Program Outline

Restoration Project Update• Welcome and Introduction

(Don Palladino)

• Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan)

• Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph)

Agency Contributions• National Park Service –

NEPA Process (Tim Smith)

• US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth)

• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear)

• Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn)

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

Mission

Promote the restoration and ongoing environmental vitality of the Herring River Estuary • Promote education, research and public awareness about the project

• Coordinate outreach activities to ensure effective public involvement

• Raise funds and seek volunteers

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

What have we done?

• Summer 2008 – HRRC suggests formation of Friends

• Formed a Board of Directors

• November 2008 – Formal announcement of Friends of Herring River at Wellfleet Harbor Conference.

• Worked with pro-bono attorney to prepare incorporation documents for non-profit status

• With a generous grant from Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore launched a website and electronic newsletter

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

What have we done?

• Supported Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project with APCC • Conducted logo contest (54 Nauset Regional High School students participated)

• Presentation to Wellfleet BOS and outreach to Cape leaders

•

• Co-sponsored or participated in key activities

Brush burn with CCNSHerring count with APCCKayak trips with Audubon

• Incorporated in Massachusetts

• 501(c)(3) application pending with IRS

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

What are we doing?

• Publishing a bi-monthly electronic newsletter with 300 plus subscribers • Meeting with key interested parties, for example recently

Truro BOS and Open Space CommitteeTruro property abutters

• Seeking funding support

• Continuing to promote public awareness

• Preparing special events

Oyster FestivalWellfleet HarborConservation Trust Walks in Wellfleet

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

What can you do?

• Become a member

• Subscribe to e-newsletter

• Share ideas – be active

• Volunteer – share talent • Visit our website www.friendsofherringriver.org

Grant writerCommunicationsHistorianPhotographyMembershipComputers - websiteFundraising/FinanceVolunteer Work Projects

Restoration Project Update• Welcome and Introduction

(Don Palladino)

• Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan – Wellfleet Board of Selectmen)

• Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph)

Agency Contributions• National Park Service –

NEPA Process (Tim Smith)

• US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth)

• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear)

• Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn)

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

1908 Salt Marsh

• Declared shared commitment to investigate restoration of tide to the Herring River

• Established the Herring River Stakeholders Committee to identify interests that could be affected by tidal restoration

• Established the Herring River Technical Committee (HRTC) to assess the feasibility of restoring tide to the Herring River

Development of the Herring River Restoration Project

1. September 2005: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Wellfleet and Cape Cod National Seashore:

Development of the Herring River Restoration Project

2. November 2007: Conceptual Restoration Plan for the Herring River Tidal Restoration Project completed and approved

• Developed by the HRTC

• Integrated technical information and analyses with issues raised by the Stakeholders Committee

• Concluded that restoration was feasible and in the public interest

•Available on Town of Wellfleet, CCNS and Friends of Herring River web sites

Development of the Herring River Restoration Project

3. November 2007: Memorandum of Understanding, MOUII, among the Towns of Wellfleet, Truro and the Cape Cod National Seashore

• Declared shared commitment to restore tide to the Herring River

• Established the Herring River Restoration Committee (HRRC)

• Tasked the HRRC with using local, state, and federal planning processes to produce a Detailed Restoration Plan for the Herring River

Restoration Project Update• Welcome and Introduction

(Don Palladino)

• Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan)

• Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph – Chair of Herring River Restoration Committee and Wellfleet representative)

Agency Contributions• National Park Service –

NEPA Process (Tim Smith)

• US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth)

• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear)

• Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn)

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

HRRC:Town of WellfleetTown of TruroCape Cod National SeashoreMassachusetts Department of Fish and Game US Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational Oceanographic and Atmospheric AdministrationNatural Resource Conservation

Service

Herring River Restoration Committee A Unique-Multi Entity (Federal, State, Local) Committee

Planning Processes:Cape Cod CommissionMassachusetts Environmental

Policy Act (MEPA)National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA)Conservation Commissions

Current Major Activities:

Herring River Restoration Committee (HRRC)

• Comply with Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• Continue to address overall social concerns and specific impact on CYCC and property abutters

• Produce a detailed restoration plan using local, state, and federal planning processes

National Environmental Policy ActNEPA1969

Purpose: "to make sure that agencies fully consider the environmental costs and benefits of their proposed actions before they make any decision to undertake those actions"

NEPA is a decision making process and tool

Requires careful, complete, and analytic study of the impacts of any proposal that has the potential to affect the environment; requires study of alternatives to the proposed action

Social concerns

• Vegetation change

• Downstream shellfish beds

• Water-supply wells (six)

• Flooding of roads

• Flooding of private propertiesCYCC golf course

Ecological benefitsIncreased sediment deposition

(to counter sea-level rise)Removal of exotic plantsRe-establishment of salt-marsh plantsIncreased tidal flushing

Improved water-column aerationElimination of acidity/metals

Improved migratory fish habitatRestored export to near-shore waters

Social benefitsRestored pollution controlRestored public access, recreation & education

BoatingBirdingFin- and shellfishing

Restored harvestable resourcesFinfishShellfishImproved shellfish water quality

Reduced mosquitoes

Restoration Project Update – Agency Contributions

• National Park Service – NEPA Process (Tim Smith)

• US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth)

• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear)

• Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn)

• Questions and Discussion

Friends of Herring RiverWellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

Healthy marshes

generate diatom

biomassTo feed Oysters