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"Cool the Earth Program,"a national program now at the K.C. Coombs school, is a program for kids to <br /> educate their parents. Stop & Shop will be distributing reusable bags as part of the program. The "K" <br /> club involves 20%of the student body and is sponsored by the PTO. The teacher sponsor is Jane <br /> Emory. More information about the program can be found at www.cooltheearth.org..org. There will be a <br /> kick off event on September 26. <br /> Mr. York was recently in contact with Harvard professors who are experts in energy and the <br /> environment. When asked by Mr. York,the professor indicated that solar is the biggest energy source <br /> on earth. Additionally,he indicated that a car powered by typical household electrical services would <br /> cost the equivalent of.50 per gallon of gas. Mr. Theis added that blending hydrogen with natural gas <br /> would result in a retail cost of$1.80 per gallon. Over the next five years,the hope would be that more <br /> alternative energy vehicles would be present at the town station. <br /> 2. Mashpee River Restoration <br /> The Board of Selectmen has been asked to reinvigorate the effort to improve the river. No scientific <br /> measurement is available to prove that oyster propagation is working, although Mr. Baker feels that <br /> they are helping somewhere. Volunteer sampling begun in 1997, and the resulting lab analyses,may <br /> offer some insight as to whether or not the oysters are working. Mr. Meyers questioned whether the <br /> current models show measurable change. Mr. Baker feels that the current model being run does not <br /> address the requests local homeowners made to the Board of Selectmen. The model does not address <br /> the effectiveness of the fringing marsh and how it can be used to increase the nutrient removal of the <br /> marsh, it does not address the bacteria problem in the river and it does not address the peak speed of <br /> the water traveling down the river. All of the analyses have been completed in an area other than <br /> where residents requested. It has been reported that the river is getting shallower and bacteria related <br /> shellfish closures have not been addressed. <br /> The Chair stated that dredging is the only solution that has been proposed, and in an effort to remove <br /> the dredged matter, it is then added to expand the marshes. The Chair questioned if dredging is the <br /> solution to bacteria issues or speed of water. Mr. Baker stated that a wider marsh provides a better <br /> filter against bacteria. Mr. Baker also suggested that the 1986 dredging permitting and Hurricane Bob <br /> and the October storm negatively affected the channel and the spit. Additional dredging reduced flow <br /> in the secondary channel and in 1995 the goal was to renew the dredging permits but there were not <br /> enough funds to address the issues in the Mashpee River. <br /> Mr. York clarified that oysters also remove dissolved organics. He also stated that although there may <br /> be limited data, there have been no fish kills for the last three summers so the observation is that the <br /> oysters may have prevented the fish kills. <br /> 3. Combine Water-Sewer <br /> Mr. Baker would like to ask the Board of Selectmen to reinvigorate this. The Chair indicated that the <br /> attorney was preparing a memo. <br /> 4. Natural Fertilizers/Friendly Lawn Program <br /> No change. <br /> 6 <br />