MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
1991 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION
AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
An Evolving Plan for Action
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
Public Draft 12/91
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T
JLhe
.he Massachusetts Bays Program
(MBP) was established to restore and
protect water quality and enhance the living
marine resources of Massachusetts and
Cape Cod Bays (the Massachusetts Bays).
This 1991 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is the
first version of an evolving plan to achieve that goal and articulate a vision for the
future of Massachusetts Bays. It contains an overview of the problems facing the
Bays and prescribes a series of actions that local, regional, state, and federal
governmental agencies can take to improve the quality of the Bays and provide
lasting protection to the Bays' diverse natural resources. A complete list of these
actions can be found at the end of this Executive Summary.
The 1991 edition of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan
will be revised and updated as more information about the Bays is developed
through the program's research and demonstration projects. A second, more
expansive, plan will be produced in 1993, followed by the full Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plan in 1995.
The 1991 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan is organized
into five chapters. Chapter I introduces the Massachusetts Bays Program and
describes its evolving management plan. Chapter II provides background
information on a variety of physical, biological, and socioeconomic features of
the Bays, as well as on several large-scale projects, such as the Boston Harbor
Cleanup, that are expected to have significant impacts on water and sediment
quality and living resources in the Bays. Chapter IH examines six priority
problems identified by the Massachusetts Bays Program. Chapter IV, the
centerpiece of the Management Plan, contains a series of recommended actions
that the Massachusetts Bays Program, various governmental agencies, and the
general public can initiate to reduce pollution in Massachusetts Bays. Chapter V
discusses ongoing and proposed scientific research on the Bays, together with
strategies on public outreach and education, data management, and financing.
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STRUCTURE AND GOALS OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM
In 1988, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through its Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs, Coastal Zone Management Office, and the US
Environmental Protection Agency Region I convened a Management Conference
to oversee the activities of the Massachusetts Bays Program. In 1990, the
Massachusetts Bays were designated an "Estuary of National Significance" and
became one of 17 estuaries nationwide in EPA's National Estuary Program.
The Management Conference of the Massachusetts Bays Program consists of
representatives from appropriate federal, state, and local government agencies,
regional planning agencies, various user groups, public and private education
institutions, and the general public. It is organized into four distinct committees:
Policy Committee, Management Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, and
Citizens Advisory Committee. The Policy Committee is comprised of the EPA
Regional Administrator and the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental
Affairs. This committee sets program policy and approves the decisions of the
Management Committee, the major decision-making committee in the
Conference. The Management Committee receives input and advice from the
Technical Advisory Committee (TAG) and the Citizens Advisory Committee
(CAC).
The ultimate goal of the Massachusetts Bays Program is to institutionalize the
planning process so that there are rolling five-year research and action agendas to
protect, maintain, and, where necessary, restore or improve the Massachusetts
Bay and Cape Cod Bay ecosystem. Work under the program will be geared to:
. • Improve the habitats of living resources in Massachusetts and Cape Cod
Bays.
• Protect public health by minimizing risk from environmental
contaminants.
• Protect and improve water and sediment quality.
• Enhance the aesthetic quality of Massachusetts' coast and coastal waters.
• Encourage pollution prevention and environmentally and fiscally sound
methods of treatment, cleanup, and restoration.
• Improve access, educational, and recreational opportunities in and around
the waters of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING
The Massachusetts Bays region is a large, complex estuarine ecosystem
located on the southwestern edge of the Gulf of Maine. The region extends from
Cape Ann on the North Shore to Race Point on the tip of Cape Cod, and
encompasses both Massachusetts Bay and its southeast extension, Cape Cod Bay.
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The Bays cover an expanse of ocean 84 miles long and 24 miles wide and
comprise 63,000 acres of coastal habitat. Seaward, the region extends to, and
includes, Stellwagen Bank, a shallow, fertile fishing ground under active
consideration for designation as a National Marine Sanctuary. Landward, the
region extends to the edge of the watersheds which drain to the Bays.
Altogether, 168 Massachusetts communities are in the Massachusetts Bays
Program (Figure 1). Of these, 49 are coastal communities. Although not
physically part of the Massachusetts Bays estuary, six coastal communities and
their watersheds on the Upper North Shore (Essex to the New Hampshire border)
are also included in the Massachusetts Bays Program. These communities are
included because research has indicated that the Merrimack River may be a major
determinant of water quality in the Massachusetts Bays region.
The land area in Massachusetts draining to Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays
covers over 2,500 square miles and consists of thirteen separate river basins and
coastal drainage areas. A significant amount of land outside Massachusetts also
drains into the Massachusetts Bays region via the Merrimack River. The
mainstem of the Merrimack River forms in central New Hampshire and flows 78
miles before entering Massachusetts. The Merrimack Basin covers 5,010 square
miles, and is the fourth largest river basin in New England. However, less than 25
percent of the watershed, or 1201 square miles, is located in Massachusetts.
POPULATION AND
LAND USE
The estimated population within the
Massachusetts Bays Drainage Basin (excluding
the New Hampshire portion of the Merrimack
River) for 1990 is 3.8 million residents. Since
1970, this area has experienced only a 2.7
percent increase in population. While the
population of the basin as a whole has remained
relatively stable, several subregions and a
number of individual communities have
experienced rapid population growth over the past twenty years. For example,
Cape Cod and the South Shore have experienced tremendous growth, while the
Lower North Shore and Boston Harbor Regions have experienced slight
population losses. The population of the Upper North Shore grew modestly.
Land use varies widely in the Massachusetts portion of the Massachusetts
Bays region, ranging from high-density urban centers around Metropolitan Boston
to low density, rural residential communities on the North and South Shores.
General trends indicate that significant urban development occurred throughout
much of the Massachusetts Bays region between 1970 and the mid-1980's. A
number of communities in the region experienced unprecedented growth that
resulted in dramatic and irretrievable losses of land formerly classified as forest,
farm or wetland.
Of the five towns in the Commonwealth that are estimated to have the highest
rates of land consumption during the first half of the 1980's, four are communities
on Cape Cod, including three in the Massachusetts Bays region. Nine other
Massachusetts Bays communities are among the highest land-consuming areas in
the state.
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VALUES AND BENEFITS OF
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
The Massachusetts Bays are a resource of inestimable value to the residents
and living resources of the region. A rich and varied range of marine organisms,
composing an ecosystem, thrive in the Bays' waters. Area residents enjoy a way
of life centered around the Bays, featuring outstanding recreational opportunities,
first-rate port facilities, bountiful harvests of seafood, economically-important
industries and tourism, and priceless aesthetic values, all of which depend on a
clean and healthy marine environment.
Beaches and Recreational Resources
The coastal communities of the Massachusetts Bays region contain over 100
municipal, state and federal public beaches. These rank among the region's most
important economic and recreational resources, and are frequented by tens of
thousands of bathers, boaters and fishermen annually.
Many municipal parks are found in the Bays communities. These offer a
broad range of active and passive recreational opportunities, including swimming,
boating, fishing, team sports, picnic sites, and children's play areas. For marine
boating enthusiasts, 18 state-sponsored public boat ramps serve the coastal zone.
Whale watching has become a favorite pastime in the Bays. Whale watching
cruise ships now leave from many of the Bays ports, including Newburyport,
Gloucester, Boston, Plymouth and Provincetown. In 1986, almost a million
people participated in whale watching cruises, generating over $16 million in
revenue for the region's economy.
Habitat
Variations in coastal geography, ocean currents, tidal energy, and sediment
type combine to produce a rich composite of marine and estuarine habitats in the
Massachusetts Bays ecosystem. These habitats range from sandy beaches and
shallow tidal creeks to rocky headlands and deep ocean waters. Altogether, nine
major habitats are identified and described in the CCMP:
• • Salt marshes • Tidal flats
• Eelgrass beds • Barrier beaches
• Rocky headlands and intertidal shores • Inshore/nearshore waters
• Offshore feeding grounds • Coastal islands
• Anadromous fish runs
Together, these habitats provide essential food, cover, migratory corridors,
and breeding and nursery areas for a broad assortment of coastal and marine
organisms, including finfish and shellfish, numerous waterbirds (including
seabirds, shorebirds, and wading birds), and several endangered species of
mammals, including the northern right whale.
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Fisheries Resources
The fisheries resources of Massachusetts Bays are major staples of the
region's long-standing maritime tradition. In 1989, the region produced over
313,000 bushels of shellfish — including soft shell clams, quahogs, oysters, bay
scallops, and blue mussels — valued at over $14 million. In 1990, the
Massachusetts finfish industry ranked 14th nationally in total volume of landings
with a value of $147.7 million. The region's lobster industry, the largest single-
species component of the Bays fisheries resource, produced landings of more than
$40 million.
MAJOR ACTIVITIES WITHIN
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
Several large, ongoing or proposed projects in Massachusetts Bays will have a
significant impact on the water quality and living resources of the Bays. These
projects include: the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Boston Harbor
Project, the South Essex Sewage District project, the Central Artery/Third Harbor
Tunnel project, the Army Corps of Engineers Boston Harbor Navigation
Improvement Project, the Army Corps Saugus River Floodgate project, and the
Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site.
These projects are discussed in the CCMP because their large scale and
potentially significant impact on the Massachusetts Bays system illustrate the
interconnected nature of the Massachusetts Bays system and highlight the
importance of addressing pollution problems in the Bays from an ecosystem-wide
perspective. The Bays are a marine ecosystem comprised of currents, tides,
nutrient cycles, energy flows and food webs. These natural processes link the
ecological health of one part of the Bays to the health of the ecosystem as a
whole. Consequently, the effects of any one of these megaprojects may be felt in
another part of the Bays system. The Massachusetts Bays Program recognizes that
the future health of the Bays and continued human use of its resources will require
an ecosystem-based management approach. This approach must include an effort
to analyze and better understand the greater-than-local impact of large projects in
the region.
PRIORITY PROBLEMS
The consequences of human activities in the coastal zone and careless
management of marine resources have been dramatically illustrated in the
Massachusetts Bays region. Evidence is accumulating that the Bays waters are at
risk. Human population growth and its attendant development impacts have
resulted in a wide range of insults to the Bays environment. Millions of gallons of
partially treated sewage, industrial wastes, and urban runoff reach the Bays each
day, carrying toxic contaminants, excess nutrients, and bacteria into estuarine and
marine waters. Increased fishing effort has depleted commercial fish stocks to
record low levels. Housing construction and other forms of development have
encroached on coastal wetlands and saltmarshes. Accidental and chronic
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discharges of oil and other toxic materials are placing additional stress on the
marine environment. Shorefront development, mounting traffic and parking
problems, and loss of historic rights-of-way combine to limit opportunities for
public access to the coast. Ports and working waterfronts are being squeezed out
by competing (non-maritime) land uses.
Evidence of these stresses can be found throughout the Bays. The CCMP
identifies a series of warning signs of degradation, including:
• Water and sediment quality in some urbanized harbors such as Boston and
. Salem Harbors is seriously degraded. Concentrations of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
Boston Harbor sediments are comparable to those of larger urbanized
harbors such as New York and Baltimore Harbors.
• Certain species of fish and shellfish are exhibiting signs of environmental
stress, including fin rot, liver lesions, and black gill disease.
• Relatively undeveloped harbors such as Wellfleet Harbor on Cape Cod are
showing increasing signs of stress, including shellfish bed closures, loss of
habitat, and growth of nuisance algae.
• 75% of Massachusetts' coastal waters assessed by the state in 1990 failed
to support their designated uses.
• Thousands of acres of productive shellfish habitat are closed to harvesting
due to bacterial contamination, resulting in loss of livelihood and
economic hardship.
• Health advisories have been issued in selected coastal communities to
protect the public from the hazards associated with eating contaminated
seafood and swimming in contaminated water.
• In 1989 and 1990, most major beaches in Boston Harbor were posted as
polluted at least once during the summer months. High bacteria levels
have also forced the closure of some beaches on the South Shore.
In order to address the Bays' major environmental concerns, the Massachu-
setts Bays Program has defined six priority problem areas. These were identified
in consultation with local, state, and federal government officials, the scientific
and academic community, environmental groups, commercial and recreational
users of the Bays, and concerned citizens. The priority problem areas are:
• Chemical contamination of water and sediments
• Bioaccumulation and effects of chemical contamination
• Pathogen contamination
• Water quality
• Habitat Loss and modification
• Sea level rise
A brief description of these priority problems follows.
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Chemical Contamination of Water and Sediments
Chemical contaminants of concern in the marine environment of
Massachusetts Bays include the toxic metals — lead, copper, cadmium,
chromium and zinc; and two groups of organic chemicals — PAHs and PCBs.
In general, the presence of these contaminants is the result of waste disposal
activities, runoff, and atmospheric deposition. They contribute to a variety of
adverse impacts on water and sediment quality, marine organisms, and human
health.
Contamination of water and sediments by organic chemicals and toxic metals
diminishes the ability to use the resources of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays
in a variety of ways. Public health is threatened through the increased risk of
disease associated with eating contaminated seafood. Fish and shellfish are
stressed by toxic chemicals in the water and sediment and may develop cancerous
tumors or other diseases. Environmental stress may also lead to declines in
population levels. The fragile ecology of coastal habitats is threatened by shifts in
the types of plants and animals to a less diverse community of pollution-tolerant
organisms.
Bioaccumulation and Effects of Chemical Contamination
Marine organisms are exposed to chemical contaminants through direct
contact with polluted water and sediments and through feeding. Bioaccumulation
is a process whereby a substance enters an aquatic organism and is stored within
the tissues of the organism.
The marine resources of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays have been
impaired by the presence of chemical contaminants in the marine environment.
This contamination is largely concentrated in the vicinity of urban centers and
localized "hot spots." However, continued long-term discharges of chemical
contaminants into the marine environment will spread the contamination into
more remote locations.
Use impairments associated with the presence of chemical contaminants
include the degradation and/or alteration of habitat, and possible human health
impacts related to the accumulation of contaminants in the marine food chain.
Health advisories have been issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health to warn against the consumption of lobster tomalley and consumption of
fish harvested in Boston Harbor for certain high-risk segments of the population.
In general, seafood harvested in nearshore waters is the most highly contaminated
and thus poses the greatest public health risk.
Pathogen Contamination
Pathogens are disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Pathogen contamination
can close productive shellfish beds and recreational swimming beaches. People
who come in contact with pathogens either by eating contaminated shellfish or by
swimming in contaminated waters face health risks ranging from skin rash to
gastrointestinal illness to more serious illnesses such as hepatitis. Public health
officials utilize indicator organisms, such as fecal coliform bacteria, to determine
the possible presence of pathogens in the environment.
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Shellfish beds are important commercial, recreational, and ecological
resources in the Massachusetts Bays system. Over the past twenty years, there
has been a dramatic increase in acreage closed to shellfish harvesting. In general,
these closures may be the result of increased pathogen contamination, but also
appear to be the result of increased water quality monitoring and reporting of the
incidence of illness. Most of this increase has taken place on Cape Cod and on
the South Shore. Major closures have occurred in areas considered relatively
contaminant-free, such as the North and South Rivers.
The presence of pathogens in coastal waters also affects recreational
opportunities in Massachusetts Bays. In 1989 and 1990, most of the major
beaches in Boston Harbor were posted as polluted at least once during the
summer months. High bacterial levels have also forced the closure of beaches on
the South Shore. In and around the older cities of the Bays, the highest frequency
of beach closures occurs after rainstorms, when large amounts of untreated or
partially-treated sewage and runoff are discharged to coastal waters.
Water Quality
In addition to the chemical contaminants and pathogens that affect the quality
of the marine environment, other parameters — nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and
suspended solids — affect the quality of water and sediments within
Massachusetts Bays. Aquatic organisms require good water and sediment quality
for survival, growth, and reproduction. Under inadequate conditions, individual
organisms may reproduce poorly, die, or move from the area. If the impacts upon
individual organisms are too stressful, entire populations or communities may be
affected.
Contaminants enter the Bays from a variety of sources: municipal wastewater
treatment plants, industrial discharges, stormwater runoff, atmospheric deposition,
septic systems, and boat wastes. Point source pollution, emanating from discrete
locations such as treatment plants and industrial discharges, is regulated by
federal and state environmental agencies. Permits are issued to control and
monitor discharges of contaminants. Recently, nonpoint source pollution (from
diffuse sources such as stormwater and septic systems) has been recognized as a
significant contributor to degraded water quality along the coast.
High levels of nutrients, primarily nitrogen, can cause water quality problems
in the marine environment. Excessive amounts of nitrogen may trigger a
condition called eutrophication, characterized by excessive algal growth with
resultant depletion of dissolved oxygen and possible fish kills. Increased
abundance of algae can limit the transmission of light reaching eelgrass leaves,
resulting in loss of eelgrass beds that provide habitat for shellfish and other
animals. Algal blooms also impair recreational and aesthetic enjoyment of coastal
waters. A recent study completed for the Massachusetts Bays Program indicates
that point source discharges are the most significant sources of nutrients entering
the Bays waters. Other important nutrient sources include river discharges,
atmospheric deposition, and surface runoff.
Minimum levels of oxygen in the water (dissolved oxygen) are essential for
the survival of aquatic organisms. Wastewater and naturally-occurring organic
matter contain oxygen-demanding substances that consume dissolved oxygen. If
the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water is too low, then organisms may die.
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Concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the waters of Massachusetts Bays are
generally within a range to support marine organisms. However, occasionally
low dissolved oxygen levels do occur within certain areas of Boston Harbor.
Suspended solids consist of organic or inorganic particles suspended in and
carried by water. The term includes sand, mud, and clay particles, as well as
solids found in wastewater. Suspended solids introduced into coastal waters can
increase turbidity, thereby decreasing the amount of light that penetrates the water
column. High turbidity is frequently harmful to marine plants and benthic
animals, particularly their planktonic larval stages. Solid materials in coastal
waters can originate from both natural and man-made sources. The largest source
of suspended solids in the Boston Harbor area is the MWRA sewage treatment
facility.
Habitat Loss/Degradation and Resource Depletion
Massachusetts is estimated to have lost approximately 30% of the total
wetland acreage and 20% of coastal wetland acreage existing at the time of the
colonists; another 1,000 acres, or nearly 0.2% of the state's remaining coastal and
inland wetlands are lost annually. Although Massachusetts has enacted wetlands
protection regulations, incremental losses continue to occur as a result of direct
development, both public and private, and secondary alterations from pollution.
The combined effects of habitat encroachment and degraded water and sediment
quality stress all marine organisms, including important commercial species,
marine mammals, endangered species, and the food chain upon which they
depend.
Direct depletion of marine resources through overharvesting is also of concern
in the region. Landings of many commercially important species, such as
haddock, cod, and flounder, have plummeted to record low levels.
Sea Level Rise
Over the past 3 million years, sea level has fluctuated in response to changes
in global temperature. Currently in a warming period, sea level has been rising
since the retreat of the last continental glaciers over 15,000 years ago. Tidal data
collected over the past century indicate that sea level is rising at an average rate of
one foot per century, worldwide. Recent studies, however, indicate that the
present rate of sea level rise may accelerate dramatically within the next 10-100
years due to global warming caused by the "greenhouse effect." Predictions vary
widely, but the accelerated sea level rise caused by global warming could raise
water levels 2 to 12 feet by the year 2100.
Rising sea level will impact our ability to use and enjoy the resources of the
Bays in a number of ways. Six major impacts include:
• Loss of uplands or land area
• Increased flooding
• Loss of wetlands
• Accelerated shoreline erosion
• Saltwater intrusion into drinking water supply wells
• Elevated groundwater levels
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A PLAN OF ACTION
Utilization of Massachusetts Bays' resources carries with it an obligation of
preservation and stewardship of those resources. To respond to this obligation,
the Massachusetts Bays Program was launched to address mounting threats to the
natural resources of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. At the heart of the
program is the CCMP Action Plan. This action plan prescribes immediate and
long-term actions that can and should be taken by the Massachusetts Bays
Program, various governmental agencies, and the general public to restore and
preserve the Bays' ecological integrity. The management recommendations
contained in this action plan are organized into four topics:
• Public Health Risks
• Living Resources and Habitat Protection
• Aesthetic Quality
• Waterfront Access: Public Access and the Working Waterfront
Following is a brief overview of the issues raised in the CCMP under each of
these topic areas. At the end of this Executive Summary is a presentation of all of
the recommended management actions contained in the CCMP.
Public Health Risks
The Massachusetts Bays Program recognizes the benefits of seafood
consumption, the economic importance of the state's commercial and recreational
fishing industries, and the value of improving recreational opportunities in
Massachusetts Bays. As a result, an important objective of the Program is to
reduce public health risks from environmental contaminants, specifically,
pathogens, naturally-occurring biotoxins, and chemicals. Additionally, there is a
need to better educate the public about seafood safety. In many cases, public
perceptions may not be linked to actual conditions. Following is an overview of
the conclusions reached in the CCMP regarding public health risks and marine
waters.
In terms of pathogens, eating raw shellfish poses the greatest public health
threat. Thorough cooking of shellfish eliminates microbial pathogens. The
current standard used to classify shellfish areas provides adequate public health
protection from most bacterial pathogens associated with sewage, but research is
needed to develop valid indicators of human enteric viruses. While steps can be
taken to reduce or minimize risks to public health from eating shellfish, ultimately
there must be proper treatment and disposal of sewage to avoid pathogen
contamination in coastal waters, particularly those used for shellfish harvesting
and recreation.
One naturally-occurring biotoxin of concern in the Massachusetts Bays region
is Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). Despite the annual occurrence of the
dinoflagellate blooms responsible for PSP, current monitoring efforts in coastal
waters by the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) appear to provide adequate
public health protection. However, other than the two-year effort underway to
monitor offshore waters, there is no effective longer-term monitoring strategy for
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the shellfisheries of Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals. Similarly, selected
monitoring for domoic acid, a naturally-occurring biotoxin of potential concern
responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning, is underway as part of the same two-
year program. This program is scheduled to end in May 1992.
Massachusetts coastal waters, sediments, and fishery resources are
contaminated by a variety of chemicals for which there are no federal limits.
Limited data are available that document the levels of these chemical
contaminants in the edible portions of fishery resources. Information is also
insufficient regarding the relationship between exposure and illness. There is
adequate data for PCBs and mercury, two contaminants for which federal
standards have been determined.
Living Resources and Habitat Protection
The marine and estuarine habitats of Massachusetts Bays are of immeasurable
value to the Commonwealth's citizens and to its native wildlife. These habitats
are used by living marine resources for food, spawning, rearing, and protection
from predators. They also provide erosion and flood protection, water quality
control, aesthetic enjoyment, and wildlife and waterfowl utilization. The people
who live along the coastline have long appreciated the Bays' natural wealth and
have wrested a livelihood from its bounty. The "coastalwealth" of Massachusetts
has provided the basis for the region's longstanding maritime tradition. However,
the habitats and living resources on both the landward and seaward sides of the
shore are showing signs of stress. Despite past gains in the regulatory framework
designed to protect these resources, polluted coastal waters, loss of essential
wetlands, declining fish stocks, increasing shellfish bed closures, and declining
wildlife populations and diversity all testify to the failure of present regulatory,
management, and planning programs to keep pace with increasingly complex
environmental problems. The future health and productivity of the Bays'
resources will require new attention to their management needs.
Improved management of the Bays' living resources will require improved
cooperation and coordination among environmental management agencies at all
levels of government. Central to this is the need for ongoing technical assistance
to local governments to help them work collectively to address the various land
and water-based stresses to the Bays' ecosystem. This assistance.should include,
among other things: improved transfer of information (such as habitat maps) that
is directly applicable to local and regional needs; increased technical assistance on
pollution prevention, best management practices, and other resource protection
techniques; and public education on the critical relationships between human
activities, water quality, and the health of the Bays living resources.
Aesthetic Quality
Beach debris, marine floatables, and oil discharges detract significantly from
the aesthetic quality of the Massachusetts Bays coastline and can adversely affect
the economy of the region's coastal communities. Despite recent positive trends
in beach cleanup statistics shown in Coastsweep 1990, beach litter, marine debris,
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and oil in the marine environment continue to be persistent problems that impair
public use and enjoyment of the Bays and can have far-reaching and long-term
negative impacts on the region's living resources.
The extent of these problems and the apparent inability of current policies and
regulations to effectively address them, requires changes to the region's approach
towards minimizing the amount of debris and oil entering the Bays waters. New
management options must utilize an aggressive combination of regulatory tools
and public education that promotes pollution prevention as well as improved
contingency planning for pollution cleanup. Central to this approach should be
incentives that promote recycling, reuse and proper disposal of wastes before they
can enter the Bays. The approach also should establish a framework for
cooperation among levels of government and provide incentives for developing
regional solutions.
Waterfront Access: Public Access and the
Working Waterfront
Burgeoning population in the coastal zone has led to increased demand for
public access to and use of coastal areas in Massachusetts Bays. However, as
demand for shoreline recreation (swimming, fishing, boating, windsurfing, etc.)
has grown, the supply of accessible shoreline has dwindled. Shorefront
development, transportation and parking problems, and loss of historic rights of
way combine to limit opportunities for public access. In addition, the region's
working waterfronts — the legacy of the Bay State's proud and longstanding
maritime tradition and a major component of the region's economy — are being
squeezed out by competing land uses in the region's harbors. New initiatives are
needed to enhance public access and preserve traditional maritime uses in the
coastal communities of the Massachusetts Bays region.
THE UNFINISHED AGENDA
Between now and 1995, the Massachusetts Bays Program will identify near-
term solutions to known pollution problems and explore the means to carry out
those solutions. One challenge facing the Program is to insure the continuation of
the Management Conference or its analog beyond 1995 in order to carry out the
implementation of near-term management recommendations, develop longer-term
goals and activities, and provide continuity and coordination among the myriad of
government agencies, academic institutions, and user groups that are working to
restore and protect the Massachusetts Bays ecosystem. An equally complex
challenge before the Massachusetts Bays Program is to establish a "coastal ethic"
that can serve as the basis for the public's support of actions taken by the Program
as well as others to restore and protect the Bays.
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Research and Monitoring
The CCMP describes the Massachusetts Bays Program's existing and
proposed research and monitoring activities. A long-range research plan was
formulated in 1988 by the Program's Technical Advisory Committee (TAG). The
goal of this plan is to provide data needed to fill the gaps in our knowledge of the
physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms which both drive and affect the
Massachusetts Bays ecosystem. The plan's focus is bays-wide, and addresses five
categories of research needs:
• Physical oceanography
• Contaminant sources
• Transport and retention of contaminants
• Bioaccumulation and biotransformation
• Social benefits assessment
Physical oceanographic and chemical assessment studies received the bulk of
the initial funding, in order to lay the necessary groundwork for the biological
studies that will follow in subsequent years. Now that many of these initial
studies are being completed, the Program is placing emphasis on research into the
biological processes of the Bays, especially in areas that couple living resources
concerns with our recently-gained knowledge of the bays' physical oceanography
and contaminant sources. :
The Massachusetts Bays Program also recognizes that a long-term monitoring
program is needed. While monitoring activities are separate from research
activities per se, both initiatives are designed to provide policy makers with the
necessary environmental data to wisely manage and conserve the complex
habitats of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. The monitoring program will
assess the ecological impacts of contaminants and determine the effectiveness of
specific mitigation activities. This will support the broader goals of the
Massachusetts Bays Program — i.e., protection of the habitats of living resources,
protection of public health, and protection of water and sediment quality.
Public Outreach and Education
The CCMP contains a Public Outreach and Education Strategy that is an
integral part of the Massachusetts Bays Program. This strategy supports and
reflects all other facets of the program, including research, management, planning,
and implementation activities. In addition, it links the CCMP Action Plan to a
program that will build awareness, support, involvement, and leadership among
program participants. Successful implementation of the CCMP Action Plan will
require public support that is best achieved through active local government and
citizen participation. The public outreach and education strategy will maintain
this driving force of public involvement through a soundly-designed structure of
citizen advisors and local governance representatives. The strategy will identify
targeted audiences and develop aggressive public participation and education
campaigns that span the Massachusetts Bays region.
14
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Creation of a Local Governance Committee will be a major focus of the
public outreach and education strategy during the spring of 1992. This committee
will provide cities and towns with an opportunity to participate in the
development and implementation of the CCMP Action Plan, and to advise the
Management Committee about local issues and needs. It will serve as a forum for
communication between the management conference and municipalities; facilitate
communication across municipal boundaries; and expedite the implementation of
sound actions to protect and enhance Massachusetts Bays.
Financing
The CCMP identifies a number of actions that will or should be taken between
now and 1993 by the various levels of government concerned with preserving and
protecting the water quality and living resources of the Massachusetts Bays
ecosystem. Some of these actions are underway; others can be achieved without
further financial resources. However, some will require additional funding at
either the local or state level.
The identification and evaluation of funding alternatives for the Massachusetts
Bays Program is set against a background of increasing costs for environmental
protection and diminishing financial capacity at the federal, state, and local levels.
Nationwide, government spending for environmental protection is projected to
increase by 37% between 1987 and the year 2000 just to maintain current levels
of environmental quality. An additional 38% increase will be needed to meet the
requirements of new regulations and standards.
The burden of funding environmental programs is also shifting. In 1981, local
governments were already paying 76 percent of the cost of environmental
protection (including air, water, and solid and hazardous waste programs). By the
year 2000, local governments will bear 87 percent of the public costs of
environmental protection.
In Massachusetts, the current (and foreseeable) economic situation suggests
that raising additional funds to pay for state and local initiatives recommended as
part of the Massachusetts Bays Program will be extremely difficult. Nevertheless,
between now and 1993, the Massachusetts Bays Program will be working to
establish the foundations for sound financial planning to implement the CCMP
Action Plan recommendations.
Data Management
The CCMP contains a Data Management Strategy that is designed to integrate
and effectively communicate program findings about the effect of man's activities
on the health of Massachusetts Bays. The links between natural resources and the
pollution sources that surround them will be conveyed to decision makers and the
public through summaries of research data and maps showing spatial
relationships.
Provision of pertinent data to managers, scientists, and the public will help
them make informed decisions on pollution abatement and improved resources
management around the Bays. Data will be represented in the context of
watersheds and embayments in order to foster a resource-focused approach to
15
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problem solving. These representations will support the CCMP, public outreach
and education efforts, and the Characterization ("State of the Bays") Report by
synthesizing research findings and illustrating the status and physical setting of
Massachusetts Bays resources in easily-understandable forms.
Embayment Management
The Management Conference Agreement of November 1990 identified two
levels at which the Massachusetts Bays Program will function: "bays-wide and
on an embayment level." The activities of the Program on the embayment level
will involve working with local government and citizens groups to "develop and
implement strategies for effective embayment management."
Land use management will be a major issue at the embayment level, with the
Massachusetts Bays Program working to provide local managers with the tools to
predict and minimize resource impacts related to land use. Shellfish bed
protection and restoration, an issue of environmental, economic, and political
concern, is intimately related to land use and will be one of the priority local
management issues. •••
Over the next several years, the Massachusetts Bays Program will employ a
variety of tools to facilitate implementation of water quality management
strategies at the embayment level. These tools will include:
• Technical assistance and other staff support
• Research and monitoring ,
• Data management
• Funding action/demonstration projects
• Coordinating public outreach activities
In 1991, three embayments within the Massachusetts Bays study area were
selected to participate in the Mini-bays Program. These embayments - Plum
Island Sound, Fore River and Wellfleet Harbor - will receive five years of funding
from the Massachusetts Bays Program to carry out research, planning,
implementation, monitoring and public outreach. The lessons learned from these
embayments are intended to be replicable in other embayments within the
Massachusetts Bays region.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
The following matrices present the 123 recommended actions contained in the
CCMP that federal, state and local governments, regional planning agencies and
industry should take to protect and restore Massachusetts Bays. The matrices are
arranged according to responsible agency and action plan topic or sub-topic.
Some recommendations require action by more than one agency, so therefore,
these recommendations appear wherever appropriate in the matrix. This action
agenda is intended as a starting point from which priority actions will be
identified and initiated in accordance with available resources.
16
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PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
PATHOGENS
BIOTOXINS
CHEMICAL
CONTAMINANTS
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
PROGRAM (MBP)
Produce a risk assessment
study in 1992 to determine
the relative importance of the
various contaminants and
pathogens entering Massa-
chusetts Bays in terms of
public health risks.
Produce a Characterization
Report in 1992 which will
incorporate information on
sources, transport, fate, and
effects of contaminants from
historical sources as well as
incorporate the results of
MBP sponsored and
coordinated research.
SEDERAL
FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION (FDA)
AND NATIONAL MARINE
FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS)
FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, DIVISION
OF MARINE FISHERIES
(DMF), AND DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC HEALTH (DPH)
STATE \
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
(EOEA)
Review and comment to the
Department of Environmental
protection (DEP) on proposed
revisions to Title 5 for
applicability to coastal areas
(e.g., viral transport and
nutrient loading).
Educate consumers about the
health benefits of seafood and
how to reduce risks from
microbial contamination.
Develop, in cooperation with
the EOEA. Marine Sanitation
Device Task Force, protocols
for enforcing MSD standards
by the Coast Guard; MBP and
CZM will explore the possibility
of state and local enforcement.
Remain informed about, and
support the development of,
better viral.indicators.
Fund a series of demonstration
projects relating to the
reduction of pathogens levels
affecting shellfish beds.
Synthesize existing
information and identify toxic
chemical 'hot spots'
throughout the Massachu-
setts Bays area.
Review and evaluate
NPDES discharges to the
Massachusetts bays study
area; DEP should verify
discharges through a
selected sampling program.
Educate consumers about
the health benefits of
seafood and how to reduce'
risks from chemical
contamination.
Fund research on the
sources, transport, and fate
of organic contaminants
(including PCB and PAH)
entering Massachusetts
Bays via wastewater,
industrial discharges, runoff,
and atmospheric deposition.
Develop and implement a long-
term monitoring and manage-
ment strategy tor offshore
waters for Paralytic Shellfish
Poisoning (PSP).
Review the data collected
between 1990 and 1992 as
part of the Massachusetts
Marine Biotoxin Monitoring
Project to determine if a
regulatory limit for domoic acid
should be established and if
continued monitoring for
domoic acid is necessary.
Fund the DMF Shellfish
Sanitation,Program as
originally intended (currently
this program is started at a
50% level).
Establish more publicly-funded
state-certified water testing
laboratories in order to responc
more quickly to rainfall events
and increase sampling efforts.
Develop sediment criteria for
selected contaminants to
protect both the ecosystem
and human health.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH
Increase monitoring efforts to
document the presence of
chemical contaminants in the
edible portion of fishery
products in order to better
assess public health risks and
develop control strategies.
MUNICIPALITIES
Collaborate with DMF to
identify and fix contamination
sources. This collaboration
should be'formalized and
institutionalized, with monthly
updates of activities given at
board of health and/or board
of selectmen meetings.
Explore innovative ways to
fund and establish programs
to collect and properly
dispose of household
hazardous wastes on a
regular basis.
2263KE
-------
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN (continued)
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
MUNICIPALITIES
(continued)
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PATHOGENS
For coastal areas served by
septic systems, review and
update regulations governing
these systems and maintain a
strict adherence to setback
and distance-to-groundwater
requirements in sensitive
coastal settings. Municipalities
should also review their
policies on granting variances
to ensure that they are
consistent with environmental
and public health objectives.
Utilize 1989 sanitary survey
information (as well as other
more recent information),
priority rank shellfish areas in
need of remediation, and take
the necessary action to correct
known sources of pollution
(i.e., failing septic systems).
Collect and analyze available
data on swimming beach
closures to identify pollution
sources and then undertake
action to remediate the
source.
Obtain appropriate training for
all volunteer review boards
such as boards of health,
conservation commissions,
etc., as well as water quality
task force groups.
Adopt strict regulations
prohibiting additional
stormwater discharges and/or
volume additions to present
discharges.
Investigate dry-weather flow
conditions on all stormwater
discharge pipes to eliminate
the possibility of sewage
connections.
Explore obtaining condition-
ally-approved classification for
appropriate resource areas
impacted by stormwater
runoff.
Consider the formation of task
forces to address water quality
issues. Representation should
include selectmen, resource
management personnel, and
citizen groups.
Institute regulations for
random testing of Marine
Sanitation Devices to ensure
that sanitary wastes are
properly disinfected.
Assure effective and reliable
sewage treatment and
disinfection at wastewater
treatment plants, and reduce
or eliminate the discharge of
CSOs.
s •> s •. •. j. n %
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LIVING RESOURCES AND HABITAT PROTECTION ACTION PLAN
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
NUTRIENT LOADING
COASTAL HABITATS
LIVING RESOURCES
STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT
TOXIC WASTE
MANAGEMENT
BOAT WASTE
MANAGEMENT
TOPIC
DREDGING AND DREDGED
MATERIALS DISPOSAL
SEA LEVEL RISE
COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT
••
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
PROGRAM
Fund research relating to
nutrient loading and nutrient-
phytoplankton interactions.
Develop a Bays-wide
monitoring plan that will
assess the impacts of
nutrients and contaminants to
the Massachusetts Bays
ecosystem and will develop a
strategy for implementation.
FEDERAL
ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS (COE)
Work with the Division of
Water Pollution Control to
strengthen Massachusetts'
Water Quality Standards to
benefit coastal habitats.
Work with EOEA to pass No
Net Loss wetlands legislation,
Watershed Protection
legislation, and River Protec-
tion legislation.
Support the adoption of strong
regulations to implement the
recently-passed Massachu-
setts Endangered Species Act.
Support the Wetlands
Conservancy Program's efforts
to map and protect (via deed
restriction) critical coastal
wetlands in Massachusetts
Bays communities.
Through its Data Management
staff, design and sponsor a
coastal habitat mapping
demonstration project. This
project will collect and
synthesize available habitat
information for a selected
geographic setting (e.g.,
embayment) and present it in
GIS format at a scale suitable
for local use.
Continue to support and
publicize ongoing habitat
restoration projects, such as
the Massachusetts Environ-
mental Trust's Belle Isle Marsh
Study and Habitat Restoration
Project (near Winthrop) and
Post Island Marsh Restoration
Project (Quincy), and the
Corps of Engineers/MDC
anadromous fisheries
restoration initiatives in the
Charles River.
Continue to inventory
degraded coastal habitat areas
and identify appropriate
programs to restore them.
Work with the US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS)
and the Massachusetts
Department of Fisheries,
Wildlife, and Environmental
Law Enforcement (DFWELE)
to restore anadromous fish
runs in the Massachusetts
Bays region.
Develop a demonstration
project to restore a degraded
coastal habitat (e.g., salt
marsh, sand dune, eelgrass
bed, anadromous fish run).
Work with DMF to sponsor
sanitary survey training
sessions for local officials.
These training sessions would
educate shellfish constables
and health agents on the
proper techniques for
identifying and evaluating
pathogen inputs into critical
shellfish areas.
Seek the designation of
Massachusetts Bays shellfish
areas and other estuarine
habitats as "Outstanding
Resource Waters" (under the
Antidegradation provisions of
the Massachusetts Surface
Water Quality Standards).
Work to secure additional
state funds for shellfish
management programs to be
carried out at the local level,
overseen and guided by DMF.
Continue to fund research on
the sources, transport, and
fate of organic contaminants.
Fund a risk assessment study
to determine the relative
importance of the various
contaminants entering the
Massachusetts Bays in terms
of their impact on living
resources and habitats.
Produce a characterization
report in 1992 which will
incorporate information on
living resources and habitats,
as well as information on the
sources, transport, and fate of
contaminants and their effects
on living resources in the
Bays. This information will be
collected from historical
sources and will also
incorporate the results of
MBP-sponsored and
coordinated research.
Fund a living resources
assessment to serve as a
baseline for evaluating the
effects of changes in water
quality.
Support fisheries conservation
and management actions to
provide for the recovery of
depleted groundfish and
pelagic stocks in the
Massachusetts Bays region.
Specifically, the Massachu-
setts Bays Program and the
aforementioned agencies
should assist the New
England Fishery Management
Council in developing and
implementing fisheries
management plans to rebuild
stocks.
Develop and publicize a
demonstration project to
inventory, map, and
remediate polluted
stormwater discharges in a
community that is sustaining
significant economic losses
due to rainfall closures of
shellfish beds.
Work with DEP to help
disseminate its "Nonpoint
Source Mega-Manual" and
sponsor public workshops to
educate local officials about
Best Management Practices
and financing options for
controlling stormwater
runoff.
Continue to support the
development and dissemina-
tion of boater education
materials, such as the
"Environmental Guide for
New England Mariners," to
inform the Massachusetts
Bays boating public of the
location of pumpout facilities
and of the boater's responsi-
bilities in boat waste
management.
Evaluate the option of
establishing a "No-Discharge
Zone" in Massachusetts Bay,
based on the work of the
Buzzards Bay Project.
Work with CZM and area
educational institutions to
determine the local impact of
sea level rise.
Incorporate sea level rise data
into the Massachusetts Bays
Program data base.
Develop a public outreach
program to promote public
understanding of the impacts
of sea level rise.
Conduct the proposed
comprehensive study of the
problems associated with
dredged material disposal
along the Massachusetts
Bays coastline.
-------
LIVING RESOURCES AND HABITAT PROTECTION ACTION PLAN (continued)
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
NUTRIENT LOADING
COASTAL HABITATS
LIVING RESOURCES
STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT
TOPIC
TOXIC WASTE
MANAGEMENT
BOAT WASTE
MANAGEMENT
DREDGING AND DREDGED
MATERIALS DISPOSAL
SEA LEVEL RISE
COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT
ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS (continued)
Through the Dredging and
Dredged Material Disposal
Task Force, explore alterna-
tives to ocean disposal of
contaminated materials,
including containment on site
and nearshore and shoreline
disposal, both for large
federally funded dredging
projects and smaller municipal
and private dredging projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA)
Establish sediment quality
criteria for contaminants in
dredged material.
Through the Dredging and
Dredged Material Disposal
Task Force, explore alterna-
tives to ocean disposal of
contaminated materials,
including containment on site
and nearshore and shoreline
disposal, both for large
federally funded dredging
projects and smaller
municipal and private
dredging projects.
FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
(FWS)
Identify important habitats for
endangered species, anadro-
mous fish, and migratory,
wintering, and breeding birds in
the Massachusetts Bays region.
Disseminate habitat information
to regional planning agencies
and municipalities for incorpora-
tion into regional and local
habitat protection plans.
Develop management practices
that will protect these important
wildlife habitats.
Sponsor public workshops to
educate local officials about
management practices and
options for protecting important
wildlife habitats in the Massa-
chusetts Bays region.
NATIONAL OCEANIC &
ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION /
NATIONAL MARINE
FISHERIES SERVICE
Support fisheries conservation
and management actions to
provide for the recovery of
depleted groundfish and pelagic
stocks in the Massachusetts
Bays region. Specifically, the
Massachusetts Bays Program
and the aforementioned
agencies should assist the New
England Fishery Management
Council in developing and
implementing fisheries manage-
ment plans to rebuild stocks.
Through the Dredging and
Dredged Material Disposal
Task Force, explore alterna-
tives to ocean disposal of
contaminated materials,
including containment on site
and nearshore and shoreline
disposal, both for large
federally funded dredging
projects and smaller municipa
and private dredging projects.
SOIL CONSERVATION
SERVICE (SCS)
STATE 71 "7;^
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Continue to provide technical
assistance to municipalities on
the use of Best Management
Practices to control stormwater
runoff.
Support the development and
dissemination of criteria to
provide-Conservation
Commissions and shellfish
constables with guidance on
reviewing pier and dock
construction for impacts on
wetlands, shellfish beds, and
other coastal resources.
Work with the Massachusetts
Bays Program to encourage
the development of markets for
under-utilized fish species to
alleviate pressure on depleted
groundfish stocks (cod,
haddock, yellowtaii flounder,
etc.)
Through the Dredging and
Dredged Material Disposal Task
Force, explore alternatives to
ocean disposal of contaminated
materials, including containment
on site and nearshore and
shoreline disposal, both for large
federally funded dredging
projects and smaller municipal
and private dredging projects.
2263/KE
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LIVING RESOURCES AND HABITAT PROTECTION ACTION PLAN (continued)
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
NUTRIENT LOADING
COASTAL HABITATS
LIVING RESOURCES
STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT
TOXIC WASTE
MANAGEMENT
BOAT WASTE
MANAGEMENT
TOPIC
DREDGING AND DREDGED
MATERIALS DISPOSAL
SEA LEVEL RISE
COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
(continued)
Approve and fund the long-
range habitat research and
monitoring agenda recom-
mended by the EOEA
Technical Advisory Group for
Marine Issues.
Fund the implementation of the
Wetlands Conservancy
Program, including identifica-
tion and deed restriction of
sensitive wetlands, and
protection of restricted
wetlands at a level higher than
that afforded by the Wetlands
Protection Act, as provided for
in the Wetlands Restriction
Act.
Create a task force to address
the technical, regulatory, and
economic aspects of
aquaculture development in
Massachusetts Bays.
Support fisheries conservation
and management actions to
provide for the recovery of
depleted groundfish and
pelagic stocks in the Massa-
chusetts Bays region.
Specifically, the Massachu-
setts Bays Program and the
aforementioned agencies
should assist the New
England Fishery Management
Council in developing and
implementing fisheries
management plans to rebuild
stocks.
COASTAL ZONE
MANAGEMENT (CZM)
Develop criteria to determine
the adequacy of pumpout
facilities in all harbor areas.
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION (DEP)
Continue to provide technical
assistance to municipalities on
the use of Best Management
Practices to control stormwater
runoff.
Develop a stormwater
management policy under the
Wetlands Protection Act and
Regulations.
Develop a program for
permitting stormwater
discharges in critical habitat
areas.
Develop criteria to determine the
adequacy of pumpout facilities in
all harbor areas.
Through its Chapter 91
permitting authority, ensure
that new marinas or expan-
sions of existing marinas
(greater than 10 additional
slips) have adequate pumpout
facilities, waste oil receptacles
(for recycling of waste oil), and
trash disposal/recycling
containers.
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT(DEM)
Continue to provide technical
assistance to municipalities on
the establishment of house-
hold hazardous waste
collection programs.
DEPARTMENT OF
FISHERIES, WILDLIFE &
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT (DFWELE)
REGIONAL
REGIONAL PLANNING
AGENCIES (RPAs)
LOCAL
MUNICIPALITIES
Assist municipalities in
identifying nutrient-stressed
embay men ts, developing
critical loading rates, and
performing watershed build-
out analyses to estimate
potential future loadings.
Work cooperatively with
neighboring communities to
adopt strong and consistent
water quality bylaws and
health regulations.
Expedite the designation of
habitats for state-fisted
endangered and threatened
species.
Support fisheries conservation
and management actions to
provide for the recovery of
depleted groundfish and
pelagic stocks in the Massa-
chusetts Bays region. Specifi-
cally, the Massachusetts Bays
Program and the aforemen-
tioned agencies should assist
the New England Fishery
Management Council in
developing and implementing
fisheries management plans to
rebuild stocks.
Continue to provide technical
assistance to municipalities
on the use of Best Manage-
ment Practices to control
stormwater runoff.
Adopt subdivision regulations
that require that Best Manage-
ment Practices for stormwater
runoff be incorporated in any
new development project.
Continue to provide technical
assistance to municipalities on
the establishment of house-
hold hazardous waste
collection programs.
Explore innovative ways to
fund and establish programs to
collect and properly dispose of
household hazardous wastes
on a regular basis.
Provide technical assistance
to help communities plan for
and manage growth in a
manner consistent with
critical habitat protection.
Plan for the preservation of
upland areas that saltmarsh
and other coastal wetland
riabitats can reclaim as sea
evel rises.
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LIVING RESOURCES AND HABITAT PROTECTION ACTION PLAN (continued)
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
NUTRIENT LOADING
COASTAL HABITATS
LIVING RESOURCES
STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT
TOPIC
TOXIC WASTE
MANAGEMENT
BOAT WASTE
MANAGEMENT
DREDGING AND DREDGED
MATERIALS DISPOSAL
SEA LEVEL RISE
COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT
MUNICIPALITIES
(continued)
Rank, according to priority,
storm drains based on known
or potential impacts on critical
habitat areas (shellfish beds,
spawning areas, etc.) and
implement Best Management
Practices to reduce
stormwater pollution.
With the Massachusetts
Department of Public Works,
work cooperatively to ensure
that untreated stormwater is
no longer diverted directly •
into coastal wetlands or
waterways when existing
roads are re-paved and/or
upgraded.
Review and upgrade their full
complement of regulatory,
non-regulatory, and planning
tools — comprehensive plans,
zoning bylaws, watershed
bylaws, subdivision regula-
tions, health regulations,
wetlands and floodplain
bylaws, open space plans,
etc. — to prevent further
habitat loss and degradation.
INDUSTRIES THAT
DISCHARGE DIRECTLY
INTO RECEIVING WATERS
OR SEWAGE TREATMENT
FACILITIES
Continue to reduce toxic
wastes with assistance from
EOEA.
-------
AESTHETIC QUALITY ACTION PLAN
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
BEACH DEBRIS AND
MARINE FLOATABLES
TOPIC
OIL SPILLS, SLICKS,
AND DISCHARGES
ALGAL FOULING
MASSACHUSETTS BAYS
PROGRAM
Promote public education on beach and
marine debris problems, focusing
attention on special user groups and
their roles in keeping our coastal areas
debris-free.
Support state legislation that would ban
the sale of plastic tampon applicators.
Support the efforts of CZM, DEP, and
Coast Guard to develop a mutual aid
protocol that will govern the purchase
and deployment of oil spill equipment by
communities and businesses at the
embayment level.
Support the development of model
regulations that will require boatyards
and marinas to maintain oil containment
and cleanup equipment on site.
Support the examination of a deposit/
refund system to encourage oil recycling
and reduce the incentive to dispose of oil
improperly on land or at sea.
Define and coordinate the next steps to
addressing the Pilayella problem in
Nahant Bay and Broad Sound. This
may include sponsorship of an
appropriate pilot project on alternative
Pilayella management and disposal
options.
Support a program to measure the
biomass and map the areal extent of
Pilayella.
Support a program to assess the
ecological impacts of proposed
Pilayella management options.
COAST GUARD
FISH AND WILDLjfcF
Conduct training sessions for local
response personnel on the proper use of
oil spill containment and cleanup
equipment.
In its role as chair of Port Area Commit-
tees (PACs), ensure that the PACs
review each embayment area's oil spill
contingency plan for approval and
inclusion into the Area Contingency Plan
(ACP) and use those plans, as appropri-
ate, in the event of an oil spill.
SERVICE
COASTAL ZONE
MANAGEMENT
In cooperation with the Massachusetts
Bays Program, National Marine
Fisheries Service, and Department of
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental
Law Enforcement, disseminate fish and
wildlife habitat information for incorpora-
tion into embayment-wide oil spill
response plans.
Provide technical assistance to
Massachusetts Bays coastal communi-
ties in the development and update of
embayment-wide oil spill contingency
plans.
Encourage the satisfactory completion
of embayment-wide oil spill contingency
plans.
v*.
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
Conduct training sessions for local
response personnel on inland spills to
ensure local preparedness and coordi-
nated interfacing between DEP and local
officials.
Enforce existing regulations requiring
large retail facilities to provide used oil
collection containers accessible to the
public.
-------
AESTHETIC QUALITY ACTION PLAN (continued)
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
BEACH DEBRIS AND
MARINE FLOATABLES
TOPIC
OIL SPILLS, SLICKS,
AND DISCHARGES
ALGAL FOULING
MUNICIPALITIES
Install and maintain conveniently-located
trash receptacles (with covers that
cannot be easily removed by vandals
and animals) at all public beaches,
boardwalks, coastal parks, and other
populated coastal locations.
Provide educational panels or signs at
these locations to inform the public abou
the problems of marine debris and the
benefits of keeping our coast clean.
Require the installation of collection/
storage bins for glass, paper, plastics,
and used oil at all marinas and yacht
clubs to handle wastes from boats.
Develop and adopt a "carry in-carry out"
policy for public beaches.
Ban the use of plastic food service
materials at beach concession stands.
Adopt bylaws that encourage re-use,
source reduction, and recycling, while
discouraging the use of "disposable"
plastic products and packaging.
Develop embayment-wide oil spill
contingency plans
Establish embayment-wide or other
regional cooperatives for the purchase of oil
spill containment and cleanup equipment
Adopt regulations requiring boatyards
and marinas to maintain oil containment
and cleanup equipment on site.
Adopt design or performance standards
for catch basins to remove oil, gas, and
grease from stormwater.
Establish convenient waste oil collection
facilities to encourage oil recycling and
reuse.
MUNICIPALITIES WITH
COMBINED SEWER
OVERFLOWS
Develop and implement strategies for
removing floatables from wastewater.
2263/K
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WATERFRONT ACCESS ACTION PLAN
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
TOPIC
WATERFRONT ACCESS
MASSACHUSETTS
BAYS PROGRAM
Sponsor the development of, and publish, a comprehensive guide of coastal public access sites in the
Massachusetts Bays region.
Sponsor a review of the adequacy of boat landings along the Massachusetts Bays coast.
Support the efforts of DEM to implement the Coastal Access Bill.
Sponsor a "how-to" public workshop(s) for local officials on reclaiming and maintaining historic rights-of-way.
Co-sponsor, with CZM, a public workshop(s) for local officials on the development of embayment or harbor
management plans and use of Chapter 91 regulations to increase public access.
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COASTALZONE
MANAGEMENT
MUNICIPALITIES
Continue to provide technical assistance to communities on the development of harbor management plans and
designation of "working waterfront* overlay zones.
Continue to review and, where appropriate, reconfirm the Designated Port Areas.
Re-establish and maintain historic public rights-of-way to the shore through appropriate legal means.
Identify and protect sensitive coastal areas where public access and development should be restricted in order
to maintain the integrity of sensitive natural resources.
Develop embayment or harbor management plans that limit non-maritime-dependent development and promote
public access to, and enjoyment of, the shoreline.
Designate "working waterfront' overlay zones to preserve and enhance traditional maritime uses. Within these
zones, boatyard preservation programs should be implemented. All new buildings or accessory uses
constructed within these zones should directly benefit maritime-related uses.
2263/KE
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