Report: Boston Harbor Healthy Though Challenges Remain
       Boston Harbor is environmentally healthy and has become an attractive place for business and tourism, but challenges remain in completing its cleanup, according to a report released this morning. The report, funded by the Boston Foundation, measures the health of the harbor and the success of the waterfront in four areas: the environment, economy, infrastructure of public access, and the diversity of activities and uses on the waterfront.
       Nearly 20 years after the court-ordered Boston Harbor cleanup began, the harbor and bay support a diversity of wildlife including birds, fish, and marine mammals, according to the report. The harbor’s health has improved over the years due to a sophisticated wastewater collection and treatment system operated by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) on Deer Island.
       Despite significant progress, however, high levels of bacteria continue to cause unsafe swimming conditions for many of the area’s beaches. The report also finds that the flagging system implemented to inform beach-goers of water safety is often inaccurate, and water in the Fort Point Channel is unsafe for human contact more than 100 days a year. The report also measures public perception of the cleanup, with 52 percent of respondents believing it complete or nearly complete and 48 percent
believing the project is halfway or less than halfway finished. The report’s authors say access to the waterfront has greatly improved, thanks in part to the Big Dig. Improved traffic conditions and air quality are re-inviting and re-engaging residents and tourists. Parking and affordability are challenges.
       The Boston Harbor cleanup is the result of a lawsuit filed by the Conservation Law Foundation and began in 1986. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino will join officials from Save The Harbor/Save The Bay and the foundation during a noontime luncheon at the Bank of America Pavilion to discuss the report’s findings.