The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has issued a first-of-its-kind “Watershed Permit” to four towns sharing the Pleasant Bay watershed. As the populations of Cape Cod communities have expanded in recent years, increased levels of nitrogen – primarily from septic systems – have contaminated the Cape’s waterways. The four towns – Brewster, Chatham, Harwich, and Orleans – have collaborated through the Pleasant Bay Alliance to tackle nitrogen contamination in the Pleasant Bay watershed.
“The successful collaboration between MassDEP, the Pleasant Bay communities, the Alliance, the Cape Cod Commission, and EPA represents a pioneering effort,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “We fully expect that this experience will benefit other Cape communities sharing watersheds, and provide them with a clear pathway for developing the most effective, efficient solutions for their communities.”
For more information, see here.
