State of Our Waters 2020

Dear Southeastern Massachusetts Legislator, Watershed Action The challenges we face as a Commonwealth at the present time are unprecedented. Alliance We very much appreciate that you have prioritized a response to address the devastating public health and economic impacts of Covid-19. While your significant of Southeastern deliberations continue, we, as environmental organizations, press on to address Massachusetts ongoing issues facing our watersheds and the people who live in them. Those efforts watershedaction.org include ensuring that our water is clean, that we have enough water, and that our waterways are healthy and accessible to everyone.

Protecting water and We had hoped to discuss these important issues with you in person on March 31st at natural resources in the 2020 State of Our Waters Legislative Breakfast. Because we and the dozens of Southeastern citizens that planned to join us are unable to do this in person, we prepared the Massachusetts attached fact sheets to describe some successful projects and partnerships advancing

these interests. P.O. Box 43, Norwell, MA 02061 We know that the pandemic has broad-reaching impacts that shift budget priorities as WAAcoordinator@ revenue projections change. However, protection of our water resources remains a nsrwa.org significant priority for public health, safety and the welfare of all residents. Therefore, we ask you to seriously consider the requests for level funding of several important budget line items and support of critical bills detailed in the fact sheets. Members & Friends

Barnstable Clean Water If you have questions, please contact the watershed organizations within your district, Coalition or contact the Watershed Action Alliance coordinator and outreach manager, Dorie

Herring Ponds Stolley, at [email protected]. Watershed Association

Jones River Watershed Thank you for your support of our bountiful natural heritage. Association

Monponsett Watershed Respectfully, Association

Neponset River Pine DuBois, Executive Director, Jones River Watershed Association Watershed Association Lawrence “Pompey” Delafield, President, Six Ponds Improvement Association

North and South Rivers Topher Hamblett, Director of Advocacy and Policy, Save the Bay Watershed Association Suzanne Lillie, President, Monponsett Watershed Association Save the Bay – Narragansett Bay Heather Rockwell, Director of Operations, Barnstable Clean Water Coalition

Six Ponds Improvement Kerry Malloy Snyder, Advocacy Director, Neponset River Watershed Association Association Don Williams, President, Herring Ponds Watershed Association Weir River Watershed Samantha Woods, Executive Director, North and South Rivers Watershed Association, Association and, Board Member, Weir River Watershed Association WATERSHED ACTION ALLIANCE MEMBER ORGANIZATION CONTACTS

Organization Contact Phone Email

Heather Rockwell, Barnstable Clean Water Director of (508) 420-0780 [email protected] Coalition Operations Don Williams, (508) 833-4355 [email protected] Herring Ponds President

Watershed Association Ramona Krogman, (781) 820-9290 [email protected] Government Liaison

Jones River Watershed Pine duBois, (781) 585-2322 [email protected] Association Executive Director

Monponsett Watershed Suzanne Lillie, N.A. [email protected] Association President Ian Cooke, Executive (781) 575-0354, [email protected] Neponset River Director Ext. 305

Watershed Association Kerry Malloy [email protected] Snyder, Advocacy Ext. 300 Director

North and South Rivers Samantha Woods, (781) 659-8168 [email protected] Watershed Association Executive Director Topher Hamblett, Save the Bay – (401) 272-3540, Director of Advocacy [email protected] Narragansett Bay Ext. 119 and Policy

Six Ponds Improvement Lawrence “Pompey” (845) 705-4421 [email protected] Association Delafield, President Dorie Stolley, Watershed Action Coordinator and (757) 777-6601 [email protected] Alliance Outreach Manager

Weir River Watershed Samantha Woods, (617) 347-7586 [email protected] Association Board Member Neponset River Watershed Assoc.

Weir River Watershed Assoc.

North and South Rivers Watershed Assoc.

Jones River Watershed Assoc.

Monponsett Watershed Assoc. Six Ponds Improvement Assoc.

Herring Ponds Watershed Assoc.

Barnstable Clean Water Coalition

Watershed Action Alliance Save the Bay of Southeastern Massachusetts Narragansett Bay Member Organizations

Ensuring Enough Water for All

Increasing population and development, combined with the effects of climate change, raise the concern that we could run out of clean, fresh water necessary to sustain natural resources, including fish and wildlife, and for business, Watershed recreation, and development for centuries to come. Watershed associations Action work hard in their communities to ensure there is enough water for people, fish, Alliance wildlife, and the environment.

of Southeastern Success Stories Massachusetts watershedaction.org • Earned a MassDEP Water Management Act grant to support a rebate program to incentivize installation of water efficient fixtures in four partner towns  (Neponset). Protecting water and • Championed an outdoor irrigation restriction bylaw that resulted in the saving natural resources in of 300,000 gallons per day in Scituate and allowed streamflow releases from Southeastern reservoirs (North and South). Massachusetts • Influenced decisions on locations of new community wells; encouraged the  consideration of impact on water levels in ponds through commentary at Board of Selectmen and other meetings; advocated for formation of a new P.O. Box 43, Water Conservation Committee (Herring Ponds and Six Ponds). Norwell, MA 02061 • Helped implement Kingston bylaws to conserve water; influenced decision to

[email protected] locate sewer treatment plant in aquifer recharge area rather than losing fresh water to Kingston Bay (Jones River).  • Provide leadership and expertise to towns on water supply management, Members & Friends infrastructure improvements that restore streamflow, conservation Barnstable Clean Water measures, recharge, improved regulatory standards, and more (all). Coalition • Advocated for improved stormwater NPDES MS4 permit structure (many). Herring Ponds Watershed Association

Jones River Watershed What Can Legislators Do? Association Prioritize Dept. of Environmental Protection Administration funding (line item Monponsett Watershed 2200-0100). While an increase of $7.92M to $40M (from $32.08M in FY20) would Association be ideal, we urge at least level-funding of this line item. Adequate staff and Neponset River resources are essential for watershed planning and permitting, safe management Watershed Association of toxics, enforcing environmental laws, hazardous waste cleanup, and preservation of wetlands and coastal resources. North and South Rivers Watershed Association Prioritize Dept. of Conservation and Recreation Watershed Management Office Save the Bay – funding (line item 2810-0100). While an increase of $2.75M to $50M (from Narragansett Bay $47.25M in FY20) would be ideal, we urge at least level funding of this line item which is essential to support research to safeguard our rivers, lakes and water Six Ponds Improvement Association supplies and provide public access for recreation.

Weir River Watershed Maintain contact with your local watershed association whose staff are Association knowledgeable about the issues in your district and have subject matter expertise.

Improving Water Quality

When it rains, stormwater carries pollutants into our waterways. Improperly treated or managed wastewater is also a source of contamination to our surface and groundwater. Streams, bays, ponds and rivers are vital to a resilient Watershed environment, healthy fisheries, and water recreation. Watershed associations Action dedicate themselves to keeping our waters free from multiple types of pollution. Alliance Success Stories of Southeastern Massachusetts • Monitor the long-term health of our waterways and provide data to inform watershedaction.org decisions on stormwater infrastructure upgrades to target sources of pollution, and earn funding for the same. (Jones River, Six Ponds, Neponset,  Herring Ponds, North and South, Monponsett, Barnstable, Save the Bay). Protecting water and • Raised and planted 150,000 oysters to improve water quality (Barnstable). natural resources in • Purchased land to act as natural buffers in riparian areas to protect water Southeastern quality, reduce erosion and provide recreation (Herring Ponds, North and Massachusetts South, Jones River).  • Implemented regional education program in 22 Southeastern MA towns to P.O. Box 43, raise awareness about actions people can take to reduce pollution; reaches Norwell, MA 02061 over 4,000 students annually (North and South, Neponset). • Along with USGS and US EPA, drilled test wells and collected sediment core [email protected] samples to determine best placement for installation of innovative/  alternative septic systems in proposed residential development (Barnstable). Members & Friends • Protected important fisheries through a revised power station permit, reducing use of bay water and temperature of cooling water discharge. (Save the Bay). Barnstable Clean Water Coalition Herring Ponds What Can Legislators Do? Watershed Association Prioritize MassDEP Admin. funding (item 2200-0100). While an increase of Jones River Watershed $7.92M to $40M (from $32.08M in FY20) would be ideal, we urge at least level- Association funding. Adequate staff and resources are essential for watershed planning and Monponsett Watershed permitting, safe management of toxics, law enforcement, hazardous waste Association cleanup, and preservation of wetlands and coastal resources. Neponset River Prioritize DCR Watershed Management Office funding (item 2810-0100). While Watershed Association an increase of $2.75M to $50M (from $47.25M in FY20) would be ideal, we urge North and South Rivers at least level funding of this line item which is essential to safeguard our rivers, Watershed Association lakes and water supplies and provide public access for recreation. Save the Bay – Support S.490/H.2139, An Act promoting awareness of sewage pollution in public Narragansett Bay waters, to institute a statewide sewage discharge notification system to alert Six Ponds Improvement residents when sewage spills make waters unsafe for recreation or work. Association Support H. 3997, An Act relative to GreenWorks, which includes funding for climate Weir River Watershed resiliency efforts, including upgrading municipal stormwater infrastructure that Association filters water before it enters the natural environment reducing negative development impacts, improving aquifer recharge, decreasing erosion, fortifying wetlands, and preventing damage to roads.

Reconnecting Our Rivers and Estuaries

Fish such as herring, smelt and eels must travel between the ocean and freshwater along rivers and streams to complete their life cycles, that is, to live and reproduce. Dams, many of which are obsolete and in poor repair, are big obstacles to aquatic wildlife. Removing dams and restoring rivers improves Watershed fisheries and recreation, decreases stagnant water and associated mosquito- Action borne illness, and increases safety.

Alliance Southeastern MA watershed associations, towns, and their local, state and of Southeastern federal partners have been leaders in Massachusetts in improving stream Massachusetts connectivity. Critical funding and assistance have been provided by the Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and its agencies. watershedaction.org

 Success Stories Protecting water and • Removed dams and restored rivers, opening up miles of river for fish and natural resources in other wildlife, as well as human enjoyment (Jones River, Neponset, North and Southeastern South, Save the Bay). Massachusetts • Monitor herring for comparison before and after dam removal or fish ladder  replacement (Herring Ponds, Jones River, Neponset, North and South).

P.O. Box 43, • Improved fish ladders/fishways. When dam removal is not feasible, fish Norwell, MA 02061 passage can be increased with better (or new) fish ladders or fishways, adding miles of river and stream for use as habitat. (Save the Bay). [email protected] • Advocate for superfund designation of lower Neponset for removal of PCBs,  and, ultimately, removal of two major dams (Neponset). Members & Friends • With the Department of Marine Fisheries, installed a fishway to restore

Barnstable Clean Water diadromous fish habitat to glacial headwaters, Silver Lake (Jones River). Coalition • Designated the Taunton River as Wild and Scenic (Save the Bay and partners). Herring Ponds Watershed Association What Can Legislators Do? Jones River Watershed Association Prioritize Div. of Ecological Restoration funding (item 2300-0101). While an increase of $500K to $2.6M (from $2.1M in FY20, including a $100K earmark) would Monponsett Watershed be ideal, we urge at least level funding of this item. DER oversees dam removals, Association culvert replacements, streamflow restoration, saltmarsh restoration and urban Neponset River river revitalization across Massachusetts. These facilitate movement of fish, wildlife Watershed Association and water. By helping towns improve infrastructure with larger, safer structures and

North and South Rivers configurations, DER increases resilience to increased precipitation and more Watershed Association intense storms due to climate change.

Save the Bay – Contact your district’s watershed associations or Watershed Action Alliance for Narragansett Bay more information on the importance of reconnected waterways, current projects, Six Ponds Improvement and the many benefits of them to local communities. Association

Weir River Watershed Association

Promoting Environmental Justice, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity

Clean drinking water, protection from storms and flooding, healthy watersheds Watershed − all residents have a right to these. Historically, some groups and communities have been disregarded, disenfranchised, or discriminated against, Action including people of color or of lower income, those who speak English as a Alliance second language, the elderly, the physically or intellectually challenged, and youth. Importantly, these are often the same communities hit hardest of Southeastern by the impacts of climate change and public health emergencies such as Massachusetts Covid-19. Watershed Action Alliance and its member organizations are watershedaction.org committed to fighting for environmental justice and to promoting equity, inclusion and diversity on its boards, at its events, and in its membership.  Protecting water and Success Stories natural resources in Southeastern • Protected natural lands on the Neponset River from development in densely Massachusetts populated environmental justice community in Norwood; now, supporting construction of accessible riverwalk and recreation area (Neponset).  • Sponsor annual YMCA campership for disadvantaged youth (Herring Ponds). P.O. Box 43, • Incorporating diversity and inclusion goals in strategic plan and seeking Norwell, MA 02061 funding for paid internships to make them financially feasible for low- and

[email protected] middle-income youth and students (Neponset).

 • Included Wampanoag speakers and viewpoints in lecture series (North and South, Herring Ponds). Members & Friends • Work with local and state officials to maintain and preserve the Monponsett Barnstable Clean Water Ponds as clean drinking water for the city of Brockton (Monponsett). Coalition

Herring Ponds • Advocating for fireworks mercury cleanup in area of historic water Watershed Association contamination and pollution (North and South).

Jones River Watershed • Planning low cost program for interns of diverse backgrounds (Jones River). Association Monponsett Watershed What Can Legislators Do? Association Prioritize MassDEP Admin. funding (line item 2200-0100). While an increase of Neponset River $7.92M to $40M (from $32.08M in FY20) would be ideal, we urge at least level Watershed Association funding of this item. Environmental regulations and proper enforcement protect North and South Rivers our most vulnerable communities from pollution and inequitable impacts of Watershed Association climate change. Save the Bay – Support S.490/H.2139, An Act promoting awareness of sewage pollution in public Narragansett Bay waters, to institute a statewide sewage discharge notification system to alert Six Ponds Improvement residents when sewage spills make waters unsafe for recreation, fishing or work. Association Support H. 3997, An Act relative to GreenWorks, which could fund municipal Weir River Watershed stormwater infrastructure project. Many of these projects benefit environmental Association justice communities, which are often most at risk from the impacts of climate change. Thanks to our sponsors

Thanks also to our donors - Wildlands Trust, Savery Pond Conservancy, Monponsett Watershed Association, Plymouth League of Women Voters, Taunton River Watershed Alliance, and Jones River Watershed Association.