"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." ~John Muir
TEAMS was formed to urge advocacy for the watercourses, riparian corridors, and the wetlands of southeastern Massachusetts. Water is one of the basic components of habitat for living things. Our watercourses - our streams, lakes and ponds- are all sources of water for living things and are nonrenewable resources. They need the highest amount of protection. Our riparian corridors are green ribbons of life found on the edges of these watercourses. They provide food, space, shelter, and water for various living things. They can be transportation corridors and serve as a sort of buffer zone between the uplands and the watercourses. The wetlands absorb and hold back flood waters, filter out pollutants, and provide food and shelter for various living things too.
The winning photo will be displayed at our fourth annual Green Fair to be held March 20, 2010. Check out the "Activities" page for all the details.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will hold a public hearing: January 27, Wednesday, from 2:00pm- 4:00 pm at the Swansea School Administration Building, 1 Gardners Neck Road, Swansea, MA. DEP announces the availability, for public comment, the Draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Pathogens in the Mt. Hope Bay Watershed.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the findings of the TMDL and respond to any public questions or comments on the report.
A TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can accept and still meet water quality standards. The TMDL serves as the regulatory and technical basis for developing integrated water resource management plans designed to restore the water quality of impaired water bodies. The goal for these waterbody segments is to achieve state water quality standards by reducing bacteria levels to levels allowable for safe public contact and shell fishing.
Good things are finally starting to happen for Mount Hope Bay. Dominion is cleaning up its thermal pollution and Fall River is working on its combined sewer overflow (CSO) remediation project. As part of the hearings, Fall River's Director of Public Utilities, Terry Sullivan, will be giving an update on that very issue.
A copy of the Draft TMDLs is available on DEP’s website at http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/tmdls.htm
MassDEP will consider all comments and the Draft TMDL Report will be revised as appropriate prior to submittal to EPA Region 1 for approval. All public comments, which should refer to report number MA-61-TMDL-2, must be received in writing or in electronic format by Friday, February 26 at 5:00 pm, and addressed to:
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management 627 Min St., 2nd Floor, Worcester, MA, 01608, ATTN: William J. Dunn Jr. William.dunn@state.ma.us
If one were to try to find a silver lining in the economic crisis our nation is facing, that glimmer of silver might be this brief period of time when the sound of bulldozers is not quite so loud and developers are waiting for the recovery. It is also the time to focus on planning for open space and recreational opportunities. The communities surrounding the Assawompset Pond Complex (APC) are doing just that. Lakeville and Middleborough are currently revising their out-of-date Open Space Plans, while Freetown is in the final stage of creating their first and Rochester is awaiting final approval for their plan. Berkley, Fall River, Freetown, and Lakeville with assistance from SRPEDD have just completed a new Regional Open Space and Recreation Plan designed to be incorporated into their Open Space Plans. This regional plan acknowledges that the communities of Southeastern Massachusetts must work together to preserve open space and recreational resources. Our natural and cultural resources don’t stop or start at town lines.
Preservation of open space provides protection for:
*Water resources, including our drinking water. Potable water will be a costly commodity within twenty years. Desalinated water from the new desalination plant is estimated to cost $6 per 1,000 gallons far exceeding the 60 cents per 1,000 gallons charged for water from the APC.[1]
*Wildlife habitat and biodiversity. “When biodiversity is protected…..the right of future generations to know and experience the breadth and depth of the natural world is protected. ….Unlike other natural resources, however, the resource of biodiversity is largely non-renewable. Once it – or its habitat – is lost, it is likely gone forever.”[2]
*Community identity, rural character, and historical resources
*Outdoor recreational opportunities for all
Open Space and Recreation Planning is a must for Southeastern Massachusetts because:
*More than twice as much land has been developed since 1950 than the previous 300 years of our history.
*More than half of our agricultural land has been developed in the last 40 years. With today’s cost to transport food hundreds of miles, we need to consider seriously where our food comes from. Food from within a 50 mile radius reaches us fresher, with more nutrients. Southeastern Massachusetts was gifted with prime agricultural land; we should use this land to raise food for our tables.
*We have been developing land at a rate of 7.8 acres a day, more than three times our population growth rate.[3]
*Our development patterns have created sprawl that destroys the rural character of our towns.
Now is the time for residents to take an interest in the open space planning process. Community participation is a must. Individuals, neighborhood or special interest groups and others interested in shaping decisions concerning open space must get involved. They must sit-in on Open Space Committee meetings, participate in forums, and share their thoughts about open space. An Open Space Plan can be an effective planning tool only if it reflects the wishes of the community and has the community’s support and backing.
FOOTNOTES: [1] 2001 Lakeville Open Space Plan, page 34 Fay, Spofford and Thorndike, Inc., 2000[2] BioMap Guiding Land Conservation for Biodiversity in Massachusetts, 2001 Commonwealth of Massachusetts-DFW[3] Regional Open Space Plan for Berkley, Fall, River, Freetown and Lakeville.
If you have any questions or have suggestions to share, please email us at TEAMS-Info@hotmail.com.
