Rep. Seth Moulton Plans Reading Visit

READING, MA - Congressman Seth Moulton (D-Salem) will visit Reading on Tuesday to spotlight a stormwater project at the Maillet, Sommes & Morgan Conservation Land in town.

Recently bolstered by the possibility of $1.5 million in federal funding, officials say this project could help address stormwater pollution and flooding concerns around the Aberjona River in Reading, Winchester and Woburn.

The Moulton event is open to the public and will begin at 1 p.m. Parking is available at Austin Preparatory School at 101 Willow Street in Reading.

Moulton will be joined by State Sen. Jason Lewis as well as state representatives Bradley Jones and Rich Haggerty.

Currently in its design phase, the stormwater project will help reduce flooding, expand trail systems and strengthen wildlife habitats in the area around the Maillet, Sommes & Morgan Conservation Land if its next steps get funded, according to Reading town officials. Plans propose accomplishing this through a variety of means, including new constructed wetlands, pipes and culverts.

The project will aim to filter additional sediment and pollutants out of stormwater before it flows downstream along the Aberjona River, officials say.

The river begins in Reading before flowing south through Winchester and Woburn toward the Mystic Lakes. Its watershed also includes portions of Burlington, Wilmington, Wakefield, and Stoneham.

The river has been heavily channelled and diverted over the years, suffering pollution from various industrial sources, as noted in a history compiled for the town of Winchester in 2017.

Roughly $1.5 million in federal money has been allocated to the Sommes & Morgan Conservation Land project as part of a $16 million package going to Moulton’s sixth Massachusetts Congressional District under a recent version of annual congressional appropriations bills.

Approved by the House of Representative in a vote last month, these bills are still awaiting full congressional approval.

"I was pleased to see so many high-impact projects across my district selected for funding this year, including Reading’s Maillet, Sommes, & Morgan stormwater system,” Moulton said in a statement this week. “This is a critical initiative that will make the community more sustainable and resilient.”

The Sommes & Morgan Conservation Land was previously highlighted as a prime location to create new stormwater management wetlands.

Local officials have since celebrated steps forward to fund this project.

“We are excited about this funding opportunity enabled by Rep. Moulton could bring to this region,” Reading Town Manager Fidel Maltez said. “Reducing flooding for thousands will improve public safety and reduce property loss, as well as enhance our trails and protect our natural resources.”

Learn more about the Maillet, Sommes and Morgan project through the Reading town website.