For the health of Sengekontacket

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To the Editor:

The Friends of Sengekontacket (FOS), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Sengekontacket Pond and the barrier beach, wish to thank both the Edgartown and Oak Bluffs boards of selectmen for giving us and the Joint Committee for Sengekontacket the opportunity to present a summary of the MEP report on “Senge.”

The MV Times article published a few weeks ago, after the Oak Bluffs meeting on September 25, did a fine job highlighting points made in the presentation, crafted and presented by Terry Appenzeller, FOS board member. Oak Bluffs selectmen acknowledged the extent of the problem and recognized the need for both towns to work together to move on recommendations made by the MEP report. At the Edgartown meeting on October 22, all three selectmen reacted positively that cooperation between the two towns is a must to remediate, restore and maintain high water quality in the pond and to increase public awareness of what needs to be done.

Public policy dictates that both town boards formally accept the findings of the MEP.

We are asking both towns to set up departmental (planning, conservation, health, zoning) sessions to get on with the recommendations of the MEP report. This includes both boards accepting the target threshold of .35mg/L per day, concentrating on methods to reduce nitrogen going into the pond. And, we ask both towns to respond quickly to this request — just tell the Joint Committee (and FOS) where and when, so we can provide any assistance as needed.

Sengekontacket Pond is worthy of all this work. Let us all continue to be the voice of this beautiful body of water.

Kris Vrooman

Board Member

Friends of Sengekontacket