements to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. It also included funding for electric vehicle incentives and a complete streets program. After those meetings, a subset of committee members decided to meet separately to discuss more impactful ways to promote and advance water infrastructure investment in the state based on the belief that our water infrastructure challenges require a much broader and more immediate focus and that the environmental bond bill will not result in meaningful opportunities to close our funding gap. I felt that BSCES should be represented in this focused group since legislative advocacy is a long-standing priority of our organization. “BSCES volunteers work with local, state, and national officials to promote legislation and regulations aligned with BSCES and ASCE policy positions to positively affect the civil engineering profession and our infrastructure.” In addition to BSCES, this smaller group includes representatives from the following organizations dedicated to improving water resources in Massachusetts: 495/MetroWest Partnership, American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACECMA), Massachusetts Coalition for Water Resources Stewardship (MCWRS), Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Advisory Board (MWRA AB), Massachusetts Water Environment Association (MAWEA), Massachusetts Water Works Association (MWWA), and the Utility Contractors Association of New England (UCANE).
This group has achieved the following in the eight months or so since the WIAC meetings:
- Submitted a letter to EEA with funding and policy recommendations supported by our organizations for the environmental bond bill and beyond that will help to increase water infrastructure funding and close the gap.
- Submitted a letter to the members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation that outlines the challenges facing Massachusetts water infrastructure and proposed solutions to address these challenges with a request that the delegates provide continued leadership in these areas.
- Submitted a similar letter to the federal congressional delegation to advocate for support of water infrastructure funding.
- Discussed our water infrastructure funding concerns with State Representative Jay Livingstone and obtained his commitment to file the water bond bill again.
- Presented a “state of water infrastructure” briefing to Representative Jay Livingston’s colleagues on January 8, 2025 to discuss concerns and priorities for water infrastructure investment.
- Provided coordination and support for HB 1022 / SB 563: An Act Relative to Meeting the Commonwealth’s Water Infrastructure Future, sponsored by Representatives Philips, Kilcoyne, Kushmerek, and Giannino and Senator Cronin (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1022 and https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S563). This omnibus water legislation mimics the items our group submitted as priorities for the environmental bond bill as was one of the key items included for discussion with legislators at this year’s Engineers and Land Surveyors Day at the State House, which BSCES co-sponsors each year. As of the writing of this article, the bill has its hearing on June 3 and we are coordinating to provide testimony. See below for a summary of the bill from the state legislature website.
The bill authorizes a capital outlay program aimed at upgrading and expanding Massachusetts’ water infrastructure. It allocates $78.5 million for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund and $138 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust. The bill also dedicates $2 billion to expanding the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s capacity, with an emphasis on improving drinking water quality and increasing housing capacity. In addition, $375 million is designated for the HousingWorks infrastructure program to support housing projects and ensure compliance with zoning requirements.
In addition to funding allocations, the bill includes provisions for research, rehabilitation, and community impact assessments concerning water resources. It establishes an Interbasin Transfer Review Commission to review and possibly amend water transfer laws in support of housing development, while ensuring environmental protections. The bill also proposes the creation of several commissions and advisory committees aimed at addressing funding gaps and improving efficiency in water infrastructure. To tackle workforce shortages, a grant program is introduced, focusing on workforce training, employment opportunities, and promoting diversity in hiring within the sector.
As the BSCES Past-President and a dedicated water resources engineer, this has been a great experience for both learning how state laws are made and for doing what I can to advocate for and advance impactful water infrastructure funding and policy recommendations for the benefit of Massachusetts residents and businesses.