Negotiations are taking place on Beacon Hill this week over an environmental bond bill that could make millions of dollars available to improve the Boyden Wildlife Refuge, invest in other parks in Taunton and develop a center for urban agriculture in Dighton.
A bond conference committee, composed of six legislators including state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, is now negotiating the proposed environmental bond bill with a deadline to finish the deliberations by the end of this week. The bond bill will make the funds available for release by Gov. Deval Patrick or his successor.
The state Senate’s environmental bond bill includes several amendments designating funds for public recreational spaces in the Taunton area, which were earmarked by Pacheco, the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.