2019-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Continue to work closely with the Board of Selectmen and the Cape Cod Commission toward a global economic development strategy. • Continue to work with surrounding communities on regional partnership opportunities and initiatives that attract good paying jobs to the Upper Cape. The EDIC thanks Town Manager Rodney Collins and the Board of Selectmen for their support. We are proud to say that Mashpee is open for business! Respectfully submitted, Carol Sherman, Chairperson Robyn Simmons Denise Dutson Pamela McCarthy Glenn Thompson Patrice Pimental Report of the Environmental Oversight Committee To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: The Environmental Oversight Committee (EOC) shall monitor and report to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) the status of Mashpee's ecological assets and progress on activities related to the regional environ- ment. • Utilizing information solicited from and/or provided by town departments, committees, boards, NGO's, etc, the EOC shall evaluate, summarize, and report Mashpee's environmental standing on local and regional issues. • The EOC shall, working in cooperation with other Mashpee town groups, develop environmental proposals and suggest to the BOS steps to address areas/items considered to need improvement. The EOC was established from the former Blue Ribbon Commission on nutrient loading in our two estuaries and the resulting violation of the Clean Water Act. Support for and oversight of the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CMWP) to address these violations is an important task for the EOC. The EOC is particularly interested in the extensive shellfish seeding and harvesting program that is a key component of the CMWP. In 2018, the EOC strongly supported full funding for the shellfish program and discussed ways to promote this program to the residents of Mashpee. That program could save the town many millions of dollars in sewer infrastructure costs to residents and taxpayers. The EOC has also promoted zero net nitrogen loading standards for all future major development projects. We discussed this with the Planning Board in relation to the future expansion of the Mashpee Commons. The CMWP did not anticipate significant nitrogen loading from future major development projects 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. The EOC directly supported the CMWP by writing, promoting, and passing the Nitrogen Control 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 advantage of a narrow window of opportunity to pass a local bylaw to regulate applications of lawn fertilizer and further reduce the cost of sewer infrastructure. Mashpee was the first town to get nitrogen fertilizer regulations approved on Cape Cod by the Cape Cod Commission. In 2017, the EOC wrote and passed an expanded Nutrient Control Bylaw that added regulation for phosphorus fertilizer. Excess phosphorus pollution from fertilizers is a major cause of degradation of freshwater quality in ponds, lakes and streams. The EOC also expanded enforcement of the bylaw to include staff of the Conservation Department and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The bylaw was approved by the Attorney General in 2018, and is being enforced now. The Conservation Commission in particular has been enforcing provisions to limit lawn fertilizer use near wetlands and surface waters. The EOC has also been educating professional lawn care operators about our regulations through the Cape Cod Landscape Association (CCLA). 128