Committee on Financial Services 

Ranking Democratic Member, 

Subcommittee on Oversight 

& investigations 

Committee on Transportation & 

Infrastructure 

Democratic Steering & Policy 

Committee 

Democratic Caucus 

Chair, Committee on Oversight, 

Study & Review 

www.house.gov/capuano 

Congress of the United States 

House of Representatives 

Michael E. Capuano 

8th District, Massachusetts 

WASHINGTON OFFICE: 

1414 LONGWORTH BUILDING 

WASHINGTON, DC 20515-2108 

(202)225-5111 

FAX: (202) 225-9322 

DISTRICT OFFICES: 

110 FIRST STREET 

CAMBRIDGE, MA 02141 

(617)621-6208 

FAX:(617) 621-8628 

ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

CAMPUS LIBRARY 

ROOM 211 

Commissioner Kenneth L. Kimmell September 19, 2012 

Department of Environmental Protection 

One Winter Street 

Boston, MA 02108 

Dear Commissioner Kimmell: 

I am writing to comment on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT) 

formally proposed amendments to 310 CMR 7.36, that delete MassDOT's requirement to 

complete final design of the Red Line/Blue Line Connector. As you know, design completion is 

a legal commitment made by MassDOT, and part of MassDOT's overall State Implementation 

Plan commitment just recently made. 

Six years ago, MassDOT endorsed a new list of State Implementation Plan (SIP) projects, 

including fully designing the Red Line/Blue Line Connector. At the time, much was made by 

MassDOT that, while these substitution projects did displace others, MassDOT would stand by 

these legal commitments and see them through to completion. 

It is difficult for me to understand how MassDOT no longer wishes to honor a legal commitment 

it seemingly embraced eagerly just a few years ago. I understand and support that there may be 

the need to allow more time to complete final design. However, I urge the Department of 

Environmental Protection to keep this requirement in place. 

It is my understanding that MassDOT does not wish to fully design a project which it is not 

prepared to build. Normally, I would support that decision. However, I do not support 

MassDOT's request in this instance. First of all, as noted above, this is a commitment MassDOT 

supported. There was ample opportunity when the SIP substitutions were made to leave out 

commitments MassDOT did not actually support. Second, this is a project which makes sense. If 

constructed, it would alleviate strain on the hub of the transit system and open up neighborhoods 

along both lines for economic development. This is especially true if MassDOT is serious about 

extending the Blue Line to Lynn. But nothing can be built without first being designed. Since 

MassDOT clearly has no intention of completing the design, it must be forced to do so. Lastly, I 

appreciate that there is no air quality benefit to a project's design component. However, I firmly 

support requiring MassDOT to honor the legal - and moral - commitment it made to the 

Commonwealth and fully design the Red Line/Blue Line Connector. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these proposed amendments. 

lichael E. Capuano 

Member of Congress 

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