Amendment ID: S2829-31-R1

Redraft Amendment 31

Commuter Rail Electrification

Mr. Crighton, Ms. Rausch, Ms. Edwards, Messrs. Feeney and Eldridge, Ms. Kennedy, Ms. Jehlen, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Miranda, Messrs. Collins, Moore, Pacheco, Rush, Payano, Keenan, Tarr and Montigny and Ms. Lovely move that the proposed new draft be amended by inserting after section 98 the following section:-

"SECTION 98A. (a) The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall develop and implement short-term, medium-term and long-term plans for each line of the commuter rail system ensuring that the line is fully integrated into the commonwealth’s transportation system and designed to make the system more productive, equitable and decarbonized. Each plan shall maximize the ridership returns on investment and shall be designed to meet statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits established in chapter 21N of the General Laws.

(b)(1) The authority shall include in the short-term plan immediate action items to run fully decarbonized service along the Providence/Stoughton commuter rail line, the Fairmont commuter rail line and the segment of the Newburyport commuter rail line and the Rockport commuter rail line that extends from the city of Boston to the city of Beverly. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: (i) a detailed critical path schedule for each phase; (ii) cash flow needs organized by fiscal year through completion of each phase; (iii) a regional strategy to receive all necessary environmental approvals and permits; (iv) identification of needs from utilities to achieve adequate and redundant power to update the system; (v) a platform strategy that would enable the utilization of fully automated doors; (vi)target completion dates; (vii) a conceptual work plan; and (viii) a schedule outlining the work to be pursued in 2025 and 2026.

(2) The authority shall include in its medium-term and long-term plans a comprehensive and specific plan to electrify the remainder of the commuter rail fleet for all commuter rail lines not later than December 31, 2029 as necessary to maximize the ridership returns on investment and meet statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits established in chapter 21N of the General Laws. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, necessary updates to layover and maintenance facilities, necessary infrastructure upgrades and a schedule for fleet design, testing, procurement and deployment. The plan shall also include a detailed approach to platform heights that would enable the deployment of fully automated doors.

(c) The authority shall publish and receive public comment on its short-term plan under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) not later than November 1, 2024 or 180 days after the effective date of this act, whichever is later. The authority shall publish and receive public comment on its medium-term and long-term plans under paragraph (2) of said subsection (b) not later than December 31, 2025 or 180 days after the effective date of this act, whichever is later."