A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Numbers 19-63 and 19-68, regarding a report on Eversource Gas' Contractor Feeney Brothers and coordination of gas infrastructure Improvements with the Inman Square Project

City of Cambridge Department of Public Works Owen O'Riordan, Commissioner 147 Hampshire Street Cambridge, MA 02139 theworks@cambridgema.gov Voice: [phone removed] TDD: [phone removed] June 4, 2019 To: Louis DePasquale City Manager From: Katherine F Watkins City Engineer Re: Awaiting Report 19-63, dated May 20, 2019 and 19-68, dated June 3, 2019 Eversource Gas’ Contractor Feeney Brothers and Coordination of Gas Infrastructure Improvements with the Inman Square Project In response to the above referenced awaiting reports, please see the information below. OVERALL EVERSOURCE GAS AND CITY COORDINATION Locations for gas main replacement are prioritized based on the condition of pipe and closely coordinated with the City’s 5 Year Sidewalk and Street Reconstruction Plan, www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/fiveyearplan . One of the primary goals of creating the plan over a decade ago was to facilitate this type of coordination with private utility companies and encourage the comprehensive inspection, repair and upgrading of utilities that support long-term investment in infrastructure. As part of the City’s regular coordination with Eversource Gas, staff holds monthly meetings with Eversource Gas staff to coordinate upcoming projects and Eversource Gas attends DPW’s weekly construction meetings to coordinate on-going construction projects. This emphasis on coordinated improvements is effective. Over the last 18 years Eversource has replaced over 250,000 linear feet of gas infrastructure and a 2014 study from HEET found 45% less natural gas leaks per mile in Cambridge than in Boston. All Eversource Gas main replacement projects are overseen by Eversource Gas Inspectors and follow their safety protocols. Eversource Gas is responsible for the distribution system, as well as for planning, scheduling and implementing the improvements. All excavation in the public right-of-way is permitted by the Department of Public Works. Permits require contractors to follow federal, state and local laws including Traffic Management Plans, OSHA regulations for worker protection, tree protection standards, Department of Public Safety’s regulations for excavation and trench safety, and erosion control standards. A city inspector is assigned to each permit, with a focus on the impacts on the travelling public and city infrastructure. Similar to city infrastructure projects, private contractors perform much of the Eversource Gas construction. Feeney Brothers are currently permitted for 9 locations in Cambridge (Belmont Street, Putnam Ave, Inman Sq, Green St, Glenwood St, Ames St, Trowbridge St, Wadsworth St, Vassar St). These locations are driven by the City’s 5 Year Sidewalk and Street Plan, as well as

development projects. NTSB INVESTIGATION AND THE MERRIMACK VALLEY The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted an investigation of the September 13, 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosion. The distribution system involved was owned and operated by Columbia Gas. After the incident, the Governor brought in key Eversource Gas personnel to assist with oversight of the reconstruction of the gas distribution system, given their experience and success with managing the reconstruction of complex distribution systems in dense urban areas. Many of the people pulled in to the rebuilding efforts are the same people that we work with on a daily basis on the Cambridge projects. The focus of the NTSB investigation is on the “omissions in the engineering work package and construction documentation for the project.” The NTSB reports indicate that the contractor performed the work in accordance with the work package and have not indicated any errors by the contractor. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/PLD18MR003-preliminary- report.aspx Columbia Gas developed and approved the work package executed on the day of the accident. The work package did not account for the location of the sensing lines or require their relocation to ensure the regulators were sensing actual system pressure. The work was performed in accordance with steps laid out in the work package. In light of this accident, Columbia Gas implemented a safety stand-down for all employees who perform work related to low-pressure natural gas systems for NiSource subsidiaries.[4] NOVEMBER HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING At the November 7, 2018 Health and Environment Committee meeting city staff and Eversource staff presented information about Eversource Gas’ construction activities, their use of contractors, their overall approach to safety, and an overview of their damage prevention program including A Guide to Excavator Awareness & Damage Prevention , which is widely distributed in the construction industry. All construction is challenging, but there are unique challenges associated with underground construction including incomplete as-builts and survey information, protection of existing utilities, extent of tree root systems, trench support, and dewatering. Contractors, utility owners and the city work together on a daily basis to reduce these risks. After the June 2018 incident where the Gore Street tree was damaged during a trenching operation for a new gas service and had to be removed, Eversource Gas and their contractor, Feeney Brothers, paid the City $67,179.02 to cover the City’s damages. Eversource Gas and Feeney Brothers field crews also participated in a training with the City Arborist and the City Engineer to review construction techniques and proper tree protection measures. This same training was given at the DPW weekly construction meeting attended by all utility companies and contractors doing significant work in the city.

The damage to the Gore St street tree was an egregious breach of the City’s permit requirements and is not indicative of the quality of work that Eversouce Gas and their contractors perform in the city. DPW issues approximately 2,000 construction permits annually and approximately 250 of those are to Eversource Gas and their contractors. Over the last 17 years, the City has issued over 4,100 permits to Eversource Gas for excavation in the public way. Outside of the Gore Street situation, the City has not had significant concerrns with the performance of Eversource Gas or their contractors; while many miles of infrastructure have been successfully upgraded. INMAN SQUARE EVERSOURCE GAS WORK The City has been working closely with Eversource Gas throughout the Inman Square design process to ensure they address any infrastructure issues in the project area in a coordinated manner. To that end, Eversource Gas is replacing their leak-prone infrastructure in the project areas. They have completed the main replacement on Springfield Street and are currently working on Hampshire Street. The goal is to have most of their work complete before our contractor begins significant mobilization in the area.