CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE ADVISORY COMMISSION THREE HUNDRED TENTH MEETING
HELD AT CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE, Salt Pond Visitors Center, Eastham, Massachusetts, on Monday, July 1, 2024, commencing at 1:00 pm.
SITTING
Richard Delaney, Chair
Heather McElroy, alternate
Sheila Lyons
Mark R. Forest – absent
Thomas Dougherty (virtual)
Theodore Keon, alternate – absent
David Crary
Joanna Stevens, alternate
Lawrence Spaulding
John “Charlie” Carlson, alternate
Mary-Jo Avellar
Leslie Sandberg, alternate – absent
Susan Areson
Lilli-Ann Green
Wayne Clough, alternate
Leslie Ann Jonas (virtual)
Mark Robinson
Also present:
Jennifer S. Flynn, Superintendent
Leslie Reynolds, Deputy Superintendent
Lauren McKean, Park Planner
Sophia Fox, Ph.D., Aquatic Ecologist
Adam Baghetti, IT Specialist
Cheryl Johnson, Executive Assistant
Audience members (in person/virtual)
Meeting opened at 1:00pm
Welcome
Chair, Rich Delaney welcomed back the Commission.
- Minutes from April 8th meeting were accepted into the record.
- Introduction of Members – round robin
- Superintendent's Report
Jennifer S. Flynn, Superintendent (presentation linked below)
Areas of focus
- Operations
- Dune Shacks of Peaked Hill Bars
- Stocking by MassWildlife
- Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) and Wind Energy Project
- Discussion regarding the BOEM project was held by the commission.
- A copy of the NPS letter to BOEM was requested. Jen cannot provide, but commissioners are welcome to request via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
- Cheryl will provide FOIA request information to the commission.
- Jen encouraged members of the commission to provide public comment with their respective towns to BOEM.
- Rich asked members to comment on the Agenda- Water Resource/Supply Management Topic.
Mary-Jo Avellar – Provincetown
- Water is from Truro; Ptown obeys the rules & regulations.
- Summer months bring increased usage – peak period pricing.
- Replacement of water main Shank Painter Road
- Develop strategies for additional water with Truro 2025
Dave Crary – Eastham
- Town water, sewering and resource management
- They are in first phase, planning. There will be 6 zones.
- Ocean water pond recreation is a concern.
Larry Spaulding – Orleans
- Three phases:
- Sewage treatment plant complete, but not operational
- Phase 2 – is Meeting House pond area, 60% done.
- Phase 3 - Lakes & ponds area in 2027
- Future Nauset Estuary
Sheila Lyons – Barnstable
- Ponds have a freshwater problem – gave $3M for a ponds study to Cape Cod Commission
- $60 million on PFAS cleanup where fire academy was located.
- Working on wastewater system including alternative systems available; mentioned Scott Horsley was present and would speak later.
- Offering 0%, 2%, 4% loans to help residents replace current septic systems;
- Cape is on single source aquifer; share different watersheds w/in that aquifer.
Lilli-Ann Green – Wellfleet
- Working with Barnstable on the pond study; very collaborative effort
- Mostly septic systems and wells in Wellfleet
- Thanked Superintendent for meeting with kite surfing public.
- Distributed shark safety materials from Cape Cod Ocean community
- Mosquito control
Susan Areson – Truro
- Truro has all private wells and private septic systems.
- Board of health recently set a deadline for upgrading cesspools.
- Share water resources with Provincetown
- NPS assistance with DOT regarding stormwater runoff into Pilgrim Lake, East Harbor, and areas of Pamet River
- Need new well sites, water storage tank.
- Working on a comprehensive wastewater management plan
- Truro has two housing projects that will require water by 2040.
- Concerned that the Air Force Base wells are limited to emergency use only.
- Investigate new wells on NPS land.
Tom Dougherty – Chatham
- Chatham participates in the Cape Cod Coastal Conference which was water focused.
- Chatham draws on the Monomoy lens.
- Watershed permit for Pleasant Bay
- Comprehensive effort at sewering to reach maximum daily nitrogen load.
Leslie Ann Jonas – Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- 11% of Falmouth developed properties are connected to town wastewater system.
- Wastewater treatment facilities in West Falmouth and north Falmouth; still have septic and cesspools.
- Great Pond Watershed Sewer project tot include a lot more areas into public sewering.
- 123 freshwater ponds in Falmouth; lower nitrate in summer
- Upper Cape septic systems are failing, fertilizers are an issue; building on ponds issue.
- Hyannis Wastewater treatment facility violates the Clean Water Act
- Look at alternative systems on the entire cape; change human behavior.
Mark Robinson – Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- PFAS testing in Cotuit.
- Cape needs to stress conservation.
Open Forum
- Rich a discussion with the Commission on the issues raised by each town.
- Jen asked for advice from the group about the park’s role moving forward. Is it to provide ecosystem services to this area of land or something else?
- Dr. Sophia Fox, Cape Cod National Seashore presented Park’s role in preserving fresh water, freshwater cycle, providing data, ponds, and cyanobacteria (full presentation available below)
- Heather McElroy, Chair Alternate, Cape Cod Commission – Regional land use planning and economic development agency created in 1990 to serve 15 towns in Barnstable County, presentation included groundwater, ponds, data collection/analysis (full presentation available below)
- Scott Horsley, water resources consultant for Wellfleet and Truro spoke about their efforts; rise in sea level; working with partners USGS.
- Discussion on building/development and the impact on water consumption, wastewater drinking, lens; wastewater.
Next three meeting dates and subject for each meeting listed here:
- Monday, August 5 – Zoning/Policies
- Monday September 9 – Fire
- Monday, October 7 – Climate
Public Comment
- Town of Eastham municipal water system 5000 connections, 2000 hooked up.
- Public comment read into record regarding restocking of game birds in the seashore.
- Two members of the public commented on dune shacks within the seashore.
- Provincetown Airport lease was also raised.
Superintendent Flynn – closing remarks
- Park continues to conduct scientific work to understand the quantity and quality of fresh water in the park and on the outer cape and provide that data to the public.
- Support towns within the seashore in implementing public potable water and wastewater systems.
- DO 35A outlines when the NPS can permit water extraction from the park.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:02 pm.
These minutes will be formally considered by the Federal Advisory Commission at its next meeting, and any corrections or notations will be incorporated in the minutes of that meeting.
