Romney officials hold up $1.2m for Big Dig work

In a new clash over the $14.6 billion Big Dig, the Romney administration is holding up state funds for the project, as the governor's aides question whether the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has improperly agreed to pick up costs that should be borne by project contractors.

Though the money totals only $1.2 million, the dispute could further delay completion of the project, which has already been pushed back four months to January.

The dispute centers on whether the money, which was requested by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the project's lead contractor, would be used to pay for repair of leaks in the tunnels. Turnpike Authority officials have pledged repeatedly that project contractors would be solely responsible for picking up those costs.

''Governor [Mitt] Romney has been very clear that no taxpayer money is to go to fixing leaks caused by mismanagement," said Jon Carlisle, spokesman for the state Highway Department. ''He directed us to make sure that doesn't happen, and that's what we're doing."

Carlisle said officials of the Turnpike Authority, which oversees the Big Dig, have agreed to meet with Highway Department officials to discuss the funding request next week.

In a written statement in response to questions from the Globe, a Turnpike Authority spokesman said yesterday that the $1.2 million would not directly pay for repair of leaks, but rather for the inspection of those repairs by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Construction contractors, including Modern Continental, are sealing the numerous leaks with grout, at their own expense, said Doug Hanchett, the Turnpike Authority spokesman. That work, like just about any other work in the tunnels, must be reviewed by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, which is ultimately responsible for the design and quality of the completed project.

''That is what [Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff] is being paid for," Hanchett said in the statement.

The only circumstance under which Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff would be forced to absorb the cost of the inspection work, Hanchett said, is if those leaks are determined to be the result of design or management errors by the project management consortium.

Hanchett declined to be interviewed or to make Amorello or other officials available to be interviewed.

The disagreement between the Romney administration and the Turnpike Authority hinges on questions that are likely to bedevil the project for months and possibly years as they try to apportion blame for the leaky tunnels. Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly is leading the state's effort to recoup costs for contractors' shoddy work on the complicated project.

It also highlights the intense politicking around the project and its problems. Romney, who has called for Amorello's resignation, directed the Highway Department in March to scrutinize new Big Dig payments to make sure the public does not pay for leak repairs.

As the project's design and construction manager, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff is the largest contractor on the Big Dig, with about $2 billion in receipts.

In May, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff put in for $28 million for additional work requested by the Turnpike Authority. While the Turnpike Authority board of directors quickly approved the payment, the Highway Department balked over several items.

One construction industry official close to the project, who spoke on condition he not be identified, said that any delay in payment to Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff could cause a shutdown of work.

Hanchett, in reply to a question about the prospect of delay, disputed that, saying, ''Substantial completion [of the project] will not be affected by this issue."

Besides the leak-repair issue, the Highway Department is also questioning $500,000 in state funds requested by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to copy documents for outside law enforcement agencies that are investigating the Big Dig.

Hanchett, in his statement, said Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff was charging $500,000 to copy records ''primarily for the US attorney's office."

''That work involves scanning and copying more than half a million pages, including plans and contract drawings, and saving them to computer disks," the statement said.

The Globe reported in March that the office of US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan has acknowledged investigating the Big Dig, including allegations that the Turnpike Authority withheld documents from independent engineering consultants.

One key lawmaker praised the Romney administration for aggressively scrutinizing costs.

''Everyone has been clear since day one that the taxpayer was not going to pay the cost of fixing leaks," said state Senator Steven Baddour, Democrat of Methuen and cochairman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation.

''The Highway Department is trying to step up and make sure taxpayers are protected, while the Turnpike continues to go along with more payments to Bechtel."

The Highway Department addressed its concerns in a June 20 letter to Reilly's office, which is investigating the leaks for possible refunds due to work by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff or contractor Modern Continental Construction Co.

''The Attorney General has stated that Bechtel is potentially responsible for extensive construction failures and cost overruns," the June 20 letter states.

''We do not want to improvidently transfer . . . public money to B/PB without the Attorney General's determination that the payment would not compromise his cost recovery efforts."

The letter states that Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff ''has already been paid once for its work" in overseeing the building of the tunnels and asked for Reilly's approval before paying ''for corrective work related to these leaks."

In a June 21 reply, Stephanie S. Lovell, Reilly's top assistant, declined to become involved, saying the office wanted to stay clear of ''day-to-day involvement in the ongoing management and construction of the project."

Lovell also told the Highway Department that the state is not giving up its right to later seek a refund by approving money now for leak repair.

Andrew Paven, spokesman for Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, said the contractor does not publicly discuss details of its contracts.

''We have always said we will pay our fair share of work on leaks or defects on the Big Dig," Paven said.

Sean Murphy can be reached at smurphy@globe.com.