Beaton makes Charles River dive to highlight cleanup
Looking to wash away a decades old stigma, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton front flipped into the Charles River on Tuesday afternoon reminiscent of former Gov. William Weld's plunge into the river.
"Its a great day. It's nice to be able to get out here and swim in the Charles. I remember when I was a young boy you wouldn't even think twice about it, but now thanks to the great work of our state and federal partners and all of our advocacy friends we are able to now swim in this beautiful resource," said Beaton, of Shrewsbury, who spoke to reporters while treading water on the side of Fielder Dock.
Beaton, who described the part of the river he jumped in as "perfectly clean," joins the ranks of other officials, such as Weld and former Sen. Robert Durand (D-Marlborough), who jumped in the river in August 1996 after Weld signed into law a bill protecting the state's rivers and streams from pollution.
Beaton's plunge was in support of the Charles River Conservancy's "City Splash" event. The project, which is now in its third year, encourages the public to swim and take advantage of the progress made in cleaning the waterway.
Asked why he decided to jump in, Beaton called himself "a hands-on kind of guy."
"I like to get in there with everybody and I guess, what better way to bring attention to all the great work so many have done than to get in here and do it myself?"
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