[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 41 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E563-E564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO CHARLES BUTTON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Charles 
(Charlie) Button who is leaving the Massachusetts Water Resources 
Authority, the state agency that is overseeing the clean up of the 
Boston Harbor. The $3.7 billion project is near completion and has been 
extremely successful in cleaning-up the harbor.
  Over a decade ago, the harbor was so dirty it smelled like rotten 
eggs. But today, people have returned to the beaches to fish, swim and 
sail. The harbor has been successfully transformed from one of the 
dirtiest harbors in our nation to a sparkling body of water. Much of 
the success of the clean up of the harbor can be attributed to tireless 
efforts of Charlie Button.
  In 1988, Charlie Button joined the MWRA's Program Management Division 
as the Director of Construction for the harbor project. He has a B.S. 
in Civil Engineering from Tufts University and an M.S. in Environmental 
Engineering from the University of Connecticut. Prior to joining the 
MWRA, he served as Chief Engineer for the Boston Water and Sewer 
Commission and helped to develop wastewater treatment projects in 
Hartford, Connecticut.
  Charlie has done an incredible job managing the project. He oversaw 
the construction of a state-of-the-art sewage treatment facility for 
2.5 million residents of 43 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The 
court-ordered project was completed on-time and under budget. That is 
what I call success!
  Doug McDonald, MWRA Executive Director, said,

       Charlie Button is extraordinary at moving complex projects 
     forward in a logical, cost-effective, and smooth fashion. In 
     addition to possessing the engineering skills and knowledge 
     of the finest tradition he also showed poise and grace under 
     pressure. Everyone here admires and respects Charlie Button.

  Charlie Button has been in the public sector for the entire 
engineering career. He has given some of the best years of his life to 
the harbor project, and as a public spirited kind of guy, more than a 
few others to coaching Little League and youth hockey. I know that I 
speak for all of Charlie's colleagues, at the MWRA, and throughout the 
project, when I say thanks for everything, Charlie, the best of 
everything to you and Godspeed.

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