Public Building Moratorium Support Requested: Massachusetts House Bill 4797 Requests Environmental Study -- May 28, 2006.

The Uplands Alternative Group believes that there should be NO! development at the Uplands. We would like your help. The Havern Bill, Senate Bill 1909, that requests funds for a study of transportation along Rte. 2 near Rte. 16 (Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge) was passed by the Massachusetts Senate. This bill also plans for a moratorium for new roads along Rte. 2, thereby restricting any new development. We believe that this area is already overdeveloped and that the remaining open space should become part of the Alewife Reservation as part of the Western Greenway.

The House's bill no. 4979 passed through the Ways and Means Committee last week. It's extremely important that we write our representatives to request that they (1) support House Bill 4979 (the House version of the Havern Bill), and (2) ask for a vote before the end of the session on July 1st. Use the sample letter below if you like. I understand that the most productive way to reach a representative is through a handwritten or typed letter sent through postal mail. Second is the telephone, and third is email.

For members of the Mass. house and their mailing addresses, email, and phone numbers, check out Link to Massachusetts Representatives. You can find your reps by their districts on another page of Massachustts Government.

Please pass on this information to everyone you know. We must make a concerted effort to encourage our reps to pass this bill. After the House passes the bill, the next step will include house and senate discussion of their separate bills, and then a vote on the final bill.

This is the bill the Senate passed.

This is the bill the House is considering.

The Uplands Alternative Group is asking the Belmont ZBA to say NO! to O'Neill Developers application for 40b housing in the Uplands (see flyer). We would like your help on May 31st before the next ZBA meeting. At 7 PM we are meeting in front of town hall to make a show of strength: SAY NO! to development at the Uplands. We invite you to carry a sign and to come into the meeting (7:30), ask questions. Call me if you have any suggestions or questions. Barbara Passero, (617) 484-6961, barbara@sandpipercreative.com.

Sample letter to support House Bill No. 4979

"A turning point is upon us. We can continue to simplify the environment to meet immediate needs, at the cost of long-term benefits, or we can conserve life's precious diversity and use it sustainably."