Association to Preserve Cape Cod - this week... |
Rockweed, horse mussels, and periwinkle at low tide. Photo by Sue Machie |
|
|
| What does that mean? by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director
The recent comments from some local officials taking positions against DEP’s proposed strengthening of septic systems standards might have left you saying “huh?”. That’s because a whole lot of people who have said they were in favor of clean water have opposed the revised regulations. In order to help you try to make sense of what people say versus what they mean, I am happy to provide this Wastewater Double Speak to English Translator. I hope this handy tool will help you understand how some key elected and appointed officials have opposed the proposed Clean Water rules while hoping to make you think they are committed to clean water.
|
|
|
When a local official says, “I support clean water, but these rules will be too expensive,” what they mean is that they support clean water only if someone else will pay. They also mean that they are unwilling to have a frank discussion with their constituents that reversing decades of water quality decline will cost money, that priorities need to be set and sacrifices may be required. A third meaning is that town hall finance staff are resistant and what they want is what really drives policy, not the elected policy makers. A fourth meaning is they don’t want to explain why they can’t pay for it, given that Cape towns have access to 0% loans, over 25% principal forgiveness on those 0% loans, huge sums of federal funds to offset local costs, new sources of money from short term rentals that lower property tax burdens, and that funds are available to help low- and moderate-income residents lower the costs of sewer connections and septic upgrades.
When a local official says, “I support clean water, but these rules impose unrealistic schedules on towns,” they really mean a lot of things. Most often what they mean is they don’t want you to realize is that, left to their own pace, you have no hope of having clean water for the next quarter century at least. I’m 60; a quarter century wait for clean water puts me at great risk of being dead before it happens. In truth, it means that for a lot of us an accurate translation is that there will not be clean water in our lifetime. This phrase often also means that they are hoping that their term in office is over before someone must do the hard work of dealing with the problem and financing the solution. The final meaning can be that the town can’t comply with a schedule because there really is no plan. These meanings can be, and often are, all applicable at the same time.
When a local official says, “I support clean water, but these rules rely on technology that isn’t proven,” what they really mean is that they don’t want you to focus on the fact that a municipal wastewater treatment and collection program is already known to be reliable and effective at reaching the established nutrient load reduction targets. They want to distract you from the fact that a comprehensive municipal response will solve water quality problems and would rather have you wondering about how and if newer septic systems work.
When a local official says, “I support clean water, but I don’t know what we are supposed to do yet,” what they mean is that they don’t accept the clear science that lowering nutrient levels in our marine waters is what is needed. They might also mean that they haven’t paid attention to the multiple briefings and reports made to local boards and commissions that all basically say the same thing about the need, and methods, reduce nutrient loading. Lastly, they simply are stating they don’t want to take this on for all the reasons mentioned above.
When a local official says, “I support clean water but these rules aren’t fair,” what they mean is unclear, other than conveying they have no intention of doing anything productive. The precise reasons are garbled since there is no objective definition of what fair means, but the underlying commitment to continued inaction or movement at a glacial pace is crystal clear.
Lastly, when a local official tells you they support clean water but forwards misleading and negative information on social media without comment or context, what they are really doing is trying to muddy the waters without leaving any fingerprints or claiming any responsibility for the confusion they help spread.
Now that you know all these things, you should look at what your local officials do in commenting on these regulations. If they use any of these phrases or their close cousins, take note and hold them to account now and at the next election. I am not saying that these regulations have no room for improvement or refinement. Things can always be made better, but the “yeah, but” comments we have heard so much of in recent weeks are not serious attempts to get to a responsive solution that moves us toward a future with clean water. Unless your local officials are offering real and thoughtful suggestions for improving the regulations, they are more a part of the problem than part of the solution. Don’t let them slide on it unless you have given up on seeing clean water on Cape Cod again in your lifetime. I haven’t.
|
APCC Supports Proposed DEP Water Quality Improvement Regulations - Your Comments Matter
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has drafted proposed regulations that significantly strengthen the rules governing the use of septic systems and encourage and incentivize towns to obtain watershed management permits. Both sets of regulations are critical, time sensitive and warrant support. It has been evident for decades that septic systems, even legal ones compliant with state and local rules, are the source of, not the solution to, the deterioration of water quality in the Cape’s marine estuaries and bays.
In response to requests made during the public hearings, the public comment period for MassDEP's draft amendments to the Title 5 regulations, 310 CMR 15.000, and the new, related Watershed Permit regulations at 314 CMR 21.00, has been extended until January 30, 2023. MassDEP will host two additional public hearings: Remote Only, January 24, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Register at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_veLVS545RCqGZhI6tuN2rQ Remote Only, January 25, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Register at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Is2pAS_cR_uXvNhhs5r3oQ
MassDEP has proposed these amendments and regulations to enhance protection of embayments and estuaries—particularly on Cape Cod, the Islands, the southern portion of the South Shore and the South Coast in Southeastern Massachusetts—from nitrogen pollution originating primarily from wastewater. The proposed amendments will allow MassDEP to designate new Natural Resource Area Nitrogen Sensitive Areas (NSA) and add nitrogen reduction provisions within these areas for Title 5 systems. The new Watershed Permit regulations at 314 CMR 21.00 provide a voluntary watershed permitting approach for communities to control nitrogen and other pollutants from entering the embayments and estuaries.
The draft regulations are published on the MassDEP website at: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massdep-public-hearings-comment-opportunities and at: 310 CMR 15.000: Septic Systems ("Title 5") | Mass.gov and 314 CMR 21.00: Watershed Permit Regulations | Mass.gov
Recordings of previously held information sessions and public hearings can also be found here: 310 CMR 15.000: Septic Systems ("Title 5") | Mass.gov
Oral comments will be received at the above public hearings in January 2023 and written comments can be submitted via email to [email protected]. Please put “Title 5 and Watershed Permitting” in the subject line. Written comments may also be submitted by mail and should be sent to MassDEP, Bureau of Water Resources – Division of Watershed Management, 100 Cambridge Street, suite 900, Boston, MA 02114, Attention: Title 5 & Watershed Permit.
For your convenience, APCC has created an online form to submit your comments. Click here. |
APCC Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program featured in online conservation magazine, KINUTE |
|
|
Wild Bees of New England
With wild bee declines throughout New England, The Rehan Lab at the University of New Hampshire has compiled a helpful guide to identify commonly encountered bees and ways to encourage pollinator practices for best bee nesting and foraging resources. (Downloadable pdf) |
|
|
|
The Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod is a group of organizations promoting native plants and pollinator-friendly land care practices to create a boat load of safe oases for our native bees, butterflies and a whole host of other pollinators that are crucial to the health of our ecosystems. Join us! It's easy. There are no fees. You just need to pledge to ADD native plants, SUBTRACT a little lawn, AVOID yard chemicals, especially pesticides, and LEAVE the leaves. And, help us spread the word. If you wish, please get on the map to show your support of pollinators!
|
|
|
Looking for a speaker? Check out APCC's Speakers Bureau.
APCC staff speak on a variety of topics and are available by Zoom. If interested, please contact the staff person directly to make arrangements. |
The Jewels of Cape Cod ~ Our Freshwater Ponds |
|
|
| Deep Pond in Winter By Mary Grauerholz
Deep Pond is much quieter in wintertime, but fascinating sights and sounds are everywhere. Icy plunges are a perfect way to capture the season’s serenity and calm and observe nature (after studying how to plunge safely). When the earth is this still and quiet, magic happens: frozen drops of water hang like lights from trees; a duck nearby ripples the water; clouds look like big balls of wool. A wind kicks up and creates mesmerizing shadows of rippling water on the trees. Before we know it, winter will bow out and spring will come, bringing us a very different kind of Cape Cod beauty.
|
Mary in Deep Pond on a wintery day. Photo credit: Richard Zuck
And yes, that is ice Mary is swimming through! |
|
|
Mary Grauerholz is president of the Deep Pond Preservation Project in East Falmouth. She is also a member of the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage (OLAUG). Throughout the month of February at the Falmouth Art Center, 137 Gifford Street, Falmouth, there will be an art show titled Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage. Photographs of pond litter taken above and below the surface will be on display as well as “Found Art.”
|
|
|
Pond Stories is a collection of writings and other media from Cape Codders and visitors who love the 890 local ponds that dot the Cape. We hope this collection of stories awakens your inner environmentalist to think deeper about our human impacts to these unique bodies of water. |
Send us your favorite pond photo, story, poem, video, artwork—we want to share with everyone why the Cape's ponds and lakes are so special! Email your pond connection to [email protected] |
|
|
A Cape Cod Native Plant-finder ~ to help you choose the perfect native plant for your garden location. |
|
|
| Foam Flower, Tiarella cordifolia
|
|
|
| Rain Barrels for Cape Cod
Order online from Upcycle Products $99 each includes FedEx shipping to your door
APCC receives a portion of the proceeds.
For more information, click here. |
|
|
| APCC Enewsletters. Our weekly newsletters will now be archived on our website and easily shared. Here, you can find past newsletters from July 2022 on.
Share this with your friends and they can sign up HERE. |
|
|
Are you thinking of going solar? We hope so! In partnership with SUNPOWER BY E2 SOLAR in Dennis, APCC receives $500 for every solar installation when APCC is named as referral. |
|
|
| Thank you to the homeowners who just contracted to install solar panels through E2 Solar. May the sun always shine for you! |
|
|
Expressions Gallery, 578 Main Street, Chatham
CLICK HERE |
Ocean to Office. APCC has partnered with EXPRESSIONS, a fine art photography gallery located in Chatham center, to provide Cape businesses the opportunity to beautify their offices with coastal photography while directly supporting protection of our cherished environment. This special offering gives back to APCC. CLICK HERE to learn more. |
|
|
Thank you to our business sponsors |
|
|
Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}* *{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}*
*{{Unsubscribe}}* |
| |
|
|