By Andrea Gregory

The city is calling for a show of support, hoping residents and activist will join officials is  expressing the urgency and the need to bring more public transit to Somerville via the Green Line.

On Thursday, Sept. 6, the Department of Environmental Protection will hold two public hearings. During the hearings the DEP will collect public input on the project. The comments will be in response to the latest Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) status report with regard to the State Implementation Plan (SIP), and the latest proposal to delay the project for two more years.

The Green Line Extension will come with six new T stops, bringing the subway to areas such as Union Square and Ball Square. City officials and transit activist say it is a much-needed addition to Somerville’s public transportation.

Extending the Green Line into Somerville became a heated topic when officials learned last month further delays could be in the works. The news came from Gov. Deval Patrick’s office, but officials refuse to just wait around for two additional years until 2016 to see the project happen.

Somerville officials are hoping widespread community support, enough local support will help make a 2014 completion date for the Green Line Extension stick. Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said the state made a commitments and he wants to see transit promises kept.

“I encourage everyone to join us on Thursday to keep the state committed to the promised deadline,” said Curatone. “It’s important. We would like people to turn up and testify in support of the project.”

When asked how many people he thought would show up for the hearings, an optimistic Curtatone said, “Knowing Somerville there is no limit.”

Knowing the Green Line Extension project could be delayed is frustrating to members of the Somerville community. 

However, it would not be the first time the Green Line project has been thrown off track. The SIP first mapped out the project to be completed by the end of 2011, then came 2014. And now the possibility of not seeing Green Line trains in Somerville until 2016 is looming.

“We need that continued support,” said Curtatone. “So much of our economic plans for the future are tied to the transit. Hear our voices. This is a top priority.”

The hearings will be held at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection at 1 Winter St. in Boston. People who wish to attend should go to the Washington Street Conference Room on the second floor. Meeting will be held at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Both oral and written statements will be accepted.

Residents will have until Sept. 7 to submit written testimony if they cannot attend the tomorrow’s meetings in Boston.

Written comments can be sent to Katherine Fichter at the Executive Office of Transportation, Office of Transportation Planning, Room 4150, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, Mass., 02116.