05/11/2000 CONSERVATION COMMISSION Minutes

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s 11 May 2000 Page 12. recognize this is a regulatory coastal bark but it meets the performance standards, the interests protected finder the state act for the bank. The two functions they do are: one is to provide sediment for the beach and dunes, the other is to provide protection for flood control. In this instance, none of the activity is impacting anything to do with the coastal bark. Also, since this i very far away from the coast, they are 1800 feet from the coast, so while this is a regulatory bank, the function as a coastal bank is very limited. It is essentially flood plain. Ms Boretos would agree, except under 10.24 1 of the wetland Protection Act Regulations 310 CMR 10.0, the Commission can determine an area that doesn't have a presumption of significance for one of the eight interests under the Wetlands Protection Act as providing that interest, if there. is evidence that It is doing so. A lot of the photographs that are in that little package have the denning, the corridors and the feeding activity being provided by this coastal bank, not just the wetland. She would suggest to the Commission and make a recommendation that they determine this coastal i bank to provide wildlife habitat interests under the 10.24 1 provision, as well as the Land subject to Coastal Storm Flowage which doesn't have performance standards but you can also use 10.2 1 that it is providing wildlife habitat. This is one of the last remaining areas in New seabury that i is providing significant wildlife habitat. If your can't protect this area, you have gone a significant way in reducing viable populations of some animals, like mink, long tail weasel and perhaps some of the birds in the area. Mr. gray asked if she was stating that those two mammals are on the site, utilizing the site? Ms Boretos stated there are definitely mustelids there. He asked on what she was basing this? He has seem no scat in the photographs. She said it was because of the location and size or diameter of some of the denning that is occurring on the site. He asked specifically where on the site? She pointed to the locations. 'Where are dens all over the coastal bank. Mr. Gray asked if they were specifically for triose two species she just mentioned? Ms. Boretos did not wish to get into this conversation because what she said earlier was the regulations don't speak to protecting particular species. Mr. Gray stated he is trying to find out that the specific dens that she is g are g referencing being utilized by those two mammal species because she is saying this is a significant area for those two species. Ms Boretos stated she did not say that, she said this is a significant area for wildlife habitat, not just those two species.