After a four-day series of votes and negotiating budgets at the State House, Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, successfully secured $225,000 in local earmarks for Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties last Thursday.
The fiscal year budget for 2019 will now be debated in the Senate before moving to the conference committee.
$175,000 of the earmarks will be split in thirds, and go toward helping sustain the shellfishing economy for each county. “Shellfish aren’t only delicious, they are a cultural, environmental, and economic driver in our region. This $175,000 appropriation helps sustain our shellfishing economy while also harnessing the natural filter power of shellfish to promote water quality,” Fernandes said in a press release.
Fernandes also filed an amendment for $25,000, which will be used for a permeable reactive barrier pilot project, with the goal of reducing nitrogen loads in local estuaries.
The remaining $25,000 was secured to fund support for substance misuse and mental health.
