CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE ADVISORY COMMISSION THREE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH MEETING

HELD AT CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE, Salt Pond Visitors Center, Eastham, Massachusetts, on Monday, October 7, 2024, commencing at 1:00pm

SITTING

Richard Delaney, Chair
Heather McElroy, alternate - virtual

Barnstable County

Sheila Lyons
Mark R. Forest – absent

Chatham

Thomas Dougherty - virtual
Theodore Keon, alternate

Eastham

David Crary
Joanna Stevens, alternate

Orleans

Lawrence Spaulding
John “Charlie” Carlson, alternate - absent

Provincetown

Mary-Jo Avellar
Leslie Sandberg, alternate – absent

Truro

Susan Areson

Wellfleet

Lilli-Ann Green
Wayne Clough, alternate – virtual (late arrival)

Commonwealth of MA

Leslie Ann Jonas - virtual
Mark Robinson

Also present

Jennifer S. Flynn, Superintendent
Leslie Reynolds, Deputy Superintendent
Geoff Sanders, Chief, Natural Resources
Scott Rasmussen – GIS Specialist
Steve Smith, Plant Ecologist
Adam Baghetti, IT Specialist
Cheryl Johnson, Executive Assistant
Audience members (in person/virtual)

Meeting opened at 1:00pm

Welcome
Rich Delaney welcomed back the commission and thanked Heather McElroy for acting as Chair the August and September Meetings.

1. Agenda was adopted
2. Minutes from September 9^th Commission meeting were accepted into record (MaryJo Avellar abstention)

Jen Flynn presented Federal Officer Report including recap of costs and manhours spent on Commission meetings; discussed 2025 meeting schedule and made a few recommendations for topics where the Commission could provide advice to the Seashore. Reminded commission that their terms expire in 2025 and they should let their Selectboards know whether or not they are interested in continuing to serve. Commission discussed how many meetings should be held, finally settled on four, no meetings in the Summer months – January, April, June, and October are being considered. Jen also began the Coastal Resilience discussion with the Marconi stairs being washed awayIntroduced the NRM team on their presentation today, leveraging our partnerships to provide the most up to date informationSteve Smith, see full transcriptScott Rasmussen – see full transcriptGeoff Sanders – see full transcriptRich opened floor up for questionsMark Robinson mentioned John Portnoy’s previous work. Commission discussed various areas within their towns where coastal erosion were a concern. Wondered if the park would begin discussions on land exchanges. Park needs to finish all current land exchanges before developing future. Will engage as Town Managers ask for assistance. Commission members also asked to have presentations provided at Town Meetings. Currently Superintendent meets with Town Managers bi-monthly. These presentations are available online.Steve Smith mentioned he’s presenting at the Wellfleet Harbor conference November 2^nd.

Leslie Joanas – Commonwealth of MA

• Many roads impact climate whether adaptation, etc. focus on carbon emissions that each town is putting out; public waste, become more aggressive in energy programs, more efficient use in public bldgs.
• Human behavioral issue should be addressed; focus lens on everyday person
  • Auto emission ban on gas-powered vehicles like California
  • Automobile idling
  • Provide ideas to residents
• WHOI Sea Grant website – implement a Cape Cod Coastal Resiliency week.
• Mashpee tribes have discussed what a strategy might look like; food sovereignty; share deep knowledge of local ecosystem, not becoming climate refugees.
• Action plans are critically important.

Mark Robinson – Commonwealth of MA

• Dynamic Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative, local group hosting NetZero conference on October 24^th from 8a – 3p; free admission, encourage all to attend.
• Senator Warren will speak.
• Planning for coastal resiliency is a topic.
• Regional and local contacts collaborative in action

Sheila Lyons – Barnstable

• Supports the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative and gives money when they can.
• Cooperative does take advantage of grants.
• Agrees with Leslie on auto emissions.
• County supports water testing needs.
• Willing to be partner in all kinds of ways please ask.
• No specific projects

Heather McElroy – Alternate Chair

• Repeated WHOI Sea Grant has a number if climate actions for individuals
• Cape Cod Commission action plan 2021which include action that can be taken – considerations for climate and mitigation elements.
• How do we begin to reduce our contribution to the climate problem?
• Impacts of erosion – CCC has focused on impacts from flooding; low lying road project – finished 1 year ago; worked with every Cape town to identify roads likely to flood;
• Couldn’t get to Atwood Higgins because of flooding, not just coastal storms, it’s rain and stormwater flooding.
• Work on developing coastal bylaws and regs. – draft/model wetlands bylaw managing development within the coastal hazard area
• Model zoning regulation that would address development in flood plains.
• Town boards could be working consistently.
• Mapping tools and other resources available
• https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/regulatory-tools-for-coastal-floodplain-resiliency/

Ted Keon – Alternate, Chatham

• Coastal resiliency is at forefront – all towns facing the same issues.
• Lot of waterfront infrastructure – sitting on the water and IN the water always looking at raising the facility but not if pier is on the water
• Raising gas pumps at fish pier; Raising town landings; Redesigning so if they get wet, they will still remain when water recedes
• Number of resiliency grants
• Focused on Pleasant Bay and marsh restoration in Chatham – construction next year
• Look at East facing shoreline in Chatham – barrier beaches and inlet puts a lot of stress on mainland had study looking at what to do
• Energy Committee looking at efficiency Energy and Climate Action committee climate-related issues
• Marsh systems along Nantucket sound which are vulnerable; marsh migration to expand marsh
• Subset unsanctioned Chatham Climate Action network adhoc group – trying to advocate and educate where resources need to be put
• Low-lying road participant – identified various roadways – choose 2 to look alternatives; assessment is complete; how to move forward is challenging; Morris road gets flooded – how do we fix
• Wastewater underway – need pump stations; redesign current
• Dredging program – beach nourishment and put sand back where provide benefit.
• Can Chatham sand be sent Seashore?
• Solar panel use
• By law that requires town to switch over to EV vehicles (if feasible) includes tools
• Energy Reduction plan – reduce HVAC; LED lighting; 6 EV charging facilities

Dave Crary – Eastham

• Climate action committee meets monthly
• Transfer station – when it rains the station floods; solar panels
• New vehicles – diesel move food compost
• Survey – at the transfer station
• 2020 Eastham Hazard mitigation plan – index lists all things we discussed today; climate listed in the large document
• Route 6 flooding

Larry Spaulding – Orleans

• Hazard Mitigation Plan – Woods Hole did it 2019, will redo
• Applied for grants haven’t received yet.
• Beach retreat grant application in process
• Grant for solar battery backup for DPW
• Town hired a part time energy coordinator to assist Town Manager with solar programs
• Energy committee approved climate action plan and selectmen to the board in fall with 100K to be used towards grants for action plan

MaryJo Avellar – Provincetown

• 2024 working on SCAPE woods hole group on resilin
• Working with CCC low lying roads
• Green monster hotel gets lake in the rear after rain
• Truro, Wellfleet, and Eastham shoreline management for Cape Cod Bay
• Emissions bylaw – nobody can idle for more than 5 minutes
• Refrigerator trucks idle in front of restaurants
• EV charging stations
• Solar panels at the dump
• Lithium battery storage - 10 hours in winter and 3 hours in summer – evacuation zone
• Town meeting approved funding to create openings in West End to create tidal marsh
• Dune enhancement – tide has come across Commercial Street
• South parking lot and adjacent parts of the moor

Susan Areson - Truro

• Ballston Beach – retreat, losing parking spaces
• Climate action and energy committees refuse to be combined; Cyr is on committee
• Chapter 9 permitting can take ten months to 2 years; breach between jetty; using coir rolls to stop flooding at Pamet harbor; sand from North jetty is supposed to be stop gap measure
• Long Nook closed last winter – brought in heavy equipment and tried to recreate; beach open for 2 months; closed again July; Mark Borelli Center for Coastal Studies will study, and town will figure out what to do
• Ballston beach no change
• Two recent grant applications – pilot program focusing on new tech. sand engines; and wave attenuators – will apply for something else
• Truro power lines underground but that’s a ow lying area
• Herring River – replacing two culverts DOT can manage project but they will not provide money; Federal money will be needed
• East Harbor – install larger culverts to increase tidal flow
• Talking to CCC about updating Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Town has approved part-time climate action coordinator (Truro bought into a solar years ago) and will sell to Brewster and use money from there to fund
• Food composting program is bought by farmers
• Agriculture is one of the major culprits in carbon. Major sand shortage worldwide. IPCC says we have to carbon dioxide by 50% by 2030. Speed, Urgency and Scale

Lilli Ann Green - Wellfleet
She’s listened to Selectboard and citizens who want the Commission to send letter to DOI regarding BOEM project. Made additional motion that FACA vote to write a letter to Director of Interior. Motion to write a letter asked: Nobody second.

• Seashore collaboration is going well – Herring River over wash area creating mosquito issue; please work on solution prior to the season;
• Now have nesting terns and piping plovers moved to over wash area – great benefit
• Interns have worked very collaboratively
• Cahoon Hollow beach collaboration has worked very well
• OCV drive; Fresh book are going well
• Active energy and climate committee does hazard mitigation plan; reviewing it; working on climate action plan;
• Solar project at town landfill
• Several hundred homes with solar panels
• EV education
• Green communities grants; early adopters of Green Communities Acts
• Energy Fairs – solar panels, geothermal, landscaping, heat pumps; 5^th grade contest with the solar fairs
• Collaboration with CCC on various aspects of planning and grant funding; low lying roads in progress; Town has EVs
• Broadband issues at the beaches; received grant to help with emergency planning
• Composting program/recycling very active
• Moving forward with education and action steps

Sheila Lyons a lot of hard-working people. Board level is slowing down the process to weeks and months. Sheila is trying to push. Mark Robinson gives credit to Susan for money project HRRP and being persistent.Rich Delaney encouraged that energy and climate committees are working and collaboratively with NPS.Sheila Lyons comments that lots of buildings and are we educating people on septic – fertilizing, lighting, septic.

Public Comment
Thanks were expressed to NPS and Commission for climate change/coastal resiliency presentation/information/resources; Replacement of Marconi Stairs; thoughts, recommendations were provided; Herring River Executive Council quarterly meetings were mentioned; Herring Cover parking lot; Provincetown Airport Lease, Dune shacks Discussion continued to post Advisory Commission meetings all on one Federal Register or announce separately.
Dates proposed for 2025 were: January 13, April 7, June 9, October 6
Topics were discussed: Zoning, Seashore geography, acquisitions, boundaries within the Seashore, use of Truro Air Force base; new water sources; ADU law in Massachusetts Jen reiterated the Commission’s responsibility outlined in the charter to provide advice to the Superintendent on matters relating to the development of the Cape Cod National Seashore, including matters of acquisition by condemnation and zoning regulations. Rich will propose agenda and topics to Jen. CCNS will submit Federal Register posting Rich moved to end meeting; second was given.

***These minutes will be certified by the Chair of the Advisory Commission at the next meeting in January 2025.

Additional Documents

Full Closed Captioning Transcript
Superintendent's Park Update Presentation - Coastal Resilience
Proposed Letter to BOEM regarding new wind farm leases