Should Eversource place an electric substation in East Eagle Square along the Chelsea Creek, near homes, parks, playgrounds, jet fuel storage, and in a flood risk area?
During last week’s Boston Municipal Election a non-binding ballot question was posed to voters here and across the city asking that very question and an overwhelming thought Eversource should not build a substation in Eastie and seek a nearby alternative location such as non-residential Massport land at Logan Airport.
During last week’s election 5,755 Eastie voters voted “NO” on Question 2 with only 600 voting “YES”. A NO vote meant that the voter opposed building the substation at the proposed East Eagle Square location and favored locating the facility at a secure location such as Logan Airport.
Citywide 101,953 voters voted “NO” on the ballot question with only 19,797 voting “YES”. At 101,953 NO votes against the substation received the largest single vote total for any ballot measure or candidate in Boston over the last 17 municipal elections according to the City of Boston Election Department records.
“This is a decisive win for East Boston residents and brings us a big step closer to locating this substation at a safe alternative location”, said Heather O’Brien, No on Question 2 campaign leader and Eastie resident.
According to state law, a non-binding public option question may be placed on the ballot for a regular municipal election by vote of the City Council with the approval of the mayor. The question was sponsored by 10 Eastie residents and supported by Councilor Lydia Edwards, local activists and Rep. Adrian Madaro. Both the Council and Acting Mayor Kim Janey approved the measure ahead of the election.
Historically, a non-binding ballot question provides information to elected officials and the public of voter sentiment on a particular issue and it seems most Bostonians are on Eastie’s side when it comes to this particular issue.
Eastie residents were promised an athletic field and natural flood protection buffer on the Condor Street property, which was City land until Eversource was given the prime waterfront site in a hastily arranged land swap with the City to build the new Bremen Street Branch Library. Eversource owned the land the current library sits on but was given city land on the Chelsea Creek so the library could be built.
Prior to the land swap, the City’s Inspectional Services Department granted Eversource a complete waiver on basic City review of the project. The City gave Eversource this rarely-given blanket waiver without any notice to neighbors or opportunity for comment.
“Practical alternative sites exist for this substation, such as on secure Massport land at Logan Airport.” added O’Brien. “We trust the new Mayor of Boston will use all her available powers to resolve this serious issue.”
Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu has consistently stated her opposition to the substation as a City Councilor, appearing with Councilor Edwards at events and rallies in Eastie against the facility at its proposed location. Wu also signed the joint letter with other elected leaders in December 2020.
Despite widespread community opposition as well as opposition from over a dozen Massachusetts elected officials the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) unanimously approved Eversource’s highly controversial plan to build a new substation back in February.
Despite state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides saying at Monday’s hearing that the substation would be placed in a “heavily, heavily industrialized area within an environmental justice community that has historically suffered disproportionate environmental harms and a heavy burden of infrastructure” she still voted in favor of Eversource’s plans as an EFSB board member.
Elected officials led by US Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Councilor Lydia Edwards, State Representative Adrian Madaro and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley went on record in a joint letter affirming their support of East Boston residents and opposition to the proposed substation location.
The substation is the subject of numerous pending appeals and legal challenges at the state level from Eastie residents and organizations.
The environmental justice organization GreenRoots then filed suit challenging the Board approval in the state’s Supreme Judicial Court. Attorney General Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy declined to defend the state Siting Board approval, and the Siting Board has been compelled to seek outside legal counsel to defend their decision. The project is also the subject of parallel appeals and legal challenges in Suffolk County Superior Court and with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection