Page 20 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 24, 2025 REAL ESTATE TRANSAC TIONS Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com. BUYER1 Gurung, Yam P Small, Ramond A Tejada, Jesus A BUYER2 Gurung, Kanchan Small, Kim H Benitez, Camila I BEACON | FROM PAGE 19 “I am moved beyond words by the grit, drive and sheer goodness of the people of Massachusetts. I see it in our citizen soldiers. It’s in the firefighters who spent weeks battling wildfires last fall. When we see what firefighters are doing in Southern California right now, and what our own firefighters and first responders do every day, we are so grateful.” “I see it in the teachers and schools where we pioneered public education. And I see it in breakthroughs by our scientists and innovators. Did you know, in 2024, one-third of all the Nobel Prizes were won by people in Massachusetts? That’s not unusual for our state.” “People also need childcare. After the pandemic, childcare COMMENTARY | FROM PAGE 10 sonnel, significantly increasing their health risks. PFAS Alternatives Act The PFAS Alternatives Act was introduced in 2023 and aims to minimize firefighters’ exposure to PFAS and stimulate research for safer alternatives. Under the terms of the legislation, from 2024 to 2028, the federal government will allocate $25 million to fund the research, development, and testing of turnout gear free of PFAS. Additionally, $2 million annually will be used for training proSELLER1 Gurung, Yam P Schaeger, Kenneth R Dias, Francisco across the country was collapsing and childcare centers were closing. So, we got to work because our working parents depend on it. We were the only state to fully replace federal support that went away with a $1.5 billion investment. We not only saved our system, but affordable childcare is growing in Massachusetts. Today 36,000 more children are getting care and their parents can go to work and support their families.” “People want to be able to afford a home. So, we passed the Affordable Homes Act to create tens of thousands of affordable homes and new homeowners. We already increased production in state programs by 50 percent, adding 4,000 homes and helping 2,400 first-time homeowners last year alone.” grams to ensure the effective and safe adoption of any newly developed equipment. Two key agencies will oversee projects under this act. The U.S. Fire Administration, part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will manage the distribution of grants to qualified organizations. Meanwhile, EPA will offer scientific expertise on PFASfree alternatives and collaborate with manufacturers, researchers, and other stakeholders to identify and evaluate safer options. While the act represents an important step toward safeSELLER2 Gurung, Kanchan Carvalho, W D “Whatever else is happening, we will always put our veterans first. We passed the HERO Act, the biggest veterans’ legislation in state history, to expand health benefits, job opportunities and much more. We’re ending veteran homelessness once and for all, because no one who served our country should ever be left behind in their time of need. And we built brand-new, world-class facilities at the veterans’ homes in Chelsea and Holyoke.” HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done guarding firefighter health, it does not provide direct financial support to fire departments for purchasing the new gear, nor does it establish a clear timeline for phasing out the current PFAS-containing equipment. Action Against PFAS in Massachusetts In response to growing concerns on PFAS contamination, Massachusetts appointed a dedicated task force to monitor PFAS levels in drinking water. The task force found that contamination exceeded the state’s imposed limit of 20 ADDRESS 140 Bradford St 38 Carter St #302 42 Jackson Ave CITY Everett Everett Everett outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of Jan. 1317, the House a met for a total of nine hours and 27 minutes while the Senate met for a total of nine hours and 13 minutes. parts per trillion in 100 out of the 351 cities in Massachusetts. Notably, with the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit of 4 parts per trillion, it is likely that this limit is exceeded in far more cities. PFAS in this state are therefore not only a threat to firefighters’ health and safety but also to the health of local communities. The Massachusetts firefighting force counts 12,000 employees across the state. Cancer is among the leading causes of death in these groups, prompting action against the use of PFAS in the firefighting service. Efforts to ban PFAS in firefighting gear and replace AFFF started as early as 2021, where in an advisory note issued by the government, all fire departments in the state were advised to cease immediately using AFFF older than 2003 and use instead Fluorine-Free Foams (3F) that were made available without restriction. AFFFs are now to be used only when life safety is at risk, and notice to personnel and local communities is to be provided. DATE 12.31.24 01.03.25 12.31.24 Mon. Jan. 13 House11:03 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. Senate 11:16 a.m. to 11:27 a.m. Tues. Jan. 14 No House session No Senate session Wed. Jan. 15 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Jan. 16 House11:00 a.m. to8:10 p.m. Senate 11:06 a.m. to8:08p.m. Fri. Jan. 17 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019. As of 2027, through the new Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS (S.1356 & H.2197), companies manufacturing and/or selling personal protective equipment for firefighters will not be allowed to knowingly sell gear containing PFAS, or equipment for which natural degradation processes may result in PFAS. Considering these aspects, it can be argued that although the PFAS Alternatives Act marks an essential step in addressing the harmful impact of PFAS on a country level, states may be able to act more efficiently towards this goal. About the Author Jonathan Sharp serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., where he oversees case assessments, financial evaluations, and asset management. Based in Birmingham, AL, the firm provides legal support to individuals affected by toxic exposure, with a primary focus on both civilian and military firefighters. PRICE 195000 397500 900000
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