Group seeks no discharge area in Nahant waters

NAHANT – Area residents are trying to get the message out that “numbers count” when it comes to designating local waters as no discharge areas.Safer Waters in Massachusetts (SWIM) founder and Nahant resident Polly Bradley pointed out it is currently legal to dump human waste in the waters off Nahant and several other North Shore communities.”Nahant in particular is between Salem and Boston Harbor,” she said. “Currently, it is lawful for ships and boats to discharge waste into our waters. Boston Harbor and the waters around Marblehead, Salem, Beverly and to the north are protected no discharge areas. So vessels from those areas could lawfully travel to our waters and dump on us.”Bradley pointed out the lower North Shore is comprised of Lynn, Swampscott, Nahant, Revere and Saugus.The Nahant Beach Reservation is an important part of the Greater Boston park system,” she said. “Nahant is a major stopover for migratory birds, which need both food and clean water, and of course Nahant also has an important resident shore bird population. The Nahant Thicket, a Massachusetts Audubon Society sanctuary, is a destination for birders. The eelgrass in Nahant waters is a nursery to young fish, lobsters and shellfish. Northeastern University Marine Science Center in Nahant, a major marine biology research laboratory, depends on clean water for the seawater intakes for its experiments.”She added the entire area is used by professional fishermen and lobstermen as well as recreational users.”There are recreational fishermen and boaters,” she said. “Visitors to this area, also boating, surfboarding and windsurfing. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Revere Beach and Nahant Beach Reservations are among the few publicly accessible beaches within the Greater Boston park system. Swimming and walking the beaches are also popular across the cities and towns. All of these uses will be enhanced by cleaner water.”Bradley urged all area residents to take the time to write or email the Environmental Protection Agency asking them to designate the waters of the lower North Shore as a no discharge area before the public comment period ends Feb. 4.”The more people we have writing, calling and emailing the impact we will have,” she said. “Numbers really do make a difference.”Anyone sending an email, fax, or letter to the EPA should reference EPA Docket ID No. EPA-R01-OW-2008-0921. Letters should be sent to Ann Rodney, U.S. EPA New England Region, 1 Congress St., Suite 1100, COP, Boston, MA, 02114-2023. Emails can be sent to [email protected] and letters can be faxed to 617-918-0538.