11/29/2022 HARBOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Minutes

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Overview of the Plan: What is a Harbor Plan?: UHI provided committee members with a breakdown of what a Harbor Management Plan typically includes, along with the state approval process. See hand out: Why Develop a Harbor Management Plan. Examples of Harbor Management Plans were distributed to committee members for review. Questions of comments will be discussed at the next committee meeting. Questions to look into : Why did the town’s last attempt to have a state plan fail in the 1990’s? Can the harbor Plan un-do any of the Areas of Critical Environmental Concern areas in Waquoit Bay Planning Process: UHI explained that the planning process is approximately a 2 year period. Community input and public comment are very important in the planning process. Committee’s Role: UHI explained what the committee’s role would be during the planning process. From the 1990’s the following Adopted Goals were accepted: 1.) To protect and improve, as necessary, the water quality of Mashpee’s coastal and inland waterways, and to monitor conditions and changes, and to evaluate the impact of actions taken towards water quality improvements. 2.) To protect valuable fisheries and shellfish beds from destruction, disruption and pollution, and to protect other species and habitats native and intrinsic to an estuary and costal environment. 3.) To restore and enhance shellfish and finfish landings. 4.) To reduce contamination from stormwater runoff. 5.) To support land use policies concerning problems associated with nutrient loading from septic systems, and other land generated impacts to Waquoit and Popponesset estuary systems, and to insure water dependent uses. 6.) To provide adequate launching, mooring, and other marine related facilities for boating and other uses of the water without adversely impacting the Town’s environment and natural resources. 7.) To provide for the safe us of coastal and inland waterways by all boaters without adverse impacts to the estuary environments or traditional navigation and recreational water surface uses. 8.) Minimize contamination of estuary waters from boat related sources. 9.) To prepare a dredging policy that includes maintenance dredging in existing channels and new dredging projects to improve water flow and environmental conditions. 10.) To insure a capability to respond to short term emergencies and to develop a coordinated response to long tern estuary changes.