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The Westport River Watershed Alliance is working with Senator Michael Rodrigues and Representative Paul Schmid to reduce the financial burden for property owners who must repair or replace failed septic systems. Homeowners with septic systems or cesspools have a special responsibility to keep their wastewater management system in good working order so as not to pollute the ground water that feeds into people’s wells and ultimately into the watershed. It’s a financial burden many others across the Commonwealth do not have.
In June, with the exemplary leadership of our Senator Rodrigues, who chairs the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the MA Senate passed a tax relief bill, S.2406, an act to improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness, affordability, and equity. The Senate version builds upon language in Governor Maura Healy’s tax relief package and includes provisions that will dramatically increase the value of the Commonwealth’s nearly 30-year-old septic tax credit. If ultimately adopted, owners who replace or repair their failed systems will be able to take a tax credit equal to 60% (up from 40%) of the total design and construction costs of up to $30,000, instead of the current $15,000 limit. The allowable rebate per year will be $4,000, up from $1,500, and people will be able to spread the credit out over six years.
“Senator Rodrigues has been a strong and consistent advocate for the environment,” said WRWA President Michael Sullivan. “He made expanding this financial incentive for septic upgrades a top priority and we are most grateful for his leadership.”
Currently, a six-member House/Senate conference committee is at work on the final bill, with the job of reconciling the House and Senate versions of the tax package.
With the help of Westport Board of Health Vice Chairman Phil Weinberg, the Watershed Alliance, in collaboration with Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, has orchestrated a support letter to the six conferees, asking for inclusion of the Senate’s language (Sections 10 -14 of S.2406) in their final bill. Over thirty environmental organizations and six municipal health agencies signed on to our letter, including the Buzzards Bay Coalition, the Conservation Law Foundation, Mass Audubon, the Nature Conservancy, and 12 watershed associations from across the state.
Representative Paul Schmid, 8th Bristol District, also orchestrated a support letter to the conferees from eight representatives of Bristol, Barnstable and Plymouth counties.
To read the two letters from the 36 supporting organizations and eight area House members, click here and here.
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