SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1401        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1430

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act providing the town of Saugus financial assistance for the replacement of water mains located under certain portions of the state highway rt 1..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The general court finds that it is the public policy of the commonwealth to ensure its citizens receive effective water transmission service while at the same time sufficiently meeting the traffic needs on commonwealth roadways.  The general court finds that in light of the commonwealth's regional transportation needs, the expedited acquisition of the easements and permits necessary for the rehabilitation and construction of water pipelines along Route 1, beginning at the Essex Street Exit on said Route 1 and extending along Route 1 up to the Walnut Street Exit on said Route 1, all within the town of Saugus, the Massachusetts Highway Department and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority shall, in accordance with this act, provide financial, technical and any other professional assistance necessary in order to provide numerous of its citizens with improved water transmission service, while maintaining the reliability of the commonwealth's regional transportation system.

SECTION 2.  The Massachusetts Highway Department is hereby authorized and directed to convey to the town of Saugus, for the nominal consideration of $1 the permanent and temporary easements held by the Commonwealth, necessary for the development, construction and maintenance of water pipelines and related facilities, structures and equipment to improve the reliability of traffic conditions along said areas of Route 1 and to improve water transmission systems; provided further the Massachusetts Highway Department shall provide and legal and technical assistance to the Town to acquire other easements, both public and private, necessary for the completion of  the aforesaid construction of water pipelines along said areas of Route 1; provided further, that the Massachusetts Highway Department shall reimburse the town of Saugus for the design and engineering costs incurred by said Town for the Route 1 pipeline project, in the amount of $3,500,000; provided further, that the Massachusetts Highway Department shall be responsible for providing traffic control during construction of said project.

SECTION 3.  The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority shall work cooperatively with the town of Saugus to maximize cost savings for the town of Saugus and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, included but not limited to, entering into an agreement with the Town for the purpose of sharing of any costs relating to capital improvement projects undertaken by the Authority which would simultaneously provide, along said areas of Route 1, the town a reduction in the overall cost relating to the development, construction and maintenance of such water pipes .

SECTION 4.  The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is hereby authorized and directed to provide to the town of Saugus a twenty-year, zero interest loan in an amount not to exceed the costs incurred by said town for the replacement and rehabilitation of its water transmission lines and service connections along said areas of Route 1 in the town of Saugus, provided that this loan shall be in addition to funds made available to said town through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority local pipeline assistance program.       

SECTION 5.  Any agency, department, office or commission with regulatory jurisdiction shall, notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, cooperate with the Massachusetts Highway Department, the town of Saugus and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to assure the attainment of the foregoing objectives and to assure that substantive and procedural regulatory requirements are exercised to achieve the purposed of this act.