3010 Main Street, P.O. Box 398, Barnstable, MA 02630

- 0398

Ph: 508

- 362

- 4226 Email: info@apcc.org Website: www.apcc.org A non

- profit organization. Dues and contributions tax

- deductible as provided by law. 1 February 2 6 , 2014

Mr. Todd Callaghan No Discharge Area Coordinator Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800
Boston, MA 02114

Re: Letter of support for S tatewide No Discharge Area

Dear Mr. Callaghan:

On behalf of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), I am pleased to express our

s trong support for the proposed S tatewide No Discharge Area (NDA)

.

APCC was founded in 1968 to promote policies and programs that enhance the protection of the natural resources of Cape Cod. APCC is the Cape’s largest environmental organization and has 5,000 members from all 15 towns on Cape Cod. In our 46 years, we have successfully advocated for protection of the Cape’s water resources, op e n space, and natural

resource s (see www.apcc.org ). Since 2006 APCC has served as the Regional Service Provider of the Cape Cod region of the Massachusetts Bays Program, whose mission is to protect and restore the coas tal ecosystems of Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay.

This landmark designation would protect the coastal waters of Cape Cod from the harmful effects of boat sewage discharges, whether treated or not. It would close the three remaining gaps in NDA cove rage in the Commonwealth , including two gaps between Cape Cod and the

Islands , and cons olidate all NDAs into a single S tatewide No Discharge Area

.

Cape Cod’s coastal waters contain valuable habitat for shellfish, fish, ma rine mammals and rare species

. The Cape’s economy depends upon clean coastal waters for shellfishing, fishing, swimming and coastal tourism. No Discharge Area designation will protect these valuable resources and human uses by eliminating all vessel sewage discharges, whether

treate d or not

. The health of our estuaries will benefit by eliminating all vessel sewage sources of nitrogen, bacteria and harmful chemicals.

APCC has worked with CZM, other organizations, towns and harbormasters to nominate

other No Discharge Areas for the Cape’s coastal waters. We applaud CZM’s hard work in coordinating the many actions that had to occur before this final NDA designation could

occur. However, it is important to support the long

- term operations and maintenance of pumpout facilities in orde r to ensure that boat sewage is pro perly collected and disposed. Also, t he designation should not signal the end or a reduction in boater education and

outreach. There will be a continued need for such education to help ensure tha t the S tatewide NDA designation is effective at eliminating boat sewage discharges

.3010 Main Street, P.O. Box 398, Barnstable, MA 02630

- 0398

Ph: 508

- 362

- 4226 Email: info@apcc.org Website: www.apcc.org A non

- profit organization. Dues and contributions tax

- deductible as provided by law. 2 We applaud and look forward to federal designation of the S tatewide No Discharge Area.

APCC will continue to ur ge our legislators to support funding for operations and maintenance of pumpout facilities

.

Sincerely,

Ed DeWitt

Executive Director

c c: Pam DiBona, Executive Director, Mass a ch usett s Ba ys Program

Robert Dunc anson, Ph.D., Co

- chair, Barnstable County Coastal Resources

Committee

ED/jm