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Pollard school project may face Article 97 mitigation and town/legislative approvals, committee hears
Summary
Members heard an update that the Pollard school project’s subsurface geothermal work has prompted a state review under Article 97 that could require mitigation, a town meeting vote and subsequent legislative approval — potentially affecting reimbursement timing from MSBA.
A committee member identified in discussion as Erwin reported that the school building committee approved a memorandum of agreement spelling out obligations to restore Warner Field after construction and that the state has raised Article 97 concerns related to subsurface geothermal wells. Erwin said the Article 97 review could require mitigation or compensation and may trigger requirements for a town meeting vote and subsequent legislative approval, which could affect the timing of state reimbursements.
"There was a memorandum of agreement among school department, park and rec, select board, and then the PBBC school building committee took a vote to agree to the memorandum of agreement, which specified exactly what needs to be done to restore Warnerfield after the project is complete," Erwin said. He added that Article 97 could mean the town would need approval at town meeting and then a two-thirds vote in the state legislature before certain mitigation or compensation obligations are final.
Erwin described project details and potential logistical wrinkles: "This project is a 100 to a 125 wells, 800 feet deep," he said, describing the scale of the geothermal system planned for Warner Field, and noted ongoing coordination with the MBTA about a tunnel routing that would connect field piping to the new school. He said the MSBA is expected to approve schematic design at its Aug. 26 meeting, and that prevailing timelines make it unlikely the Article 97 issue will derail the project but could delay reimbursement until legislative approvals are in place.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about mitigation precedents and what mitigation might look like; Erwin said it could take forms such as compensatory park improvements either on Warner Field or elsewhere in the park system. The update concluded with the committee noting the additional procedural steps and uncertainty that the Article 97 process introduces for the Pollard project.
