Association to Preserve Cape Cod |
Muddy Creek, Chatham-Harwich. Photo by Sue Machie. |
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| Until the Whistle Blows by Andrew Gottlieb, APCC Executive Director
Young hockey players are taught to play through the whistle. In other words, even if you think a play is over, keep going until the referee’s whistle definitively stops play. That lesson applies today to DEP’s tentative determination to deny the application of Holtec for a permit to use Cape Cod Bay as a dumping ground. As gratifying as we found DEP’s action, it’s not final until the conclusion of their review of public comments received between now and August 28. That means we are not done yet and you are encouraged to submit comment to DEP in support of making their tentative decision to deny final.
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While the legal basis for DEP’s action was sound (it largely followed the analysis APCC provided to the Governor back in February that Holtec's proposed wastewater discharge was illegal under the state's Ocean Sanctuaries Act) we can take nothing for granted. It was clear from Holtec’s comments in response to the draft decision that they plan to continue to behave like nothing has changed and that they can still obtain the companion federal discharge permit they were seeking from EPA. It is clear that Holtec will continue to pretend that they are above state authority. Holtec’s laughable attempt to blame the permit process for their self-imposed delays in cleanup activity that, by their own statements, was done to allow their trust fund to appreciate in this favorable interest rate environment is a sign that they are operating in an alternate universe. Nothing about this is surprising. How many times have we seen a corporate bully take the first “no” they hear as the final answer?
Holtec’s arrogance aside, they are at a legal dead end. The same sound legal basis that prevents the state from issuing the amended state wastewater discharge permit will prevent the state from issuing a 401-water quality certification to any amended federal wastewater discharge permit proposed to be issued to Holtec. Simply put, no state-issued 401 certification, no federal permit. In that regard, the game is over even if the Holtec federal NPDES application remains technically active.
What should happen here is for Holtec to pivot, accept that in Massachusetts at least, there are limits to what federal NRC permissions allow them to do, and focus on quickly, efficiently, and safely completing decommissioning. That is what is best for everyone, Holtec included. Will Holtec do it? Time will tell, but until then, APCC will keep our great legal team engaged to signal that we are fully prepared to challenge Holtec’s efforts to evade state authority at every turn. That continued vigilance is our promise to you and what we ask for in return is that you contact DEP with supportive statements to make their tentative decision final. You can email your comments to DEP at [email protected] (For a sample message, click here.)
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APCC is Hiring: A Year-round Position and Seasonal Paid Internships Available |
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Internship for State of the Waters: Cape Cod: APCC seeks a college- or graduate-level intern to assist with our “State of the Waters: Cape Cod” project. The internship provides a paid salary but does not provide benefits. Work involves scoring and grading water quality data for coastal embayments, ponds, and drinking water. Applicants must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel for data entry, calculations, and data analysis and possess a high degree of attention to detail and accuracy. The internship will run from August 1 through October or potentially into November 2023. For more information, visit APCC’s website: https://apcc.org/employment/. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to Dr. Jo Ann Muramoto at: [email protected]
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Cyanobacteria Internships: APCC is offering a position that begins in mid-August and ends in mid-November. This is a paid internship with no benefits. The typical work schedule is a 37.5-hour work week over 4-5 days per week with an additional 30 min lunch break each day. The candidate must provide their own transportation and housing. Only candidates that have their own vehicle and driver’s license will be considered. Often the work will require the candidate traveling to and from ponds across the Cape to collect water samples for analysis of cyanobacteria. Interested applicants should email a cover letter and a resume to Lynn Francis at [email protected] For full position description, click here.
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Cyanobacteria Science Coordinator: APCC seeks an experienced project manager to manage the sample analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results for APCC’s Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program. The Cyanobacteria Science Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the overall scientific quality of the program through oversight of sample collection, analyses, interpretation, and reporting of monitoring results, and communicating results and other information to municipal officials, agencies, organizations, and the public in an accurate clear manner. The position is fulltime, year-round, salaried with benefits. For the full description, click here. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to Dr. Julie Hambrook at: [email protected]
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Celebrating Cape-friendly Landscapes! |
Last year it was No-Mow-May.
This year it is No-Mow-More. I have enjoyed watching colors come up. It smells good - like a hayfield.
- John Carroll, Pocasset |
Do you have a Cape-friendly landscape to share? Tell us your story, send a few pictures and a brief description or comment to [email protected] |
A Native Shrubs Flowering Now! |
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| White meadowsweet, Spirea alba, and steeplebush, Spirea tomentosa—great native shrub species and pollinator favorites! "Plant it in a sunny spot of the garden, where it will attract many butterflies, but give it moderate access to water."- Native Plant Trust |
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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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The Jewels of Cape Cod ~ Our Freshwater Ponds |
Photos by Marlene Clapp, Aunt Edie’s Pond in Harwich. |
Look at closer look a pond near you, and like Marlene, you might spy a rare protected plant along the shoreline, Plymouth rose gentian (Sabatia kennedyana). These photos were taken on Aunt Edie's Pond, Harwich. Beautiful! |
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Plymouth gentian is a globally rare and state-protected species of concern. If you view this plant along a pond shoreline, you are encouraged to report it to the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife: HERE. |
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, CLICK HERE.
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The next meeting of the Cape Cod Ponds Network will be TUESDAY, AUGUST 1st at 2 p.m.
at Wequasett Resort, Harwich
To register for the pond network meeting, click here. Meeting Agenda (You need not register for OneCape to attend the pond network meeting.) |
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APCC has QR code stickers that link to our cyanobacteria webpage. If you'd like one or more to post on or around your pond, request by email to [email protected] |
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| By popular request...
APCC Caps are 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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A Cape Cod Native Plant-selector ~ to help you choose the perfect native plant for your garden location. |
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| Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa |
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Sally Baer's rain barrel! |
| 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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