Bruce Tarr Archives - Page 3 of 4

Massachusetts could boost dredging projects

July 12, 2018 — Sediment is piling up on the bottoms of rivers and harbors, putting cities and towns on Cape Ann and elsewhere into a multimillion-dollar bind.

State and federal funding for local dredging has dried up in recent decades, forcing local officials to dig into reserves or borrow money to remove silt in order to make their waterways deep enough for boats to navigate.

Gov. Charlie Baker has pitched a new program — with $50 million in grant money — to help coastal communities pay for dredging as part of a more than $660 million economic development proposal, which cleared the state House of Representatives late Tuesday.

The measure still needs approval from the state Senate.

Under Baker’s plan, communities would compete for matching grants and be required to cover half the costs of each project.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said the money would go a long way because many communities along the coast haven’t dredged in decades. In many instances, he said, silting is making waterways less navigable.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Massachusetts state senate supports new lobster processing rules

May 31, 2018 — The Massachusetts, U.S.A., state senate adopted an amendment on 25 May that would lift limits on lobster processing, sale, and transportation within the state.

Currently, lobstermen and seafood vendors in Massachusetts are required to send lobster out of state for processing, then ship it back in to sell within the state again. Roughly 80 percent of lobster landed inside the state is then sent out of state for processing.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) sponsored the measure, which received unanimous support.

“Massachusetts has the second-largest lobster catch in the country, to keep from being left behind we should expand our ability to process raw and frozen lobster parts. American lobsters are being harvested here and should be prepared for market here instead of Canada or Maine,” said Senator Tarr. “The net effect of modernizing the law will bolster local economic activity and give local restaurants and food stores superior access to the best lobster parts for their customers.”

The amendment, which will affect the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget bill, will direct the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries to change the regulations to allow on-shore processing of lobsters, in addition to assessing whether the new regulations would harm the state’s lobster stock or sustainability.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Massachusetts: Lobster processing bill OK’d by Senate

May 29, 2018 — For the second time in as many years, state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr has convinced the Senate to include in its $41.49 billion budget a plan to expand in-state processing of raw and frozen lobster parts.

The question now is whether — unlike 2017 — the measure will remain in the final budget.

The Tarr-sponsored measure, adopted by the Senate on Thursday night as an amendment to the fiscal 2019 budget bill, would direct the state Division of Marine Fisheries to implement new regulations that permit on-shore lobster processing “after an assessment of whether such activity would harm the lobster stock or the sustainability of the state’s commercial lobster industry.”

Tarr and the plan’s supporters, which include Democratic senators from other coastal communities, would eliminate what they described as “outdated restrictions on lobster processing and sales.”

Under the current law, the sale of live, cooked and canned lobster is legal in Massachusetts, as is the processing and sale of frozen, cooked lobster tails.

But the existing law prohibits lobstermen and seafood vendors from selling, processing or transporting other forms of lobster in-state for processing, forcing them to ship the lobster or lobster parts to processors in Maine and Canada.

Under the proposed amendment, wholesale dealers licensed by the state Department of Public Health would be able to process raw lobsters, import raw, shell-on lobster parts and tails and allow retail sales of previously frozen raw, in-shell tails.

“Massachusetts has the second largest lobster catch in the country,” Tarr said in a statement. “To keep from being left behind, we should expand our ability to process raw and frozen lobster parts. American lobsters are being harvested here and should be prepared for market here instead of Canada or Maine.”

The expansion of allowed processing practices, according to Tarr, would enhance local economies in Massachusetts coastal communities such as Gloucester, which is the state’s most lucrative lobster port, and provide local restaurants and food stores with “superior access to the best lobster parts for their customers.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Plan to Expand Lobster Processing Adopted by State Senate

May 25, 2018 — BOSTON — The following was released by the Office of Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr:

The State Senate today backed a plan that could lift limits on the processing, sale, and transportation of cooked and frozen in-shell lobster parts. Under existing laws, Massachusetts lobstermen and seafood vendors are required to sell or transport lobster out-of-state for processing and then bring them back for sale to consumers in the bay state – often with a ‘Product of Canada’ label.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester) sponsored the measure, an amendment to the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget bill, in recognition that up to 80% of lobster landed in the state is then sent to out of state processing facilities. Industry leaders say the move will facilitate opportunities to create and grow jobs in the state. This is the Senate’s latest of many attempts to expand opportunities for the sustainability of the state’s commercial lobster industry, the amendment received unanimous support.

“Massachusetts has the second-largest lobster catch in the country, to keep from being left behind we should expand our ability to process raw and frozen lobster parts. American lobsters are being harvested here and should be prepared for market here instead of Canada or Maine,” said Senator Tarr. “The net effect of modernizing the law will bolster local economic activity and give local restaurants and food stores superior access to the best lobster parts for their customers.”

Tarr expressed appreciation for coastal Senators Mark Montigny (D- New Bedford),Vinny deMacedo (R- Plymouth), and Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) for their efforts to strengthen the industry and in championing the bill.

“The time has come to eliminate such outdated restrictions on lobster processing and sales in the Commonwealth. Easing constraints on processing operations will allow a thriving industry to further invest in our local economy through expanding operations and creating new jobs, especially in New Bedford. I commend Senator Tarr’s leadership and am proud to have partnered with him in seeing this through to passage. It is my hope the House will finally accept this measure in conference and get it on the Governor’s desk.” said Senator Montigny, cosponsor of the legislation.

“I am glad to join my colleagues in the Senate in support of our Massachusetts lobster fishermen,” said Senator deMacedo (R-Plymouth). “These advancements in our approach to lobster processing will provide an important benefit to the lobster industry and the fishermen who play such an important role in our communities and economy.”

The amendment will direct the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries to implement new regulations permitting on-shore processing of lobsters after an assessment of whether such activity would harm the lobster stock or the sustainability of the state’s commercial lobster industry.

The lobster industry is a critical part of the Commonwealth’s economy and heritage. A similar law in Maine has boosted that state’s economy, produced local outlets for product sales, and created jobs.

“The amendment adopted in the Senate’s budget works to ensure the sustainability and viability of the state’s lobster industry,” said Senator Michael Rodrigues. “This measure will benefit both consumers and lobstermen in coastal communities statewide”

While the sale of live, cooked, and canned lobster is legal in the state, the legislation will expand the industry market with the inclusion of other lobster products. The amendment could permit wholesale dealers licensed by the Department of Public Health to process unfrozen lobsters, import unfrozen shell-on lobster parts and tails, and allow for the retail of previously frozen raw in-shell tails.

Following a successful assessment, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries will maintain essential regulations including enforcing minimum lobster shell size standards and processing standards. The lobster fishery adheres to stringent state regulations including trap limits and the release of live juveniles.

Massachusetts: Bill would deliver $100M tax credits to port businesses

May 3, 2018 — A bipartisan band of state legislators has filed a bill that could award up to $100 million a year in tax credits to businesses operating within the state’s 10 Designated Port Areas — including Gloucester, Salem and Lynn on the North Shore.

The bill, with state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante among the sponsors, would enable the state secretary of Housing and Economic Development to provide up to $100 million annually in targeted tax credits to retail and wholesale “water-dependent businesses” located and operating within DPAs.

Eligible industries include seafood processors, aquaculture, water-dependent science, seafood storage and entities immersed in marine research and innovation.

The bill must pass both houses of the Legislature and be signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker, which could be a tall order in the state’s current budgetary climate.

Baker, as Deval Patrick before him, previously had the power to free up about $7 million from an environmental bond bill to address Gloucester’s crumbling shoreside infrastructure and assist at least 26 businesses in modernizing their facilities by renovating piers, floats and docks.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Sen. Tarr: $100 Million State Tax Credit Plan for Designated Ports Launched by Lawmakers

April 30, 2018 — The following was released by the Office Massachusetts of Senator Bruce Tarr:

State lawmakers have filed a $100 million tax credit legislative plan designed to stimulate economic growth and private investments in ten Designated Port Areas (DPAs) which support important commercial marine-based industries. A bipartisan group of legislators representing coastal communities including Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Representative Nick Collins (D- Boston), Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D- Gloucester) and Senator Mark C. Montigny (D- New Bedford) initially sponsored the bill.

They say waterfront properties and uses in DPAs must comply with strict state Coastal Zone Management use restrictions, which can limit access to capital and stall or stop revitalization and growth. In 1978 these port areas were specifically designated for industrial uses such as marine terminals, commercial fishing facilities, boat repair and construction, marine research and transportation of goods which cannot be located inland due to their water-dependent needs.

“Commercial fishing and marine industries are among the oldest in our state, and they continue to plan an important role in our economy. We need to make sure the facilities they depend on remain available and in working condition,” said bill author Senator Tarr. “This bill will empower the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development to use targeted state tax credits, of up to $100 million dollars each year, to support working harbors, working families, and business facilities –all of which are indispensable.”

“There is no chance for our maritime industries to survive without state assistance for shore side infrastructure. Boats need places to dock to unload harvests and cargos. Undoubtedly, the Commonwealth has a vested and real interest in maintaining and modernizing these properties in the wake of rising sea levels and wear and tear over time. This much needed economic relief will hopefully encourage investment and development in Gloucester and the Commonwealth’s designated port areas,” Representative Ferrante said.

“Boston is emblematic of the rich history of maritime industries and waterfront activity in Massachusetts,” said Representative Nick Collins. “This legislation will serve as an economic catalyst to the diverse industries that occupy DPA land in Boston and coastal communities across the Commonwealth, creating and sustaining good-paying jobs.”

The bill, an act Establishing the Massachusetts Maritime Commercial Development Tax Credit, will spur investments in capital projects in DPAs through saleable tax credits and mitigate some constraints which have hampered the ability of municipal officials and commercial property owners to both promote and protect environmentally sound port development initiatives. The tax credit could spur an important lifeline to capital that might otherwise not be available.

“As the nation’s top fishing port and center of the emerging offshore wind industry, New Bedford-Fairhaven’s waterfront is ripe with job-creating development opportunities,” said longtime port development leader and current Assistant Majority Leader Montigny. “This legislation provides a significant incentive to help ensure further economic development in historic ports like New Bedford comes to fruition.”

According to a 2015 UMass Dartmouth report, the Massachusetts maritime economy stimulates $17.3 billion in economic output which supports 136,000 jobs including $6.8 billion in wages across six core sectors; living resources, marine construction, offshore minerals, ship and boat building and repair, coastal tourism and recreation, and marine transportation and technology.

Results of a survey of marine-related industry leaders showed the two most critical policy areas that would help shore up the industry were reducing costs through tax assistance initiatives and protecting our ocean resources.

Consistent with the state’s recent efforts to address climate related issues such as flooding, erosion, and sea level rise, the bill will increase access to capital for development projects including those which incorporate coastal resilience measures.

“Fishermen depend upon a variety of on-shore facilities to supply and maintain their boats, and to process what they catch. Local fishermen need local infrastructure that’s high in quality and dependability,” said J.J. Bartlett, President of Fishing Partnership Support Services, which promotes the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen and their family members.

Bartlett said the legislation “represents a break-through in the struggle to preserve and modernize the infrastructure in every working port. It’s a big deal — big for the harvesters of seafood in Massachusetts, who number roughly 7,000, and big for the 100,000 or so workers on land who work with and support the fishing fleet, such as in seafood processing, handling and sales. This bill is critically important to the future of the state’s multi-billion-dollar-a-year seafood industry.”

“I am excited about the economic development potential for our Designated Port Areas to get a much needed tax credit for new developments. This is an important opportunity to build up our working waterfront and keep America’s oldest fishing port going, providing jobs and the world’s best Gloucester Fresh seafood to market. I am thankful for the hard work of not only our team, but the hard work and leadership of Senator Tarr, Representative Ferrante, and friends from Massachusetts Fishing Partnership and colleagues from Boston and New Bedford,” said Sefatia Romeo Theken, Mayor of Gloucester.

The state’s ten Designated Port Areas are located in:

Gloucester Inner Harbor

Salem Harbor

Lynn

Mystic River

Chelsea Creek

East Boston

South Boston

Weymouth Fore River

New Bedford-Fairhaven

Mount Hope Bay

Bipartisan Legislation Seeks Sustainable Growth for Fishing and Farming $50 Million Bond Bill to Support Local Food Production

February 26, 2018 — BOSTON — The following was released by the Office of Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr:

With an eye toward supporting two major food producing industries, Senator Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester), has authored a bill intended to stimulate research and development, innovation, and energy efficiencies to support and strengthen expand fishing and farming in Massachusetts.

The bill creates two innovation funds, one for fishing the other for agriculture, and each is designed to foster economic growth and sustainability by prioritizing the awarding of grants and technical assistance for; fuel efficiency, carbon emission reductions, sustainable practices, safety equipment, research and development, and food processing.

Designed to accelerate the direct application of recent advances in technology, food processing techniques, and changing market condition, the bill establishes funding mechanisms which will distribute grants to support farming and commercial fisheries.

“From Cape Ann to Cape Cod and from Boston to the Berkshires we are experiencing a rise in interest in conserving and protecting our natural resources, yet the people responding to that interest need our help. By carefully targeting state funds we can help those traditional local business to survive while creating sustainable environments for them to grow,”said Tarr.

“Hardworking fishermen and farmers have played a pivotal role in our economy for generations,” said Rules Chairman Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford). “I am pleased to join Senator Tarr on this bipartisan legislation to better support our local fishing and agricultural industries so that they may continue to strengthen our economy in the face of increasing pressure and burdensome regulations.”

“Farmers and fishermen have been the backbone of our agricultural economy here in Massachusetts for centuries,” said Senator Gobi (D-Spencer), Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “With this funding and further technological enhancement across these industries we can ensure that our producers stay ahead of the curve while maintaining a sustainable level of growth and development.”

Each fund will be supported by an advisory committee appointed by the Governor and comprised of experts and industry leaders from diverse perspectives and geographic locations. The commercial fishing advisory committee will include experts in marine sciences and will include representatives who fish with different gear types including trawls, hooks, gillnets, and traps; the panel will be led by the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries.

“This legislation is a light at the end of the tunnel, “said Angela Sanfilippo President of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, a non- profit organization which promotes New England fishing industry. “Fishing is difficult, there are so many regulations and it’s tough to stay afloat and keep the boats and keep the infrastructure up to date. We need to revitalize our infrastructure that’s in place now and this bill will help us to do that and be ready as fishing regulation will allow us to catch more fish for consumers to keep them healthy.”

The Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources will chair a 13 member panel of farmers representing horticulture, crop raising, cranberry growing, dairy farming, and the livestock raising sectors of the state, under provisions of the bill.

“Agriculture changes over time and is continually faced with new challenges,” said Ed Davidian, President of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau. “The funding proposed by Senator Tarr in this bill will help ensure that Massachusetts farmers remain leaders in innovation, and can continue to provide fresh, healthy food to the people of the Commonwealth.

“As the Commonwealth seeks to develop, incentivize and grow new industries, it cannot turn its back on the traditional economic foundations of our society. In working to create jobs in emerging technologies, we cannot abandon those who have worked the land and the sea for generations,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D- Gloucester). “This bill seeks to guarantee the Commonwealth’s prominence as a leader in a diversified economy, respecting the labors of all its citizens.”

“We lead the nation in public and private marine research and our contributions to the country’s agricultural heritage are renowned; it’s vital that we support these industries, which go all the way back to our colonial history,” said Tarr. “Farmers and fishermen work hard, we should support them with capital and by connecting them with resources to help them prosper and grow.”

According to a report by UMass Dartmouth, the state’s maritime economy is responsible for more than 90,000 jobs. The report points to the need for infrastructure improvement to expand capacity and growth. With 2,000 miles of coastline, annual sales of fish and other seafood in Massachusetts top more than $2 Billion.

The state also claims more than 8,000 farms which generate more than 16,000 jobs. Agricultural activity ranging from dairy farming, cranberry growing, fruit and vegetable farming, and raising livestock and poultry take place over hundreds of thousands of acres requiring vast resources to operate efficiently and effectively.

The bill was filed today in the Senate with bipartisan support.

More from Senator Tarr is available here.

Massachusetts Senate declares opposition to New England offshore oil and gas drilling

February 23, 2018 — BOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate has registered its opposition to reopening any oil and gas exploration or drilling off the coast of New England.

A resolution passed by the Senate Thursday states that federal initiatives to reopen offshore drilling “threaten to jeopardize the environmental well-being of the Commonwealth, and more particularly, its coastal communities and waters.”

The measure asks the U.S. Department of the Interior to “take all possible action to protect the waters off the coast of the Commonwealth and New England, in particular Georges Bank, Stellwagen Bank, and Jeffreys Ledge, and to exempt these areas from oil exploration initiatives.”

The statement, co-authored by Sen. Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, and Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, comes days before the Bureau of Ocean Management plans a Feb. 27 public open house in Boston regarding its proposed National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

The Bureau of Ocean Management will soon seek environmental permits for its Jan. 9 draft plan to reopen fossil fuel exploration in nearly all ocean areas along the continental United States and Alaska. March 9 is the deadline for submitting public comments on the draft leasing document.

Read the full story at MassLive

MASSACHUSETTS: Tarr proposal could buoy local lobster industry

June 20, 2017 — Tuesday is Lobster Day at the State House and lobster industry stakeholders are using the event to urge legislators to support a proposal to expand in-state processing of lobsters and lobster parts.

The proposal, contained in an amendment in the state Senate’s recently passed budget, would allow licensed Bay State wholesalers to process unfrozen raw lobsters, as well as allowing the sale of previously frozen raw in-shell tails and the importation of unfrozen shell-on lobster parts and tails.

“Right now, we depend on Canada for so much of our processing facilities,” said Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, which supports the proposal. “This would allow us to do that processing here in Massachusetts, helping us to create jobs here and create markets for our lobster products.”

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, who championed the amendment in the Senate budget, said the bill would modernize the current law and help accelerate local economic activity for lobstermen, processors, restaurants and food stores. Tarr also represents two of the state’s biggest ports for lobsters: Gloucester and Rockport.

The House version of the budget, Tarr said, currently seeks funds for further study.

“We’re trying to convince the House to go beyond a study and include the actual action of expanding the different types of lobster processing allowed in Massachusetts,” Tarr said.

Currently, the sale of live, cooked and canned lobster is legal in Massachusetts, as is the processing and sale of frozen lobster tails. In 2012, the legislature changed the state law to allow the in-state processing of frozen cooked lobster tails — but no raw tails or other lobster parts.

Massachusetts lobstermen and seafood wholesalers have been required to sell or transport lobsters out of state for the majority of processing, leading to higher industry costs and limiting the creation of medium and high-skilled seafood processing jobs, Tarr said.

The initial rationale, he said, for the more restrictive regulations was to prevent poachers from taking short lobsters and mutilating them for the parts.

“The time between 2012 and now has given the Environmental Police the chance to develop enforcement methods to prevent that from happening,” Tarr said.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Legislators taste-test green crab in Gloucester

June 15, 2017 — State Senator Bruce Tarr and state Representative Brad Hill were among those who turned out at Tonno in Gloucester June 12 to try owner Anthony Caturano’s best soft-shell green crab dish. The tasting was the latest for the Ipswich-based Green Crab R&D Project , which is addressing the invasive species problem by creating a market for its use. In recent weeks, green crab also has appeared at the Ipswich Ale Brewery and at Woodman’s in Essex. “We’ve been on a full-court press to try to confront the green crab from an environmental perspective and an economic perspective, but if we can find a way to market them, then the market forces will control the population,” Tarr said. Caturano’s creation received high praise all around. “I’m a big seafood person,” Hill said, “and if you’re a fan of seafood, this is something you’re going to like.”

Read the full story at the Boston Globe