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Town of Mashpee Sewer Commission <br /> t <br /> 16 Great Neck Road North <br /> Mashpee, MA 02649 <br /> developed,fencing and structures could block access.She urged the Commission to find alternatives <br /> that both protect open space and achieve water quality improvements. <br /> 4. Susan Dangle (Cotuit Road) <br /> • Main Concern:Strong support for the project and its environmental/financial benefits. <br /> • Key points: <br /> o The Mashpee River headwaters connect to Popponesset Bay; sewering the Wakeby area <br /> will reduce nitrogen loads by 4%over 20 years. <br /> o With Phases 1 and 2,this puts Mashpee at nearly half(or more) of the nitrogen <br /> reduction target for Popponesset Bay. <br /> o Land impact is relatively small:4-7 acres,with active design efforts to minimize <br /> disruption (e.g., building into the hill). <br /> o Funding is critical: $25M SRF allocation with 25%forgiveness is already secured. <br /> Delaying risks losing access to the money until the next funding cycle (July). <br /> o The amphidrome system has broader potential as a model for difficult-to-sewer areas. <br /> o Waquoit Bay faces new challenges from PFAS contamination, making alternative <br /> discharge options even more valuable. <br /> o The project has already received unanimous support from the Sewer Commission, Select <br /> Board, and Finance Committee. <br /> Ms. Dangle expressed concern regarding delays that threaten both environmental progress and <br /> guaranteed state funding.. She voiced strong support, calling the Mashpee Wakeby Cluster System <br /> essential to clean water efforts. She explained that sewering north of Wakeby would reduce nitrogen in <br /> Popponesset Bay by 4%over 20 years, adding to Phases 1 and 2 and potentially meeting over half the <br /> nitrogen reduction target.She noted that the project footprint is only 4-7 acres and that engineers are <br /> even exploring embedding the facility into a hillside to reduce visual impact. Most importantly, the <br /> project has secured $25 million in SRF funding,with 25%forgiveness, but Mashpee risks losing access if <br /> it delays. She highlighted that the amphidrome system could also be replicated in other difficult areas, <br /> especially given Waquoit Bay's PFAS contamination challenges. Finally, she stressed that the project has <br /> already been unanimously supported by the Sewer Commission,Select Board, and Finance Committee. <br /> Chair Harris reminded the audience that the 2015 Wastewater Plan was: <br /> • Designed as an adaptive plan, subject to revision as science and conditions changed. <br /> • Two major elements of that plan failed: <br /> o Shellfish aquaculture intended for nitrogen mitigation did not work; the shellfish died. <br /> o Joint Base Cape Cod could not be used as a treatment/discharge partner due to <br /> ownership and wastewater discharge issues. <br /> • The environment and scientific understanding have shifted in the last decade, necessitating plan <br /> changes. <br /> The 2015 Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan was not static. It was built with the <br /> expectation that priorities would shift over time. Since its adoption, proposed nitrogen-mitigation <br /> methods like aquaculture failed, and potential partnerships with Joint Base Cape Cod fell apart. <br /> Combined with new scientific studies,these setbacks forced the town to revisit and adapt the plan to <br /> current realities. <br /> Community Engagement Opportunities <br /> The Commission emphasized that ongoing planning sessions and public hearings would allow for robust <br /> dialogue. Meetings were scheduled on September 4, September 24, October 2, and October 16 (all at 7 <br />