Candidates Debate Environmental Issues

Nineteen candidates for the Cambridge City Council participated in a forum last night on local environment and energy policy, fielding questions abut environmental issues from citizens and representatives from local activist groups.

The forum, held at the Cambridge Senior Center in Central Square, was moderated by Tony Cortese, a professor at Tufts University and a Cambridge resident.

The 19 candidates are running for nine available seats on the council, with local voters heading to the polls Nov. 6.

Much of the discussion centered on the Community Preservation Act, a Massachusetts general law aimed at helping towns acquire open space in their communities for preservation.

Describing his platform, candidate James M. Williamson said he was concerned with the lack of “environmental justice” in the city.

“People can’t afford to live here anymore,” he said.

Williamson proposed putting an end to the “damage that Harvard University has done to the Charles [River],” though he did not give specific suggestions.

He also attacked MIT’s building efforts, citing a recently constructed MIT building which he described as resembling “[a big thing] with a giant bubble gum machine on top of it.”

Candidates also spent time addressing questions about local energy efficiency, the monitoring of air, light and noise pollution and tree protection, maintenance and irrigation.

Candidates were given the questions ahead of time, and were also invited to post their campaign platforms on the Cambridge Green website, www. cambridgegreen.org.

Incumbent Henrietta Davis, who is running for her fourth term on the council, said she would like to see local decreases in greenhouse gas emissions. She also spoke of making Alewife Wildlands, a local conservation area, more accessible to the public.

Candidates Ethridge A. King and Brian Murphy ’86-’87 proposed that the city purchase new “hybrid vehicles” to replace some of Cambridge’s less environmentally-friendly vehicles. King said that by replacing old garbage trucks with new hybrid vehicles, air quality in the city would be improved.

Candidates also weighed in on the city’s planning process, and on to what extent citizens should be able to participate.

In the past, said some sponsors of last night’s forum, citizens’ opinions have been overshadowed by “backroom deals” within the council.

King said he would support no such “midnight” deals if elected to the City Council, and incumbent Michael A. Sullivan similarly said that he did not want the council making secret decisions about city planning.

King proposed modifying the focus of city development, asserting that land has been wasted on commercial development and more should be allocated to residential develoment.

Candidate E. Denise Simmons stated her support for the Community Protection Act, and noted that she wanted to incorporate know-how of environmental experts so that the council could make better informed decisions.