Association to Preserve Cape Cod - this week... |
Darling Conservation Area, Yarmouth Port. |
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| Until the Final Whistle by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director "The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet." - Damon Runyon
It is generally true that when pitted against big and well financed interests that efforts to protect the environment tend to come out on the losing end. That does not mean that the fights are not worth undertaking nor does it mean that loss is inevitable. In fact, we may well be on the brink of seeing two major victories for the environment unfold right here on Cape Cod. Two damaging and unnecessary projects, the proposed siting of a machine gun range on top of the water supply for the Upper Cape and the release of 1.1 million gallons of radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay, deemed unstoppable by their proponents, appear to be on the ropes.
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In response to almost two years of vocal opposition from APCC and others, the EPA recently issued a draft finding that the proposed machine gun range at Joint Base Cape Cod represented a significant threat to the public water supply of the Upper Cape. There is a public hearing process to allow comment on the finding and APCC strongly encourages you to share your concerns about the range with the EPA.
APCC has provided a detailed legal analysis to the Healey administration outlining that the discharge of wastewater proposed by Holtec violates state law and cannot be permitted. The APCC legal brief has changed the discussion from one marked by resignation that such an outrage could happen and that the Commonwealth had no way to stop it, to one of optimism that in cannot be legally allowed.
In both instances, the needs of the environment and the people who rely on clean water have begun to take precedence over the efforts of powerful project proponents to damage important environmental resources of Cape Cod. But the game is not yet over and final decisions putting a stop to these proposals have yet to be issued. Until final and binding project denials have been issued, we all need to stay engaged, involved and active. Unlike the Bruins, we can’t let our focus wane in the final minute. APCC will keep fighting these projects hard until the final seconds have elapsed and you need to do the same. Our long shot bet has not been won yet and now is not the time to let up. I assure you that the project proponents have not thrown in the towel.
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| Voice Your Support for the EPA’s Report on the Machine Gun Range
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determined that the multipurpose machine gun range proposed by the Massachusetts Army National Guard on the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve would create “a significant public health hazard” due to potential contamination of the region’s drinking water supply. If the draft determination is finalized, federal funding to construct the project will not be allowed.
A press release issued by the EPA includes a link to the draft determination and can be read here. The EPA has opened a 60-day public comment period that ends on June 26, and will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 24. A final decision will be issued by the EPA at the end of the comment period.
The public comment period gives us the opportunity to let the EPA know that concerned Cape Cod citizens and visitors support its draft determination—that the machine gun range poses too much of a risk to our drinking water supply and should be prohibited from being constructed. |
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The Wednesday, May 24 public hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be preceded by a public meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. It will take place at:
Center for Active Living 70 Quaker Meetinghouse Road Sandwich, MA |
EPA will accept public comments on its proposed decision until June 26, 2023. During this time, the public and interested stakeholders may submit written comments for EPA's consideration. Written comments may be submitted to: [email protected]. Sample language: To: David Cash, EPA Region 1 Administrator Dear Administrator Cash:
I am writing in strong support of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 draft determination that the proposed multipurpose machine gun range (MPMGR) at Joint Base Cape Cod has the potential to contaminate the aquifer and would create a significant public health hazard. The proposed MPMGR would be located over the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve and the Sagamore Lens, which is the single source of drinking water for the towns in the Upper Cape region. According to the EPA report, the MPMGR would produce a four-fold increase in the amount of ammunition and associated contaminants that would be deposited on the ground over the aquifer, thereby increasing the potential for those contaminants to reach the groundwater and pollute it. The Cape’s sandy, highly permeable soil further increases the potential for contaminants from the project to adversely impact regional water supplies.
The Massachusetts Army National Guard’s Environmental Assessment of the MPMGR project failed to adequately study and identify the potential environmental and human health impacts of the project, and the Guard has not proposed any meaningful mitigation that would prevent adverse impacts from occurring. The Cape Cod aquifer has experienced significant damage from many decades of JBCC activity, with cleanup efforts still ongoing. As pointed out in the EPA study, if current drinking water sources become further contaminated, new drinking water sources in Upper Cape towns may not be easily found, if they can be found at all. I therefore agree with the EPA determination that neither the aquifer nor the public should bear the risk and uncertainty of a large-scale expansion of pollutants impacting the water supply, and that the most effective way to mitigate significant future impacts to drinking water is for the MPMGR to not be constructed on the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve.
I urge the EPA to finalize its draft determination, which would require that federal financial assistance not be allowed for this ill-conceived project. Sincerely, (Your name and address) |
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We welcome Eliza Fitzgerald to APCC's staff! |
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| | Eliza grew up in Wellfleet and has been lucky enough to be immersed in the natural ecosystems of Cape Cod.
After earning her B.S. in geology from UMass Amherst, Eliza worked as a scientist-in-the-park with Cape Cod National Seashore. Here, she became involved in restoration ecology and coastal geology research and monitoring on the Herring River in Wellfleet.
As a research assistant at the Center for Coastal studies, she continued to study the Herring River and assisted with research in sedimentation, oyster recruitment, and onshore and offshore mapping.
Eliza is excited to be starting with APCC! As a restoration technician, she will be responsible for monitoring and providing additional support to the RCC team with development of educational materials, website and social media updates, public engagement, grant writing, project planning and coordination with partners. She is proud to be a part of the APCC team! |
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APCC was out on site at Weir Creek in Dennis the end of last month as we get underway with planning for a large habitat restoration project at this site. This summer, the team will be completing data collection to inform replacement of culverts at Lower County Road to allow more tidal flow to the upstream marsh to restore habitat and increase the community's resilience to the impacts of climate change, including current and future flooding from storm surge and sea level rise.
This project is funded by grants to APCC from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Southeast New England Program watershed grants through collaboration with Restore America's Estuaries and a National Coastal Resilience Fund grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. APCC will be working closely with the town of Dennis and many other partners, including Tighe & Bond, Woods Hole Group, Friends of Bass River, Dennis Conservation Land Trust, Cape Cod Commission, NRCS, the Cape Cod Conservation District, and Cape Cod Mosquito Control Program.
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Do You Know About the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project? |
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The Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project was organized in 1928, making it the first organized mosquito control project in the state of Massachusetts under the Department of Agriculture's State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board. At that time, the prevalence of mosquitoes on Cape Cod was a factor that could have prevented the area from becoming one of the leading recreational areas in the east. The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce organized a county-wide fundraising drive to organize a mosquito control program. The objective of the project was, and remains, to manage the mosquito populations below a nuisance level.
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Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project has relied upon water management (e.g. selective ditch maintenance) as the principle method for controlling mosquitoes. The project employs an integrated pest management program. If you have a mosquito problem, don't hire one of those mosquito killing companies. Instead, reach out to the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project. Your tax dollars pay for this program. |
Mosquito Control Tip: Help yourself and your neighbors by ensuring there is no standing water on your property, and DON'T dump your yard waste into ditches! |
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Issue Date: 5/16/2023 - The Cape Cod Bridges Program Open House Today, Wednesday, May 17th Afternoon: 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Evening: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Bourne Veteran's Memorial Community Center 239 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA, 02532
Registration for this event is not required. The Community Center is an ADA-compliant location. Translation services will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, ASL and by request.
This notice is to remind you of an upcoming Open House for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT's) Cape Cod Bridges Program. This Program will include the replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges, new connections to the local roadway network and improve multimodal accommodations within the Cape Cod Canal area.
The public is encouraged to attend this Open House and learn more about the Program and provide feedback. There will be information on the Environmental Notification Form, status of the Program, interchange alternatives, potential bridge locations and lane configurations, maps of the Program Area, and next steps. There will also be an interactive youth activity station. Public input will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible. MassDOT filed an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) for the Cape Cod Bridges Program with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office on April 28, 2023. The ENF was since published in the May 10, 2023 edition of the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Environmental Monitor. The ENF is the first step of the Program's MEPA review. It provides the public with an opportunity to review the Program's alternatives evaluation process and potential environmental impacts identified to date and gives an overview of the ongoing evaluation process and proposed impact assessments. MassDOT has requested the ENF public comment period be extended to June 27, 2023. Information on the ENF can be found online here: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/EEA/MEPA-eMonitor/home
Information on how to provide comments to the MEPA Office can be found online here: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/EEA/PublicComment/Landing/ |
Conservationist Spotlight! |
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| We celebrate the state recognition of a local conservationist--Barnstable Land Trust steward, Kelly Barber. Barnstable Land Trust proudly shared with us that Kelly Barber, BLT’s director of land stewardship, has been named as a finalist in the Young Professional category as part of Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s 2023 Nonprofit Excellence Awards. Kelly is one of only two finalists representing the Cape and Islands, and the only one from the Environmental field. |
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BLT’s executive director, Janet Milkman, captures Kelly’s impact on the organization and the field in general: “Kelly exemplifies the best of what future conservation leaders can offer. Commitment to community, passion for protecting our natural assets in the face of climate change, extraordinary skills and knowledge about our natural resources, and an optimistic belief that our efforts today can positively impact the future.” |
VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR POND MONITORING PROGRAM
Want to contribute to the study of Cape Cod's freshwater ponds, learn more about our ponds, and have some fun? We are seeking volunteers to accompany APCC staff in a canoe and assist with the data collection.
Minimum time commitment is a full morning: A volunteer shift is 7:30 a.m. to ~ 12:30 p.m. Sampling days are Monday through Thursday. Once per month. Sign up for one time or more!
Physical ability. Volunteer must be comfortable being on the water and have the physical ability to get in and out of a canoe, to paddle to deepest point of pond, and to safely pivot in their seat to assist with the sampling and recording information on a field data sheet.
Pond monitoring will be conducted by APCC staff at the deepest point in the pond. Staff will use a canoe, and with the help of volunteers will measure depth, Secchi disk depth, water quality parameters using a sonde, and collection of water samples for lab analyses of nutrients, chlorophyll, and alkalinity. Lab analyses will be done by the Center for Coastal Studies, a state-certified laboratory contracted by APCC. If you are interested in learning more, please SIGN UP HERE. |
Kristin Andres, the associate director for education, will give a talk about the importance of planting local pollinator friendly plants. |
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From the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative... |
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An important natural resource assessment report on what's at stake - "Hanging in the Balance"
The preservation of open space on Cape Cod isn't over yet! There are known mapped areas of critical habitat and valuable natural resources that need protection and should not be lost to development.
Click on the photo below to reach the Hanging in the Balance story map. Once you click the photo, you will be at the story map. Then simply scroll down through the images and text that tell the story. Click here for the full report (pdf).
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The Jewels of Cape Cod ~ Our Freshwater Ponds |
The Punch Bowl, Falmouth. Photo submitted by Susan Baur. |
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] |
Have a favorite pond? Want to connect with others who are active in protecting their ponds? Join the Cape Cod Ponds Network. For more information about past meetings of the Pond Network and to sign up (scroll down the page), click here.
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| By popular request...
APCC Caps are now available for purchase! $25 includes shipping & handling Click here for more information and to order. ~ This is one great way to show your support for APCC's work. |
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APCC's 3rd Annual Native Perennial Plant Sale |
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Sponsored by BlueFlax Design, LLC |
| The plants are growing...
Mark your calendars! We expect to make the online sales live Tuesday, June 6th at 8 a.m. As in the past two years, orders are taken online, APCC staff person will contact you to confirm we can fill your order, arrange for payment and to schedule a pickup day and time.
Be thinking about where you have room for more native plants, and where lawn can be reduced and planting beds expanded.
The list is below - start doing your research! Native perennials for Cape Cod Gardens: CapeCodNativePlants.org. All are native, but some are native to regions south and west, but will do well here in the managed landscape. To learn more about the nativity of each, go to GoBotany.NativePlantTrust.org.
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Plants that will be available at the sale: Pyncanthemum flexuosum; Penstemon digitalis; Sympyhotrichum cordifolium; Solidago caesia; Eupatorium perfoliatum; Helinium autumnale; Veronicastrum virginicum; Rudbeckia laciniata; Tiarella cordifolia; Zizea aurea; Eupatorium hyssopifolium; Echinacea purpurea; Sporobolus heterolepis; Eragrostis spectabilis; Hibiscus moscheutos; Asclepias incarnata; Prunella vulgaris; Pycnanthemum muticum; Pycnanthemum tenuifolium; Sympyhotrichum laeve; Monarda punctata; Geranium maculatum; Chelone glabra; Monarda fistulosa; Aquilegia canadensis; Baptisia tinctoria
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A Cape Cod Native Plant-selector ~ to help you choose the perfect native plant for your garden location. |
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| Common Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum |
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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!
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| 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. |
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| APCC Enewsletters. Our weekly newsletters are archived on our website and easily shared.
You can find past newsletters and share with your friends to sign up for future enewsletters HERE. |
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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.
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| Thank you to the homeowners who just contracted to install solar panels through E2 Solar. May the sun always shine for you! |
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Expressions Gallery, 578 Main Street, Chatham
CLICK HERE |
Expressions Gallery donates 20 percent of its profits to APCC's work. |
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Thank you to our business sponsors |
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