Fiscal Year 2019 Budget
Beginning July 1, 2018 and ending June 30, 2019
Environment, Energy & Open Space
The mission of the Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet is to coordinate several City departments and programs to enhance sustainability, preserve historic and open space resources, protect the health and safety of the built environment, prepare for climate change, and provide public spaces to gather and recreate in Boston. The Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet includes initiatives that reduce energy use in municipal buildings and in the community with Renew Boston, enforce the right to a healthy home, engage the community on sustainability with Greenovate Boston, promote waste reduction, and expand the network of street trees.
Christopher Cook, Chief of Environment and Energy
Contact the Budget Office:
The Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet which, includes the Environment Department, the Inspectional Services Department, and the Parks and Recreation Department, will increase 2.8% in FY19. This growth is largely based on increased investment in climate resiliency efforts, implementing new citywide environment and energy ordinances and increased investments in the maintenance and upkeep of City parks and fields.
In FY19, there is a 15.9% increase in the Environment Department’s budget, which is due in part to investments that support municipal energy reduction and procurement and an update to the climate action plan to support resiliency efforts. These investments include funding the implementation of the Community Choice Aggregation and Plastic Bag Ordinances. In FY19, the Inspectional Services Department will see an increase of 0.2% including the addition of two Plans Examiner positions to meet growing demand for commercial and residential building development across the City. This increased capacity will reduce architectural review wait time for residents and developers. The budget also includes funding to procure a climate-controlled vehicle for the Animal Control unit and a new vehicle to support rodent control work efforts in various neighborhoods around the City.
The Parks and Recreation Department will see a 3.5% increase in its FY19 budget primarily through increased personnel costs related to collective bargaining and the transfer of staff from the Office of Arts and Culture. Also starting in FY19, Boston will invest in preventative maintenance and repair for the City’s synthetic turf athletic fields to help preserve their condition. In addition, the Parks Department will increase the number of seasonal laborers to support clean and safe parks throughout the City.
Appropriations By Department
| Department | FY16 Actual | FY17 Actual | FY18 Budget | FY19 Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environment Department | 1,897,415 | 2,166,978 | 2,517,729 | 2,918,000 |
| Inspectional Services Dept | 18,232,923 | 18,555,251 | 19,413,125 | 19,473,183 |
| Parks & Recreation Department | 21,370,780 | 19,956,183 | 20,243,842 | 20,991,842 |
| Total | 41,501,118 | 40,678,412 | 42,174,696 | 43,383,025 |
Cabinet trends
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Environment, Energy & Open Space Operating Budget Over Time |
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| Environment, Energy & Open Space FY18 Operating Budget by Department |
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| Environment Department |
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| Inspectional Services Dept |
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| Parks & Recreation Department |
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External Funds By Department
| Department | FY16 Actual | FY17 Actual | FY18 Budget | FY19 Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environment Department | 834,047 | 740,064 | 1,267,182 | 723,168 |
| Inspectional Services Dept | 585,166 | 401,067 | 404,882 | 336,338 |
| Parks & Recreation Department | 7,592,067 | 7,908,135 | 5,798,788 | 5,775,461 |
| Total Cabinet | 9,011,280 | 9,049,266 | 7,470,852 | 6,834,967 |