Amendment #668 to H3400

Metropolitan Beaches Commission Language

Representatives Vincent of Revere, Hunt of Boston, Crighton of Lynn and Madaro of Boston move to amend the bill by inserting after section 75 the following section:

“SECTION XX. Chapter 3 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out the contents of section 70 and inserting in place thereof the following:

(A) There shall be a permanent commission on the future of the metropolitan beaches to consist of: (i) 5 members of the Senate that shall be appointed by the senate president, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair and 1 of whom shall be the minority leader or a designee. (ii) 7 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair and 1 of whom shall be the minority leader or a designee; (iii) 1 member who shall be appointed by the Governor or the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or a designee and 1 member who shall be appointed by the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation or a designee. (iv) The Commission will also include 1 member from the metropolitan beach communities of Lynn who shall be appointed by the Mayor, Nahant who shall be appointed by the Town Manager, Revere, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, Winthrop, who shall be appointed by the Town Manager, Quincy, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, and Hull, who shall be appointed by the Town Manager, and 1 member from the East Boston section of the city of Boston, the Dorchester section of the city of Boston and the South Boston section of the city of Boston who shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Boston; (v) In addition the Commission Co-Chairs will appoint 4 members to represent Greater Boston’s philanthropic, non-profit, business and academic communities.

The Commission shall conduct an annual review of the state of the metropolitan beaches which shall include a comprehensive study examining the existing maintenance, operational and infrastructure needs for those beaches including, but not limited to, any security and capital-intensive repairs necessary to ensure future recreational use of those beaches. The Commission shall also examine best management practices and funding alternatives for each beach including, but not limited to, public-private partnerships, nonprofit entities and other financial means that shall ensure access, quality recreational activities, programming and improved water quality and beautification efforts at those beaches. The commission shall also analyze and make recommendations on alternatives and methods to improve access from metropolitan beaches to the Boston Harbor islands.

(B) For the purposes of this section, “metropolitan beaches” shall include, but not be limited to: (i) Nahant beach in the town of Nahant; (ii) Red Rock park, Kings beach and Lynn beach in the city of Lynn; (iii) Revere beach and Short beach in the city of Revere; (iv) Winthrop beach in the town of Winthrop; (v) Constitution beach, Carson beach, City Point beach, M Street beach, Pleasure Bay, Malibu beach, Savin Hill beach, and Tenean beach in the city of Boston; (vi) Wollaston beach and Squantum Point park in the city of Quincy, and (vii) Nantasket beach in the town of Hull.

(C) The Commission shall hold annual hearings within close proximity to Boston Harbor beaches to solicit testimony from interested stakeholders including, but not limited to: (i) the Executive Office Of Energy And Environmental Affairs; (ii) the Department Of Conservation And Recreation; (iii) the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority; (iv) the Massachusetts Port Authority; (v) the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; (vi) the Boston Harbor Association, Inc.; (vii) the Boston Harbor Island Alliance, Inc.; (viii) Save The Harbor, Save The Bay, Inc.; (ix) local municipalities; (x) nonprofit organizations; (xi) friends' groups; and (xii) business and community leaders.

(D) The Commission shall file a report containing its recommendations with the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives and the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee On The Environment, Natural Resources And Agriculture annually.”.