The following is the testimony Fairhaven resident Rick Trapilo recently gave to state legislators
Good afternoon,
First, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Honorable Senator Montigny, Representative Markey, and Representative Sylvia for their leadership and foresight in sponsoring this essential piece of legislation — Bill N638: to establish a Coastal Waters Financing Commission.
My name is Rick Trapilo, and I’m proud to speak today not only as a resident of Fairhaven, but also as a member of SRPEDD’s Environmental Committee, a former member of the Fairhaven Planning Board, and a contributor to the ongoing New Bedford–Fairhaven Harbor Plan Committee.
Although I now call the South Coast home, my story begins in Dorchester’s Saint Kevin’s Parish, where I was raised in a three-family home with five siblings. For us, a hot summer day meant piling into the car and heading to Carson Beach in South Boston. It was the only beach we could afford — and we cherished those family moments, even though the water was often unsafe.
As the old Boston song says, “Love that dirty water.”
Well really didn’t love that dirty water and we didn’t realize how sick that water was making us.
But thanks to bold Legislative action, federal investment, and the creation of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Boston Harbor underwent a transformation. What was once a polluted harbor became a national model for environmental recovery, a clean, vibrant waterfront supporting fishing, sailing, and swimming.
Now, it’s time to bring that same vision and commitment to the South Coast.
In just the last two months, the historic City of New Bedford has discharged approximately 130 million gallons of untreated sewage into our bay — pollution caused by an aging and overwhelmed Combined Sewer Overflow system. If trends continue, more than 750 million gallons may be discharged by year’s end. That’s raw waste — generated by 110,000 residents and industries — flowing directly into the waters we all share, simply because the infrastructure cannot keep pace with even moderate rainfall.
At a regional meeting convened by Buzzards Bay Coalition President Mark Rasmussen on January 15th, it became heartbreakingly clear: New Bedford cannot bear the estimated $1.2 billion cost of fixing this crisis alone. Nor should it. This is not a single-city issue — it’s a regional challenge, and it demands a statewide response.
That is why this bill is so vital.
It creates a path toward long-term, sustainable funding. It opens the possibility for a regional water authority — akin to the Narragansett Bay Commission in Rhode Island — which resolved a similar CSO issue in Providence by investing in holding tanks that prevent raw sewage from being discharged during storms.
We cannot afford to ignore this any longer.
Massachusetts has positioned New Bedford as a hub for clean energy, through our investments in offshore wind in Nantucket Sound. But how can we celebrate renewable energy on one hand while turning a blind eye to the ongoing pollution of Buzzards Bay on the other?
This contradiction must end.
Clean water is not a luxury. It is a basic human right.
Every child, every family, every resident along the South Coast deserves the chance to walk our beaches, swim in our waters, harvest shellfish, and fish — without fear of sickness, pollution, or closed signs.
The passage of this bill is not just a matter of infrastructure. It is a declaration of our values — a commitment to public health, to equity, and to environmental justice. It is a legacy we can all be proud of, one that future generations will most certainly thank us for.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your unwavering commitment to the health and future of the South Coast. I wish you continued strength, and a joyful and safe Fourth of July weekend.
Sincerely, Richard F. Trapilo, Fairhaven
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