As noted in our last post, on June 21, 2023 the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection released new regulations for siting, upgrading and maintaining septic systems on Cape Cod. In short, the new regulations “require residents and towns on the Cape to reduce the nitrogen in their wastewater. Towns may apply for watershed permits, which …
Continue reading Mass DEP Catch 22: New Septic Regulations, No Effective Way to Implement Them
Note: Today Gary read the following statement at the DEP public hearing regarding the proposed septic upgrade regulations. We encourage all of our Shoestring Bay neighbors to submit comments to the DEP. Feel free to borrow any content from our statement. My name is Gary Markowitz and I’m the co‐founder of SOS‐Save Our Shoestring Bay, …
Continue reading Our Comments Read at the DEP Public Hearing on December 1
Part 2 of a 2-Part Series on the Validity of the CLF Lawsuit In Part 1 [read], we considered the basis for the Conservation Law Foundation's lawsuit against Barnstable, Mashpee, and the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] -- whether these entities have been violating Title 5 law by sanctioning septic systems that far exceed …
Continue reading Part 2: Are Barnstable + Mashpee Breaking the Law?
Part 1 of a 2-Part Series on the Validity of the CLF Lawsuit In June 2021, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed suit against the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Towns of Barnstable and Mashpee, charging them with violating the state’s Title 5 regulations, specifically targeting the passages on limiting nutrient discharge …
Well folks, Barnstable is about to take the first step in its 30-year plan to reduce nitrogen emissions from septic systems in our waterways. Following is the town's press release announcing the Strawberry Hill Road Sewer Expansion Project. Town of Barnstable Announces Groundbreaking on First Major Sewer Expansion ProjectThe Town of Barnstable Department of Public …
Continue reading Barnstable to Break Ground on 1st Sewer Expansion Project
As we reported on July 28, 2021, Prof. Brian Howes opened his annual report presentation to the town of Mashpee on the state of our waterways with these ominous words: "For the first time in 20 years I have nothing good to say." Well, I'm pleased to report that, after hearing Town Manager Mark Ells' …
Continue reading Some Hopeful News from Town Council Workshop on Shoestring Bay’s Future
The Back Story:Over-Nutrification of Cape WaterwaysFor decades, Shoestring Bay has been under attack by nitrogen-rich septic system effluent [human urine] that leaches from Title-5 septic systems. The nitrogen from our leaching fields moves quickly through the Cape's sandy soil (up to five times faster than text book Title-5 flow rates) into the water table, and …
Continue reading Sewering Comes to Barnstable…But Not Shoestring Bay
Following its successful Supreme Court challenge to the city of Maui, the Conservation Law Foundation has put Barnstable, Mashpee, and the Mass. DEP on notice that it intends to file a lawsuit to stop septic systems from pumping nitrogen and phosphorous pollution into local waterways. CLF is not only seeking the temporary suspension of new …
For more than 20 years, Cape Cod residents, scientists, and citizen organizations have been sounding the alarm about the decline of ourwaterways due to nitrogen pollution, among other contributors. It's been a long slog for these committed neighbors and organizations. Residents and town officials have balked at the cost and inconvenience of mitigating nitrogen run …
Shoestring Bay flows between two towns on the Cape - Barnstable and Mashpee. While we at Save Our Shoestring live in Barnstable, we work closely with Mashpee Clean Waters to raise awareness of the desperate situation in our Bay. And thanks to the hard work of Mashpee Clean Waters, the town is edging closer to …
Continue reading Mashpee Voters Approve Funding for Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
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