Orange resident urges opposition to Quabbin legislation proposed by Comerford, Saunders

ABOVE: Two adult and one immature loons surface between dives in the Quabbin Reservoir near Gate 31 in New Salem. BELOW: Mike Magee of Orange (standing) met recently with Athol's Conservation Commission to urge members to oppose S 447, a bill filed by state Sen. Jo Comerford, which he says could have a negative impact on the Quabbin Reservoir.

ABOVE: Two adult and one immature loons surface between dives in the Quabbin Reservoir near Gate 31 in New Salem. BELOW: Mike Magee of Orange (standing) met recently with Athol's Conservation Commission to urge members to oppose S 447, a bill filed by state Sen. Jo Comerford, which he says could have a negative impact on the Quabbin Reservoir. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ (ABOVE), photo by Greg Vine (BELOW)

Mike Magee of Orange (standing) met recently with Athol's Conservation Commission to urge members to opposed S 447, a bill filed by state Sen. Jo Comerford, which he says could have a negative impact on the Quabbin Reservoir.

Mike Magee of Orange (standing) met recently with Athol's Conservation Commission to urge members to opposed S 447, a bill filed by state Sen. Jo Comerford, which he says could have a negative impact on the Quabbin Reservoir. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 05-31-2024 5:00 PM

ATHOL – Michael Magee of Orange is urging the Athol Conservation Commission to oppose legislation filed by state Sen. Jo Comerford for the Quabbin Reservoir.

Comerford and state Rep. Aaron Saunders of Belchertown filed a bill (S 447 / H 897) that would impose a 5 cent per 1,000 gallon excise on Quabbin water. The lawmakers estimate the tax would produce $3.5 million, which would be directed to Quabbin watershed communities and local nonprofits with a focus on these towns’ health, welfare, safety and transit.

That bill also would mandate that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) analyze potable water in western Massachusetts across multiple watersheds. The studies would include an assessment of the kinds of infrastructure that would be needed to provide water to each community from local resources.

In an interview, Comerford said her bill would also expand the number of western Mass representatives to the MWRA board from one to three.

“And that one person is not necessarily speaking on behalf of Hampshire or Franklin counties,” she said. “It’s important, I believe, to have a greater voice. Three people would have a better chance of communicating the many things our communities care about.”

Another change would come in the way PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payments are made. PILOT payments are made to communities for property owned by the state, but which are not subject to local property tax assessments. Comerford said that land lying under the Quabbin is not counted when figuring the state’s PILOT obligations.

“And yet the communities around the Quabbin are stewarding this public land in order to make sure the water is pristine,” she continued. “In my mind, the area covered by water should be part of the PILOT payment back to communities.”

The bill is currently under consideration by the Legislature’s Energy & Environment Committee.

‘It’s a crazy idea’

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While he served on the Orange Conservation Commission years ago, Magee told the Athol Daily News he’s lobbying against the bill as a private citizen. Magee went before the Athol Conservation Commission at its meeting on Tuesday, May 28.

““I’m just now writing to a bunch of other conservation commissions,” he said. “I’m going to contact everybody I can. As I said last night (May 28), it’s a crazy idea.”

At the top of Magee’s concerns is the potential strain on the Quabbin Reservoir that could result from expansion of the MWRA’s service area.

“I remember years ago, when the water was so low in the Quabbin, they proposed putting a pipe in that would go all the way to either the Connecticut or the Millers River to replenish it,” he said. “I understand that sometimes these crazy ideas actually become law because nobody says anything.”

Magee claims that, under Comerford’s legislation, water from the reservoir would be piped to the north and south shores of Massachusetts Bay, and to more communities in MetroWest.

“Once those communities get Quabbin water they’re not going to take care of their own water supplies anymore,” he said. “They already have plenty of water. But once they’re on Quabbin water they can do any development they want…and they’ll become dependent on Quabbin water.”

Magee pointed out that several times in the last 60 years, climate conditions led to the water level in Quabbin becoming “extremely low.” Magee said that one of the worst droughts occurred between 1964 to 1972, with others happening between 1983 and 1989, 2000 to 2003, and most recently between 2015 and 2017.

“It will happen again,” Magee predicted. “It’s inevitable. And then what? We have to take care of our existing water supplies.”

Magee also argues that the additional PILOT payments are inadequate to compensate Quabbin towns for the sacrifices made for the Quabbin watershed.

Comerford defends bill

Comerford refuted Magee’s contention that she is interested in sending Quabbin water to eastern Massachusetts or beyond its current service area. She said the MWRA recently did three studies on the potential availability of potable water supplies in eastern Massachusetts, as well as of expanding the distribution of Quabbin water to that part of the state.

“Truth be told,” she said, “I’ve been trying to put the brakes on that.”

The senator said the time has come for the state to conduct similar studies in western Massachusetts.

“I am worried that if we open up the taps on Quabbin water to eastern Mass that we will go above safe yield and there wouldn’t be any options for us to look at in western Massachusetts,” she said.

Comerford said recent reports that the MWRA is undertaking a study to pipe water from the Quabbin Reservoir to the towns that surround it are incomplete.

“That’s a limited take,” she explained. “They are absolutely looking at whether western Mass towns could access the Quabbin. But they’re also looking at other things, like aquifers, existing wells and other watersheds. They understand the Quabbin could be a resource for some (communities) but that it won’t work for all.”

Comerford also said while the legislation would mandate that MWRA to explore opportunities to expand into new communities, that doesn’t mean the water authority would have any control over how communities address their own drinking water needs.

“There would be not jurisdiction for MWRA to mandate anything in any community,” she said. “The MWRA can’t tell Northampton, can’t tell Athol what to do. Athol’s town government makes those decisions.”

Comerford also disputed Magee’s contention that the bill would encourage communities surrounding the reservoir to get their water from Quabbin, something, he says, which “would cost billions of dollars.” More than half the small towns around Quabbin get water exclusively from wells, while Orange, Belchertown, Ware and Barre have a mix of public water and private wells.

“We’re not saying that these communities must have access to Quabbin water, but we are saying the state has a responsibility to make sure they have access to potable water,” Comerford said. “So, it may not make any financial sense to ship our Quabbin water to a community, either because they don’t have the infrastructure or they’re too far away. But I do think the state has a responsibility to understand the current potable water structure to understand where wells might possibly be dug. Communities out east all have had these studies done on the state’s dime.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.