Boston media pays scant attention to Cape Cod other than breathless summer coverage about traffic and sharks. Over the weekend I heard a Boston news commentator say, “There sure is a lot going on on the Cape.” The comment was prompted by a discussion about the EPA public hearing on the multi-Purpose machine gun range proposal, but it reaffirmed something that we already know: The Cape’s environment is under pressure on multiple fronts.
While there are more, we have major front burner action on the aforementioned MPMG that EPA has found represents a significant threat to the water supply of the Upper Cape; Holtec’s proposed release of 1.1 million gallons of radioactive wastewater to Cape Cod Bay; the continued decline in water quality from nutrient enrichment from excess fertilization and inadequate wastewater treatment; relentless pressure to sacrifice critical habitat and open space to accommodate more housing; and the ongoing and pervasive effects of rapid climate change that are showing up in the form of increased storm intensity and frequency, accelerating erosion rates, increasing cyanobacteria blooms and extended periods of drought.
So yeah, there is a lot going on and it demands much from those of us who care about Cape Cod. Protecting the environment always takes vigilance, but right now feels a little different than typical. Perhaps that is because we are approaching pivotal decisions on the MPMG, the Holtec discharge, the issuance of long overdue and much needed improvements to the rules governing septic systems and watershed management, and a state level discussion about changing the rules about housing production. Blink now and we might miss the chance to achieve important environmental victories. APCC is on it, and we will stay engaged on all these issues. We are going to ask something of you as well when your help can make the difference. Pay attention to the requests in our emails to send comments, make a call or attend a meeting. These things matter.
I understand many of you come to the Cape to enjoy and unplug and not to sit through meetings or write comments. That said, the hard truth is that as much as APCC can do to protect that which you value about Cape Cod, we need help. You matter not just because you may provide the resources we need to watch out for the environment, but because collectively, we can all make the difference between good and bad environmental outcomes. Enjoy your time on the Cape, but please make time to make your voice heard, especially now.
