Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

Buildings are the biggest consumers of energy, among the biggest wasters of energy, extravagant water users and heavy contributors to polluting run-off into our waterways. New construction is becoming "greener" by newly enacted laws, but older buildings are more problematic. I am a strong proponent of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) environmental policies. I will bring that knowledge to bear as State Representative and promote all the ways the built environment can better serve us all.

As a State Representative I would strongly support the efforts of the Town Health Board to find and clean up contaminated sites and support the conservation commission in asking for the complete removal of all mercury contaminated soil in our waterways; covering up this contamination with a thin layer of sand is not acceptable.

I am a strong supporter of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority and would like to see it become more active, larger and more sophisticated, with innovative programs such as route tracking by cell phone. Success of the transportation system will ease the traffic on our congested roads and help clean our air and water resources.

As a rule I am in favor of redevelopment over development. I believe that open space land is its highest and best use and that it should be valued as such. Programs and policies should be developed to aid the purchase of land or development rights for recreation, agricultural and conservation purposes.

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