2023-Sierran-digital - Flipbook - Page 7
Protecting Cape Cod’s Water Resources
By Chris Powicki
Allyson Schmidt, a member of the Executive
Committee of the Cape Cod & Islands Group,
After years of pushing from
passed away in March 2023 while seeking a
citizen and advocacy groups,
Master’s degree in marine biology at University of
state and local of昀椀cials are 昀椀nally
Miami. Ally’s enthusiasm, curiosity, optimism, and
confronting reality on Cape Cod,
empathy brightened our meetings and discussions,
Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket:
informed our advocacy on water quality and
Year round and seasonal residents,
wildlife protection, and bene昀椀ted other local
visitors, businesses, and others
organizations. In Ally’s memory, donations to the
are polluting our sole-source
Cape Wildlife Center (https://capewildlifecenter.
aquifers, ponds, streams, rivers,
com) are encouraged.
and coastal embayments, due
both to overdevelopment and to
reliance on current Title V septic systems that cannot prevent nitrogen from reaching local groundwater and
then waterways.
In January 2023, Sierra Cape Cod hosted a “Tuesday Talk” by Zee Crocker from Barnstable Clean Water
Coalition focused on septic system and nitrogen control regulations proposed by Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP). With strong support from Sierra Club and many others, DEP rejected
calls for further delay by some municipal officials and business interests.
DEP’s final regulations, issued in June 2023, compel towns to develop and implement watershed management
plans on an aggressive timeline to help slow, stop, and reverse water quality degradation trends. Sierra
Club plans continued advocacy in support of flexible and adaptive watershed plans that account for climate
change, address downstream concerns such as ocean outfalls and toxic sludge, and pursue ecosystem-based
objectives such as restoring eelgrass beds and shellfish populations.
Such plans will include conventional infrastructure
where necessary but also must feature innovative/
advanced septic systems, urine diversion and composting,
permeable reactive barriers, and ecological restoration
projects. In addition, the costs of water quality protection
should be managed to ensure that vulnerable and underrepresented populations are not forced out of their homes,
and controls should be in place to ensure that wastewater
infrastructure does not unleash additional market-based
development.
Protecting our sole-source aquifers, coastal waters, and
vulnerable communities also requires continued vigilance.
In 2023, Sierra Cape Cod began partnering with community
groups to accelerate the characterization and cleanup
of PFAS-contaminated sites with plumes threatening drinking water wells and surface waters in Barnstable
and Yarmouth. Before year’s end, bad ideas—notably the multi-purpose machine gun range proposed for the
Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve and the scheme to discharge radioactive wastewater from the former
Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant into Cape Cod Bay—will hopefully go away as a result of successful coalitionbased advocacy campaigns.
Sierra Club’s Cape Cod & Islands Group meets on the 昀椀rst and third Tuesday of each month at 7 pm. “Third
Tuesday Talks” feature speakers chosen to provide information and inspiration and support advocacy by
members and supporters. First Tuesdays are working meetings, bringing together our Executive Committee,
members and supporters, and citizen advocates for discussion of ongoing campaigns, local projects, and
emerging issues. Meetings are open to all. Sign up for email noti昀椀cations and action alerts at https://www.
sierraclub.org/massachusetts/cape-cod-islands-group
7
