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Why Newton may not get its just approved fossil fuel ban

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Why Newton may not get its just approved fossil fuel ban

The Legislature sent a climate bill to Gov. Charlie Baker last night that -- among many other provisions -- would allow Newton and nine other municipalities to ban the use of fossil fuels in new homes, commercial construction and major renovations.
 
However the city may not be able to participate in the pilot program, even though the ban has unanimous support from the Newton City Council and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.
 
That’s because of a last-minute provision inserted into the legislation (reportedly at Baker’s insistence) that only allows communities to participate if at least 10 percent of its housing stock qualifies as affordable, according to Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth.
 
And that leaves out Newton (as well as Arlington and West Tisbury) because the city has never been able to reach the 10 percent threshold as required since 1969 under 40B, largely because some of the same councilors who championed the electrification initiative have been far less supportive of housing.
 
Under the pilot, bio labs and health care facilities would be exempt from the fossil restrictions.
 
 
 
Sale sets up Wellesley renewable energy company for growth
 
A Wellesley company that converts the gas from food and animal waste to generate electricity has a new parent company.
 
Vanguard Renewables has signed an agreement to be acquired by investment giant BlackRock for a reported $700 million, reports Jon Chesto at the Globe.
 
Vanguard’s management is expected to stay in place while to company expects to grow its workforce from 150 to 700 employees in the next few years.
 
BlackRock is reportedly prepared to invest at least $2 billion into the company’s various project with a goal of making Vanguard the dominant provider of renewable natural gas in the country, Chesto adds.
 
Needham: From dry to drafts (in ten years)
 
Just one decade ago, Needham was a dry town debating whether or not to allow liquor stores.
 
Fast forward ten years: The town's select board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on rule that would also allow for the establishment of brew pubs and microbreweries in town. FAQ's on the issue are here
 
?The proposal is also under review by the planning board, which is considering zoning changes to determine where the breweries could be sited.
 
In other beer news
 
  • Our Young Professionals Group (targeted to those approximately between 21-40 years old) is heading to the newly-opened Mighty Squirrel biergarten at Arsenal Yards next Thursday (RSVP).
 
  • And speaking of brews – or as one observer put it He’brew -- Newton Rabbi Charlie Schwartz is planning on opening a non-profit "Jewish tavern and house of learning” in Somerville. (Universal Hub).
 
Watertown Baseline Assessment available online
 
The first phase of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan process has been completed.
 
The baseline assessment report document summarizes current conditions and trends in Watertown. It’s designed to serve as a foundation for developing draft goals and strategies to share with the Watertown community early this fall.
 
 
West Newton bank site eyed for redevelopment
 
Mark Development is proposing to redevelop the site of the Santander Bank in West Newton.
 
The project would include 4,120 square feet of restaurant or retail space, along with a five story addition that would accommodate 50 apartments, including 8 affordable units.
 
The development would include 19 surface-level parking, an underground garage and storage for 50 bicycles.
 
Mark purchased the building at 1314 Washington St. and the parking lot behind it in January 2018 for about $4.1 million.
The Globe’s John Hilliard has a recap of this week's city council hearing on the project
 
Earlier this week, Mark announced they've agreed to purchase the West Newton Cinema, just a few doors away from the Santander site. But as part of a unique agreement, Mark is giving the current operators up to two years to pursue a nonprofit or other path to preserve the venue as a cultural facility. 
 
Worried that your COVID rapid tests have expired?
 
The FDA recently extended expiration deadlines for some brands of rapid test kits.
 
To find out if the shelf life of your test kit has been updated, visit the FDA’s website. The same site also has an updated list of all the at-home rapid tests that approved by the agency. (Boston Globe).
 
Nurse burnout reaches a new high
 
A survey of 2,500 nurses released this week finds that 64% are looking to leave the health-care profession, up 40% from a similar survey a year ago.
 
Three-quarters of those surveyed said they've experienced burnout since the pandemic began and half said they had experienced feelings of trauma, extreme stress or PTSD. (Bloomberg)
 
Then there's a different study which found there were over 80,000 qualified people across the U.S. who were not accepted to nursing schools because there aren't enough clinical sites, faculty or due to resource constraints, reports Cassie McGrath for the BBJ.
 
Other Need to Knows
 
  • A crossing on a busy stretch of Main Street in Watertown will be improved after the city entered an agreement with the MBTA to share responsibility for the project. (Watertown News)
 
  • Marisa Iocco chef/owner of Spiga Ristorante in Needham and her partner Francesco Iacovitti have opened Market-tiamo in Newton Centre to not only serve delicious take-home meals, but also the ingredients that make up each recipe: specialty food products, select wines, and hand-crafted meals.
 
  • Today is the last day to register to play in our annual golf tournament, happening Aug. 1 at Woodland. Can't play but want to show your support? Today's also the last day to sponsor a tee sign. Scroll down for details.
 
  • And watch for an announcement next week about registering for the chamber's Needham Harvest Fair on Oct. 2, in partnership with the Farmers Market.
 
Fix one. Build another. Then knock 'em both down.
 
We’re learning more about plans to straighten and level the elevated section of I-90 in Allston.
 
And that includes just how -- complicated, disruptive and expensive -- it's going to be.
 
The ultimate goal is to rebuild the elevated Mass Turnpike at ground level, adjacent to a redesigned Soldiers Field Road and commuter rail tracks, through a narrow strip of land sandwiched between Boston University and the Charles River.
 
Oh, and also to not make it impossible to drive to Boston during nearly a decade of construction.
 
Here's the latest complication:
 
Before the actual project begins, the state must first spend $90 million to shore up the crumbling, existing Pike (the one we're using today) so it can last through seven years of construction.
 
Engineers also believe the state may also need to build a new, temporary elevated roadway next to that just-rehabilitated $90 million section, before it can remove the old section in stages while the new road is built, explains Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth.
 
“You read that right,” Mohl writes. “The state does a major rehabilitation of the existing elevated Turnpike and then builds a new elevated roadway to carry traffic while the old rehabbed Turnpike is torn down in stages and rebuilt at ground level. The new temporary roadway would be a lot like a temporary bridge, used for a while and then discarded.”
 
Get away, while staying close
 
Finally this morning, a reminder if you're looking for cool things to do for yourself, your family or guests, our Take a Trip Up The Charles website lists nearly 300 restaurants, close to two hundred retailers and dozens of destination ideas inside our four chamber communities.
 
Enjoy this short video highlighting some of the things to do in Needham. (We'll spotlight Newton, Watertown and Wellesley in the weeks to come.)
 
Needham - Trip up the Charles
 
 
That’s Need to Knows for today – National Hammock Day -- unless you need help saying this.
 
Go find some shade. Be back Tuesday.
 
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
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