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The Commission and other Town representatives meaning that significant sewer construction will still had engaged in discussions over the last few years with be required in those sub-watersheds and is proposed in the Towns of Sandwich,Falmouth and Bourne, along the first two 5-year phases). As each 5-year phase is with representatives of Mass Development and Joint completed and water quality results become known,it Base Cape Cod,around the use of wastewater treatment may be necessary to construct portions, or all of the and discharge facilities on the Base to accommodate later phases of the proposed sewer facilities if the some of our water quality improvement requirements at shellfish option does not produce the hoped-for results. existing or expanded facilities on the Base. Phase 2 of We continue to be optimistic that such will not be the our Plan calls for wastewater from most of the western case.The Department of Natural Resources is making part of the town to be sent to the treatment plant on the steady progress with shellfish propagation and seeding, Base,if it becomes available. Mass Development had although the lack of funding for projected seeding in been considering appropriate mechanisms by which it Spring 2019 will set that work back a bit. might take over ownership of,and responsibility for,the wastewater and other utilities on the base, which are Both the wastewater treatment and shellfish currently managed by the Air Force.However,the Baker propagation portions of the Plan are falling administration has withdrawn Mass Development from significantly behind the Plan's anticipated schedule due that project and, although the surrounding Towns to lack of funding and the lack of a decision by the continue to seek access to the Base facilities,the future Selectmen regarding the appropriate management of that option is now rather uncertain. structure for construction and operation of the Sewer system. The long-discussed proposal for the Mashpee The WNMP describes work to be done in five 5- Water District to become a Water and Sewer District to year phases.As each phase is completed,the condition implement the wastewater utility portions of the Plan is of our waterways and other factors will be analyzed to still strongly supported by the Commission.However, determine how well the plan is working toward we will obviously follow whatever path is determined achieving the TMDLs and whether adjustments need by the Selectmen and Mashpee voters.In any case,it is to be made to the Plan (a process referred to as hoped that the Town will settle soon on a funding "adaptive management"). This adaptive management program and schedule so that we can begin to address approach is particularly important as the Plan relies our wastewater facility needs. heavily on removing a significant portion of the water column nitrogen load through seeding and commercial The Commission now finds itself four members harvesting of large numbers (millions) of shellfish in short as former Commissioner Thomas Burns has Hamblin and Jehu Ponds,Great and Little Rivers and resigned and moved to Florida.We thank him sincerely Ockway Bay, and a significant expansion of current for his efforts while on the Commission. Any oyster propagation and harvesting efforts in the volunteers to fill those four positions will be much Mashpee River,Shoestring Bay and Popponesset Bay. appreciated. The oyster propagation work is also being enhanced by the Wampanoag Tribe. In conjunction with sewering As noted in previous years,the Commission and and other nitrogen reduction measures such as Mashpee officials and residents have serious work cut stormwater bio-retention areas, development controls out for us to identify funding and financing strategies and land purchases to reduce"buildout"population and for developing the facilities and practices needed to other measures, shellfish seeding and commercial clean up our waterways. It took decades for our harvesting on a large scale may make meeting the waterways to get into their current poor condition and TMDL targets for Hamblin and Jehu Ponds and Great it may take a longer time to clean them up,but we have River possible on their own,and also ultimately reduce a Plan and must summon the will to fund it. Your the area of the Town that has to be sewered in other continued support for our work and participation in this watersheds(thus reducing resulting costs significantly). decision-making process, as in past years, will be Should the shellfish prove as effective as hoped,only sincerely appreciated. the first two or three phases of sewer facility construction would be required to meet the TMDLs Respectfully submitted, (shellfish cannot meet the TMDLs on their own in the F.Thomas Fudala, Chairman Mashpee River and Shoestring Bay sub-watersheds,or Joseph N.Lyons, Vice Chairman at all in the Quashnet/Moonakis River sub-watershed, Bradford H.Pittsley, Clerk 167