The River Current || July 24, 2007 || Issue 54

The twice monthly e-newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association
...bringing our backyard river to your door...

************

In this issue:
1)       TAKE ACTION!  Wetlands protection in danger
2)   Charles River swim held on Saturday
3)   Shad fry release in Waltham
************

1)       TAKE ACTION! Preserve citizens’ right to appeal in wetlands protection

Take two minutes to make your voice heard and help ensure protection of Massachusetts wetlands. We are trying to get the Governor’s attention by making citizen’s wetlands appeals a top issue on the devalpatrick.com website, and we need your help!

MA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed sweeping changes to its wetlands regulations that would eliminate administrative appeals by local residents, except abutters who can meet the legal standard of “aggrieved.”  Currently, 10 townspeople and the abutters to a project can appeal a bad decision by DEP. The right to appeal is basic to ensuring strong wetlands protection.  While Massachusetts has been a leader in protecting wetlands, these and other changes in the administrative appeals process will substantially weaken wetlands protection. 

To take action, go to the Deval Patrick Committee’s website "Citizens' Wetlands Appeals" page at http://devalpatrick.com/issue.php?issue_id=7640699  Click on "Support this issue”, then click on "continue" and follow the instructions to create an account. You will have an opportunity to briefly add your own comment on the issue. Remember, you are voting in SUPPORT of this issue to retain citizen appeals.

If you have problems voting or for more information on the issue, please visit our website at http://www.crwa.org/alert/wetlands.html We appreciate you taking the time to voice your opinion!

2)       Charles River swim successful

Last Saturday saw the first official swim in the Charles River in more than 50 years! Water quality monitoring by CRWA and state agencies ensured that the swim could proceed as planned, despite earlier concerns about blue-green algae and bacteria levels. About 70 swimmers took part in the event, organized by the Charles River Swimming Club. CRWA is continuing to address water quality issues, including the toxic blue-green algae, to help make the Charles truly viable for swimming in the future.

3)       Shad fry released into the Charles for second year

For the second year in a row, CRWA is assisting MA Division of Marine Fisheries and US Fish and Wildlife Service in stocking American shad into the Charles River.  In June and July, almost 700,000 fry were released into the river at DCR’s Woerd Avenue Boat Launch in Waltham.  We hope to stock additional shad into the river on one more occasion this summer.  So far, combined with last year’s release, a total of two and a half million juvenile fish have been introduced to the Charles.  The ultimate goal of this collaborative restoration project is to create a large, viable shad population of up to 30,000 adult fish in the Charles in the next five to ten years. 

Please consider supporting CRWA’s efforts to help restore this historically abundant native fish species to the Charles by “Adopting a Shad” with a minimum contribution of $25 to CRWA.  Visit http://www.crwa.org/projects/shad_stocking.html  for more information about the restoration project and the shad adoption program.