Developers await feared new environmental regs
The next couple of months could be huge for Bay State developers.
In August, state environmental officials will release a proposal for tough new rules on storm-water runoff.
The idea is to prevent rainwater from washing across parking lots and into nearby, ponds, streets and rivers, polluting local waterways
But early versions of the proposal by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection appeared to take a carpet bombing approach to the problem, one that would require expensive retrofitting of parking lots across the state by everyone from hospitals to developers of office buildings.
Massachusetts NAIOP, which represents the local development community, has estimated the cost to comply with the new rules could be in the billions.
David Begelfer, the organization’s chief executive, says he just hopes state environmental officials were paying close attention to the hundreds of comments received from local developers and executives weighing in against these draconian new regs.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts NAIOP is hoping to get another crack this fall at passing a bill that would give hard-pressed developers as breather as they struggle to survive amid the worst downturn in generations.
The bill would extend all permits granted on projects out two years. The aim is to prevent a situation where permits expire on stalled projects, requiring builders to go through months if not years of additional paperwork after the economy recovers.
While nothing’s been passed yet, Begelfer said lawmakers are at least receptive to the idea.
“That is still looking like it’s getting a very good hearing,’’ he said.