2018-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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throughout Town. They will have a finger on the The EOC shall,working in cooperation with other pulse of the community,and we look forward to Mashpee town groups, develop environmental hearing their suggestions and innovative ideas. proposals and suggest to the BOS steps to address • Continue to streamline the process for starting a areas/items considered to need improvement. new business or bringing an existing company to The EOC was established from the former Blue Mashpee. Ribbon Commission on nutrient loading in our two • Continue to work closely with the Board of estuaries and the resulting violations of the Clean Selectmen and the Cape Cod Commission toward Water Act. Support for and oversight of the a global economic development strategy. Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) to address these violations is an important • Continue to work with surrounding communities task for the EOC. The EOC is particularly interested on regional partnership opportunities and in the extensive shellfish seeding and harvesting pro- initiatives that attract good paying jobs to the gram that is a key component of the CWMP. In 2018 Upper Cape. the EOC strongly supported full funding for the shell- • The EDIC is proud that this year's Annual Report fish program and discussed ways to promote this pro- is dedicated to recognizing Mashpee's,and we are gram to the residents of Mashpee. That program pleased to announce that the Town of Mashpee is could save the town many millions of dollars in sewer open for business! infrastructure costs to residents and taxpayers. Respectfully submitted, The EOC has also promoted zero net nitrogen Carol Sherman,Chairperson loading standards for all future major development Robyn Simmons projects. We discussed this with the Planning Board Denise Dutson in relation to future expansion of the Mashpee Pamela McCarthy Commons. The CWMP did not anticipate significant Gene Olson nitrogen loading from future major development pro- Patrice Pimental jects such as a major expansion of housing proposed at the Mashpee Commons. It is important to limit future nitrogen loads,which may have to be mitigated with expensive sewer infrastructure elsewhere. Report of the Environmental Oversight The EOC directly supported the CWMP by writ- ing, promoting and passing the Nitrogen Control Committee Bylaw in 2014. Nitrogen loading from turf fertilizers is the second leading source of nitrogen pollution after septic systems. The EOC saw the need to take advan- tage of a narrow window of opportunity to pass a local To the honorable Board of Selectmen and the bylaw to regulate applications of lawn fertilizer and Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: further reduce the cost of sewer infrastructure. Mashpee was the first town to get nitrogen fertilizer The Environmental Oversight Committee(EOC) regulations approved on Cape Cod by the Cape Cod shall monitor and report to the Board of Selectmen Commission. (BOS) the status of Mashpee's ecological assets and progress on activities related to the regional environ- In 2017 the EOC wrote and passed an expanded ment. Nutrient Control Bylaw that added regulation of phos- phorous fertilizer. Excess phosphorous pollution from • Utilizing information solicited from and/or fertilizers is a major cause of degradation of freshwa- provided by town departments, committees, ter quality in ponds,lakes and streams. The EOC also boards, non government organizations, etc., the expanded enforcement of the Nutrient Control Bylaw EOC shall evaluate, summarize, and report to include staff of the Conservation Department and Mashpee's environmental standing on local and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The regional issues. Nutrient Control Bylaw was approved by the Attorney General in 2018 and is being enforced now. The 114