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Advocacy Roundup
One of the Coalition's core advocacy objectives is to pursue the restoration and protection of the Bay ecosystem through the regulatory and legal process at the local, state, and federal levels. Here is an update on a few of the advocacy projects we're currently working on:
Oil Spill Appeal Update:
Oral arguments in the Oil Spill appeal case have been scheduled for May 8 in Boston. The arguments give the Coalition and other parties involved in the case an opportunity to verbally present their arguments to a panel of judges. Six U.S. states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, municipalities around Buzzards Bay, and the Conservation Law Foundation filed amicus briefs in support of the Coalition's position earlier this year. The Coalition is being represented in the case pro-bono by the Boston-based law firm of Foley Hoag LLP.
Watershed Protection: A.D. Makepeace Development
The Coalition has submitted comments to Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles regarding the A.D. Makepeace Company's proposed development of 400 acres in Wareham for residential units and commercial space. The comments were in response to the developer's Draft Environmental Impact Report. This project aims to incorporate smart growth principles in creating a compact development consistent with a traditional village design while protecting open space. "The Coalition continues to support A.D. Makepeace's design strategy to incorporate smart growth principles at this site, but we believe that more work must be done to insure that the project's wastewater infrastructure protects important water resources in the Agawam River and Buzzards Bay," says Coalition Advocacy Director Korrin N. Petersen, Esq...
Read more here
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Longtime Swimmer Brings Excitement of Swim Buzzards Bay
to Next Generation
 Seven-time Swim Buzzards Bay swimmer and Coalition Board member Rhea Teves-Cate isn't your average grandmother. Exercise has always been important to this active 74-year old mother of 3 and grandmother of 11. As a kid growing up in New Bedford, Rhea recalls spending lots of time at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. "I was never on the swim team or swam competitively," says Rhea, "but I liked the water and I liked to swim."
About 10 years ago, Rhea was back at Fort Phoenix, this time on shore, when she saw a bunch of people in swim caps coming up onto the beach. After learning from fellow beachgoers that what she was watching were swimmers crossing the Swim Buzzards Bay finish line, she thought it would be something she'd like to try. "My husband had just died and I thought I'd get myself back together and do something," she recalls. "My kids thought I was crazy. My oldest daughter said 'Why don't you do the things that normal old people do, you're making me worried!'" But for Rhea, completing the Swim was a personal challenge. "I told my daughter, 'When you start seeing me playing bingo and shuffleboard, then you should worry'."
Read more here |
Photo: Rhea Teves-Cate crosses the finish line at last year's Swim Buzzards Bay. Photo, Natalie Garfield
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 Nitrogen Pollution Lecture Series Continues TONIGHT
Final Lecture to be Held May 10
Join us for the second lecture in our Global Nitrogen Pollution Crisis series tonight, April 26 at 7:00 PM at the Marion Music Hall. Tom Horton, award-winning author of
Turn the Tide: Saving the Chesapeake Bay and former environmental columnist for the Baltimore
Sun, will speak about the lessons learned from a quarter century of
restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
The final lecture in the series will be held May 10 at Falmouth Academy. Dr. Brian Howes, Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology, and Mark Rasmussen, Buzzards Baykeeper and
the Coalition's Executive Director, will share stories behind their
work on nitrogen management efforts from the Caribbean to Eastern
Europe to Antarctica in a lecture titled The Black Sea, Montego Bay, and Lake Fryxell.
Did you miss the April 12th lecture on Narragansett Bay? Click here for an article describing the talk written by Coalition member Richard Golen.
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New Water Quality Monitoring Website Launched
 Water quality data from more than 30 Bay harbors and coves-from the Westport Rivers to Woods Hole and the Elizabeth Islands-is now just a mouse click away! The Coalition recently launched an interactive website designed to educate and inform visitors of the water quality health of Buzzards Bay.
Visitors can view the overall Health Index scores, as well as specific
nitrogen, cholorphyll, and oxygen measurements. All data is derived from the Coalition's Baywatchers
program, Massachusetts' largest volunteer-based monitoring effort and the primary
source of long-term data used to assess the health of Buzzards Bay waters.Click here to visit the site and learn more about the water quality health of Buzzards Bay.
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Best of the Bay: Kayaking
Kayak excursions are the perfect way to experience the beauty of Buzzards Bay. From relaxing, to educational, to exhilarating, paddling on the Bay offers an adventure for everyone. In this issue of The Bay Buzz, Carl and Samantha Ladd, co-owners of Coalition Corporate Supporter Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures, a Westport-based kayaking school that offers guided tours, instruction, and rentals, share a few of their favorite places to kayak in Buzzards Bay. These locations offer something for everyone-from the beginner to the experienced sea kayaker.
 Westport River - East Branch
Westport River offers great diversity in paddling environments. The Upper East Branch is calm and protected and offers good birding: kingfishers, red wing blackbirds, egrets, and osprey are just some of the species often seen. The River has the highest concentration of breeding osprey on the eastern seaboard and in the spring and early summer, fishing is good for small stripers...
Read more here
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Buoy To Monitor Health of Bay's Deeper Waters
 When the Coalition's 16th Baywatchers water quality monitoring season begins next month, there will be a new piece of equipment helping to track the health of Buzzards Bay. A new Bay monitoring buoy, located in 40 feet of water 1 1/4 miles south of West Island in Fairhaven, will be used to track the health of the Bay's deeper waters and provide a comparison to the conditions found in the more than 30 harbors and coves where Baywatcher volunteers collect their samples.
According to Tony Williams, Coalition Director of Monitoring Programs, this location was chosen because it is far enough offshore to gather data on the health of the center of Buzzards Bay yet close enough to the R/V Baykeeper's home port in New Bedford Harbor to allow for regular maintenance of the equipment. The location was also chosen because it does not interfere with vessel traffic.
An electronic data gatherer known as a sonde is suspended from the buoy to within 1 meter of the bay bottom. The sonde collects oxygen, salinity, temperature, and pH data every 15 minutes. Every two weeks Coalition staff will raise the sonde and download the information to computers. The buoy was donated and the data logger was purchased from Coalition Corporate Partner YSI of Marion.
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Next Adopt A Shoreline, May 12
The next Adopt A Shoreline beach cleanup is
scheduled for May 12 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM
at Marsh
Island on the eastern shore of New Bedford Harbor.
Volunteers are needed! To sign up and for more information, contact Donna Cobert at 508-999-6363, ext. 209.
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Sperry Recycled Sail Bags to Benefit Coalition
 Beach and boating season is just around the corner. Pack up all of your summertime gear in a fun and colorful tote bag from Sperry Sails and you won't just look good, you'll be helping the environment too.
These bags are constructed at Sperry's Marion-based sail loft from recycled and scrap cloth. Each bag is a unique creation made with rugged, weather-resistant Sunbrella boat fabric. Bags are available in two sizes. Click here for more information and to order.
Sperry Sails will donate 10% of all bag sales to The Coalition for Buzzards Bay.
Sperry Sails, Inc. is a 31-year-old family run business in Marion, MA who manufactures and maintains sails, marine canvas products, and large canopies.
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Coalition Receives 4-Star Charity Rating
 Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of
charities, has awarded the Coalition a 4-star rating in recognition of
our excellence in successfully managing our finances in an efficient
and effective manner. Click here to view our rating.
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Staff Ecologist Position Available
The Coalition is seeking a full-time Staff Ecologist to provide scientific support to our advocacy program. Candidate must have the ability to digest complex technical reports into concise, easily understandable arguments and reports and work with environmental engineers, town officials, and business leaders in an effective and professional manner. Click here for a full job description.
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CBB in the News
Much of the Coalition's work puts us at the
forefront of the region's top environmental issues.
Here are a few recent stories that mention our efforts.
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