In The News

ORLEANS — Conservation Law Foundation praised the April 23 Supreme Court ruling that found pollution reaching coastal waters, navigable streams and rivers through groundwater can be considered a violation of the Clean Water Act if the source of the pollution is operating without a required EPA permit. Full Article

HARWICH — In placing the burden for wastewater cleanup and prevention on the shoulders of the US Environmental Protection Agency instead of state agencies, a recent US Supreme Court decision could spur Cape and Islands towns to significantly pick up the pace in addressing contamination of ponds and bays by nutrients and other contaminants from septic systems and treatment plants. Full Article

In normal times, an article commemorating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day would celebrate progress and enumerate the work ahead. But these are not normal times, so let’s do something different. Let’s acknowledge the extraordinary events we are living through and make Earth Day 2020 a turning point. Full Article

BARNSTABLE — The U.S. Department of Commerce has quietly announced the award of a $1 million grant to Barnstable County to alleviate effects of extreme weather on the region and address coastal resiliency. Full Article

Tougher standards would apply to drinking water, contaminated site cleanups. After pondering restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances for most of the year, the Baker-Polito administration on Friday filed draft regulations that would establish enforceable standards on public drinking water systems. Full Article

Tougher standards would apply to drinking water, contaminated site cleanups. After pondering restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances for most of the year, the Baker-Polito administration on Friday filed draft regulations that would establish enforceable standards on public drinking water systems. Full Article

An analysis by the Association to Preserve Cape Cod of the 2019 volunteer spring herring counts show the results to be a mixed bag containing both good and bad news. Full Article

A cyanobacteria bloom that has plagued Santuit Pond since early summer continues to pose a health risk to wildlife, pets and humans. “That it’s happening at all — let alone this late in the year — is a disgrace,” said Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod. Full Article

Two-thirds of coves, inlets and similar water bodies known as embayments, and one-third of ponds on the Cape, have unacceptably low water quality, according to a new report from the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC). Full Article

Report: Water quality in most Cape ponds, bays unacceptable.