Senate Committee Recommends Big Dig Oversight

BOSTON -- A powerful group of Beacon Hill legislators wants to make Attorney General Tom Reilly the state's point-person in recovering millions of wasted taxpayer Big Dig dollars.

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Rhondella Richardson Reports On Big Dig

NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that the Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee report, called "Road Block To Cost Recovery," looks at getting state and federal money back from those who have done shoddy work on the project. The governor has been pushing for an independent commission, while the Massachusetts Turnpike authority has its own fact-finding team on the job, but the recommendation in the report is to now move in a new direction.

"We are going to start getting tough here," said State Sen. Marc Pacheco.

To enforce accountability and restore confidence in the leaky, problem-laden project, Richardson said, you need leverage and deep resources as you prepare to settle or take contractor Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to court.

Pacheco said the report says the state needs the top attorney at the helm of the investigation.

"If you would be sued or brought to court, would you want to be brought in by some independent agency of the commonwealth? Or would you want to be dealing with the attorney general?" he asked.

"Now it is time to get control of this, put it in the hands of one office and let us make our call," said Reilly.

The report called for the beginning of hearings to bar Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff from all future state contracts. The report also called for future state contracts of $250,000 or more be subject to a 20-year statute of limitations. The state cannot fight for some reimbursement because the existing six-year statute has expired.

"They should be reviewed and approved by the Office of the Attorney General, the Inspector General and the Division of Insurance," said Pacheco.

"We are looking at cost recovery right now. And in terms of claims, counter claims, back and forth, everything from the leaks to other situations,'' said Reilly.

"The team that the Turnpike Authority put together has spent more than $6 million to recover less than $4 million on a $14.625 billion project," said state Transportation Secretary Daniel Grabauskas.

Reilly will have the go ahead if the Turnpike Authority signs off on the agreement. Massachusetts Turnpike Chairman Matt Amorello released a statement that said the proposal "seems to be a step in the right direction for taxpayers."