Here's Andrew Gottlieb's smart riposte to the MASS DEP reg naysayers in town government. Italics for emphasis are mine. What Does that Mean?by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director, APCC 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 …
Continue reading What Town Officials Really Mean When They Say No!
Photo: The Patriot Ledger, August 7, 1996 Remember the old Standells’ 1965 tune Dirty Water, a tongue-in-cheek ode to the (then) filthy Charles River? Well, 30 years and a ton of hard work later, Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld showed just how clean the Charles had become by leaping (off-script) into the chilly brown waters of …
On July 1, the Town Council approved the $10,000 sewer assessment fee for each residential property slated for sewering. If you're able to tune in to tonight's Town Council Meeting on local Channel 18/YouTube, you'll hear Town Manager Mark Ells and the Council debate how to use general funds when existing revenue sources fall short …
Continue reading Tonight: Town Council Workshop on Sewer Funding
Title 5 is a Massachusetts regulation that requires the proper siting, construction, and maintenance of septic and other on-site wastewater disposal systems. When it was enacted in 1995 Title 5 was hailed as a model of environmental stewardship, designed to protect the Commonwealth’s waterways and communities from contamination. Conventional Septic System Design Fast-forward to 2021 …
On April 23, 2020 the Supreme Court issued a major ruling on the Clean Water Act in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. The Court ruled that the law can forbid polluters from dumping waste into navigable streams, rivers, and coastal waters without a permit, even if the pollution reaches those waters through groundwater. …
Continue reading Supreme Court Decision Could Pave Way for Cape Water Clean-Up
The Draft Plan (CWMP) is Out: Urgent Call to Action for Cotuit The draft plan covers the entirety of the town’s plan for nitrogen mitigation as well as handling other “Contaminants of Concern.” It’s worth reading through the entire [227 pages!] document. But to save you a little time, we’ve whittled the findings down to …
Continue reading Update: Barnstable’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan/Part 1
A must-read; Cape Cod Times' article on next steps for the town of Barnstable sewering. Excerpts of the article below. Read the wastewater management draft plan HYANNIS — The Barnstable Town Council is rolling up its sleeves to tackle the $1.06 billion sewer project that begins next year and will continue for the next three …
Continue reading Cape Cod TImes: Barnstable Sewering Project Moves Forward
Anyone who cares about the quality of our bays, rivers and ponds should read the Association to Preserve Cape Cod's (APCC) latest newsletter. The authors note "climate change will have profound impacts on Cape Cod’s water resources and water-dependent ecosystems... Throughout the Northeast, climate change will impact water resources through: Increased precipitation, with more of …
The best way to Save Our Shoestring? Contact your local and state representatives and tell them that “cleaning up the nitrogen overload and high bacterial counts in Shoestring and Popponesset Bays are a priority, and I support the cleanup effort." Town of Mashpee Selectmen - (508) 539-1401Andrew Gottlieb- ChairmanJohn J Cotton - Vice ChairThomas F. …
Save Our Shoestring 