Association to Preserve Cape Cod |
A summer Brewster salt marsh. Photo by Sue Machie.
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CELEBRATE 55 Years with Us! |
APCC's 2023 Annual Meeting Sunday, August 27, 2023 12:30 p.m.
at the Dennis Inn Keynote speaker: The Honorable Kim Driscoll, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth AWARDS Esther Snyder Award for Environmental Excellence: Michael Lach, Executive Director of the Harwich Conservation Trust Paul Tsongas Environmental Recognition Award: DEP Title 5 and Watershed Permit Team
APCC Special Recognitions: Nancy Horn & Chris Dennis, Friends of Peter’s Pond; Nauset Garden Club & Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod, Carol Alper & Gary Bowden
APCC Honor Roll: Margo Fenn
Registration required.
CLICK HERE |
HELP DEFEND CAPE COD BAY
Issue in brief: As part of the decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, an effort APCC supports, Holtec International has proposed discharging over a million gallons of radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection recently issued a preliminary denial of Holtec’s permit application to discharge the wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. The denial is based on the Oceans Sanctuaries Act state law, which prohibits new industrial discharges of pollutants into Massachusetts waters designated as ocean sanctuaries. APCC is fully committed to forcing Holtec to respect the law and to preventing the use of Cape Cod Bay as a dumping ground.
The draft denial cannot be finalized until after a 30-day public comment period. The comment period runs through Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. The public can submit comments electronically to: [email protected] or written comments can be submitted to: MassDEP Surface Water Discharge Permitting Program, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114.
The draft decision has it right, the Ocean Sanctuaries Act is clear, DEP’s action reflects the law and there is no other basis to do anything other than to finalize this decision. Send your comments to DEP by August 28th. Here’s a sample message.
Dear Commissioner Heiple,
I strongly agree with DEP’s draft determination to deny Holtec International’s permit application to discharge wastewater from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station into Cape Cod Bay. DEP’s permit denial correctly interprets the Ocean Sanctuaries Act, which explicitly states that discharges such as the one pursued by Holtec are prohibited under state law. I urge DEP to move forward in finalizing its draft decision based on state law requirements and issue a permit denial to Holtec that prevents Pilgrim’s wastewater from being released into the Cape Cod Bay Ocean Sanctuary.
Thank you, [Your Name] [Your Address] |
APCC Files Appeal to Receive Public Records from the Massachusetts National Guard APCC has filed an appeal with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Division of Public Records concerning the lack of response from the Massachusetts National Guard to a public records request APCC submitted in mid-July. APCC submitted a request for documents relating to an announcement that portions of Joint Base Cape Cod were being considered for affordable housing.
The records request, which sought communications between the Guard and the state regarding the military base housing decision, was submitted through the Massachusetts Public Records Law. The law requires the recipient of the request—in this case, the Guard—to respond within 10 business days. The law applies to requests for records in the custody of a state or local agency, board or other government entity. APCC submitted our records request on July 10, but has received no response from the Guard, even after a follow-up email inquiry to the Guard’s public records officer.
APCC was forced to pursue the appeal in order to have the Secretary of the Commonwealth compel the Guard to comply to its obligation under the state law. In its reply to APCC’s appeal, the Division of Public Records on July 31 directed the Guard to provide APCC with a response to our request by August 14. |
On a site visit to Weir Creek in the town of Dennis to help the Woods Hole Group team survey and retrieve water level loggers for ongoing restoration planning, we spotted a caterpillar hiding in a bayberry bush. We gingerly examined it—the colorful tubercles looked like they could be a warning to predators. A quick search indicated this caterpillar would soon metamorphose into a beautiful cecropia moth—the largest silk moth native to North America. The wingspan of a giant silk moth can be as great as seven inches! To learn more about the Weir Creek project go to: www.apcc.org/weir-creek and to check out this cool moth go to https://www.nps.gov/.../species-spotlight-cecropia-moth.htm.
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The Child’s River restoration has transformed this system from former ponds and abandoned cranberry bogs to a thriving coldwater river for brook trout and wetland habitat for wildlife. APCC is proud to have supported the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club through planning, design, construction and monitoring of this project. Now approaching two years post-construction, the vegetation is flourishing and in full bloom and brook trout have returned to the upper Child’s River.
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Announcing a New APCC Publication! |
The Guidelines gives homeowners steps they can take in the design and maintenance of their properties that will support pollinators and birds, manage stormwater, conserve water, and protect the Cape's water quality. This 40-page booklet is beautifully illustrated by Marcy Ford with content that is easily digestible and supported by numerous resources for additional learning. We've enjoyed creating it and hope it will help you with ideas to help you steward your piece of Cape Cod and maybe foster an environmental ethic in the decisions we all make in our own managed landscapes. Get your copy here—and maybe one for a friend?
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If you would like to purchase a copy, you may do so here on APCC's website. All proceeds support APCC's work. A digital pdf version will soon be available online. |
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| APCC is Hiring: A Year-round Position and Seasonal Paid Internship Available |
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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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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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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 |
Pickerel weed is a native emergent plant found along pondshore edges. The large edible seeds are eaten by ducks, while deer and muskrat browse on the foliage. The flowers attract numerous types of pollinators. |
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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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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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| Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa |
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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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