HomeMy WebLinkAbout20141104-BaxterResidentsCitizensLettertoGovernor_201411281330256530November 4, 2014
The Honorable Deval Patrick, Governor
The Honorable Dan Wolf, State Senator
The Honorable Tim Madden, State Representative
Members, Nantucket Board of Selectmen
Dear Governor Patrick, Senator Wolf, Representative Madden and Members of the Nantucket
Board of Selectmen:
The beaches and bluffs of Nantucket are
one of Massachusetts’ most precious
resources. The historic houses and
communities along those beaches have
been home to generations of residents who
value the natural beauty of these locations.
The Siasconset Beach Preservation Fund
(SBPF) shares that focus and is making
every effort to preserve ‘Sconset Beach and
Bluff, as well as the adjacent community,
with a thoughtful erosion management
plan.
It has come to our attention that as the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) prepares to rule on the merits of the SBPF
proposal our opponents are continuing to attempt to politicize the decision-making process
with a “disinformation” campaign based on inaccuracies and fear. We believe that decisions in
this process should be based on the applicable law and science as applied by the experts in the
State agency not on the basis of political appeals. Our opponents present a false choice,
indicating that our efforts to protect the community adjacent to ‘Sconset Beach and Bluff will
result in losing the beach or that retaining the beach requires losing our homes. In their
extreme view it is “either/or”. However, we are confident that our project can protect both and
are assured by highly qualified experts that this approach can be successful.
Residents along Baxter Road in
‘Sconset look with concern at the
impact of ever more severe weather
patterns will have on the nearby
‘Sconset Beach and Bluff. While
recognizing that erosion is a natural
process, there is no clear benefit from
letting erosion occur. In fact, in
‘Sconset, there have been serious
downsides, including closing of half of
View from the top of the bluff; project blends into the beach.
Wide beach in front of geotubes
the historic and enormously popular Bluff Walk used in the summer by over 100 people a day,
the threat to Baxter Road (which provides the only access point for Sankaty Light, a National
Historic Landmark), and the loss of many homes and thousands of dollars in assessed property
value and tax dollars to the whole island community.
Erosion does “happen” as some project opponents say, but we would add “only if you let it.”
Where would the Dutch be if they took this defeatist approach? Why would we choose to
ignore environmentally responsible methods that can effectively address erosion? The
members of the SBPF have proposed a solution that is environmentally and scientifically sound.
We have invested private dollars in implementing a system of geotubes and sand cover that will
protect ‘Sconset Beach and Bluff without negative impact on adjacent beaches. This is an
appropriately high standard and one which the DEP will have concluded has been met if they
decide to approve SBPF’s proposal.
As the Department of Environmental Protection considers our request that the geotube system
be approved as designed, we wanted you to have the central facts about this project.
MA law supports the use of
coastal engineering structures
(this includes seawalls,
revetments, bulkheads, groins,
and geotextile tubes, which are
considered a “softer” option than
the aforementioned structures)
to protect homes built prior to
1978.
Geotubes are an effective way to
limit the impact of erosion
without limiting access to the
beach. These tubes are made of
soft, flexible material filled with
sand and designed to withstand
the impact of extreme storms.
The material used for the geotubes is more effective than biodegradable products such
as jute or coir, which will not withstand the storms that cause significant erosion.
Full access to the beach is preserved. Since the geotubes were put in place in the early
part of 2014, there has been no day when local residents or visitors were unable to
access the beach and use it for walking, quiet recreation, birding and fishing. Even at
high tide, access is fully maintained.
The additional sand used to cover the geotubes (sacrificial sand) exceeds all
requirements, is replenished as needed, and is designed to wash away naturally assuring
that nearby beaches do not suffer from additional erosion due to this project.
We propose to re-vegetate the eroded bluff face, like in this
segment planted one year ago.
Monitoring measures the impact of the project for miles in either direction and there
are funds in place to remove the project if our commitments regarding sand
replenishment and impact are not met.
Our opponents have circulated photos of the beach (and the fully eroded bluff) in this
area to underscore their assertion that our project would destroy it. We have included
some photos of the project as now in place to show how the beach is in fact preserved
and blends into the landscape, as well as photos of the bluff in its pre-erosion natural
state and a sample area where the face of the bluff itself is being re-vegetated,
(something that we propose to extend).
Dozens of local residents have written to
DEP as part of the formal review process
to offer comments in support of this
important effort. We have every
confidence that the science behind this
project makes it appropriate for full DEP
approval. SBPF is prepared to make its
expert advisors and consultants (listed
below) available to the DEP staff at any
time to answer questions or concerns
they might have.
Our team of professionals:
Lester B. Smith, Jr., M.S. B.S. – Principal/Coastal Geologist and Maria B. Hartnett, M.A.,
B.A. – Senior Consultant/Geologist, Epsilon Associates; Environmental engineering and
permitting
Azure Dee Sleicher, P.E., ENV SP – Project Manager/Coastal Engineer, Ocean and Coastal
Consultants; Coastal engineering and design
Dr. Michael S. Bruno, Dean of the School and Engineering and Science, Stevens Institute
of Technology. Founder New Jersey Coastal Protection Technical Assistance Service a
model program which provides assistance to the State of New Jersey; Peer review of
coastal engineering design
Mitchell Buck, M.C.E., B.S., P.E. - Coastal Engineer and Robert Hamilton, Jr., M.C.E., B.S. -
President/Coastal Engineer, Woods Hole Group; Bank, beach and off-shore monitoring
Michael May, Nantucket Preservation Trust; Advice on historic significance
Attorneys: Goulston and Storrs; Cohen and Cohen; Reade Gullicksen Hanley and Gifford.
Jamie Feeley, Cottage and Castle; Construction management
Pete Kaizer, Local waterman; Practical local knowledge and input into project design and
evaluation
Pre-erosion bluff with stair access to bluff walk
Sincerely,
David and Dorothy Bailey
Rob and Carol Benchley
Nancy Broll
Liz Claudy
Stephen Cohen
Barry Cooper
Tom Cunningham, President Sankaty Head Golf Club
Norwood and Marguerite Davis
Mark Donato, Owner 'Sconset Market
Caroline Ellis
Beth English
Robert Felch, Executive Director, The 'Sconset Trust
Sam and Ann Furrow
David Golden
Larry Guido
Win Hindle
Barbara and Amos Hostetter
Dallas Kirk
Dan Korengold
Richard and Linda McKay
Mary Warren Moffett
Katherine Murphy
Deborah and John Osborn
Holly and Marc Pagon
Dexter and Susan Paine
Josh Posner, President SBPF
Priscilla and Kermit Roosevelt
Eileen Rudden
Susan Ruddick
Girard Ruddick
Julie and Brian Simmons
Elizabeth Singer
Karen Urban
Laurie and Toby Webb
Philippe Wells
Helmut and Caroline Weymar
Walter and Donna Wick
Liz Winship
Loretta Yoder and Kyle Latshaw
Additional co-signers will be submitted as available.
Cc: Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett, Office of Energy and Environment Affairs
Commissioner David W. Cash, Mass DEP
Mr. James Mahala, Mass DEP, Southeast Region
Ms. C. Elizabeth Gibson, Town Manager, Town of Nantucket