|
BOURNE
Action Bourne is already taking and should continue in 2008 to protect and improve Bay Health:
- Providing local funding for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) to assess and develop a plan to reduce nitrogen pollution to Bourne’s harbors and coves. New reports will be released in 2008 and provide new guidance toward restoring some of Bourne’s waters most impaired waterways such as Squeteague Harbor and Inner Red Brook Harbor.
- Ongoing work in partnership with The Coalition for Buzzards Bay to monitor and identify stormwater discharge pipes contributing bacterial contamination to Bourne’s waters leading to shellfish bed closures.
- Participation in regional Oil Spill prevention efforts and in local spill response planning.
What Bourne Can Do:
1. Reduce Nitrogen Pollution
- Begin work to reduce Nitrogen Pollution to Phinneys Harbor, Eel Pond and Back River as described in the MEP’s Threshold and DEP Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reports.
- Amend Bourne Subdivision and Health rules to require new developments to install nitrogen reducing wastewater technology.
- Support work of town Wastewater Planning Committee to identify neighborhood-scale, cluster wastewater systems to reduce nitrogen pollution from existing septic systems.
2. Expand Protection for Wetlands and Forest
- Expand existing 50’ ‘No-Build Setback’ around freshwater and coastal wetlands for all new construction. Falmouth and Carver require >50 foot construction setbacks from wetlands to protect these natural pollution filters.
- Prioritize forest and wetlands when planning for new open space acquisitions, particularly in watershed’s to nitrogen-sensitive embayments like Eel Pond/Back River, Pocasset River, Red Brook Harbor and Squeteague Harbor.
3. Protect River Herring
- Continue to improve design of local runs and participate in regional investigations into external causes of river herring decline such as the offshore Atlantic Herring fishery.
|
