[WestMALocals] Fwd: STOP THE RUSHED PERMITTING LAW. Protect democracy, the waterfront, & your local environment!

[Owen Broadhurst]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jill Stein - MCHC <info at masschc.org>
Date: Mar 29, 2006 5:19 PM
Subject: STOP THE RUSHED PERMITTING LAW. Protect democracy, the waterfront,
& your local environment!
To: owen.broadhurst at gmail.com

 [image: people]
*Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy Communities*
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE THIS WEEK. *Stop the rushed permitting
law, H4741.
Protect democracy, the waterfront, & your local environment! *

Dear friend of sustainable, just communities,

New legislation which speeds permits for major real estate development is
moving quickly through the House of Representatives. The bill, H4741, is the
latest in a series of measures that would *disempower communities, threaten
the environment, and encourage poorly planned, potentially harmful
development*. Our grassroots opposition has been key to the successful
blocking of several of these misguided bills over the past year. Our voices
can help make the difference once again.

Specifically, the new bill:

   - *Undermines local
zoning<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#UNDERMINES>
   *, an important community tool for democratically guiding local
   development.
   - Eliminates the rights of citizens to protect *endangered river ways
   and coastlines<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#WEAKENS>
   * through legal proceedings.
   - Requires *automatic
approval<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#REQUIRES>
   * if cause to modify or stop the project is not fully established
   within an inadequate 180-day time limit.
   - Allows potentially harmful development to *proceed while under
   appeal <http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#ALLOWS>*.
   - *Pressures cities and towns to adopt "expedited
permitting"<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#PRESSURES>
   * through coercive financial incentives.
   - *Erodes the traditional authority of Town
Meeting<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#TAKES>
   * by placing the decision to adopt expedited permitting in the hands
   of the Board of Selectmen.
   - *Disregards longstanding
safeguards<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html#ILLUSTRATES>
   * for local democracy and the community environment.

PLEASE URGE YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO:

   - Stop new permitting laws that *DISEMPOWER COMMUNITIES AND ENDANGER
   THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT*.
   - Allow *AMPLE TIME FOR STATEWIDE HEARINGS* and local input on H4741.
   - Protect the *RIGHT OF COMMUNITIES TO PLAN THEIR FUTURE*.

Thank you for standing up - once again - for the sustainable, just
communities we all deserve!

Click here for information and resources: Problems with
H4741<http://www.masschc.org/alert-3-29-06links.html>,
sample email/phone script
<http://www.masschc.org/sampleemail3-29-06.html>, more
<http://masschc.org/expeditedpermitting.html>on H4741, contact
info<http://www.masschc.org/write.html>for your representative.

Upward,
Jill Stein and John Andrews
Mass. Coalition for Healthy Communities 617-852-4727 www.masschc.org,
jill at masschc.org





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--
Owen R. Broadhurst
Candidate for State Representative
Third Hampden District
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org