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