The River Current ~ November 3, 2009 ~ Special Update

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

 

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In this issue

1. Action alert update
2. For more information

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Action Alert Update: CRWA advocacy - and your emails - brings victory for river protection!

Dear Friend of the Charles,

Victory! DEP Safe Yield Determination Suspended!

Thank you for your manifest concern and quick response to our Action Alert two weeks ago. CRWA is happy to report that as a consequence of our collective efforts, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has suspended its new "safe yield" interpretation and will replace it with a new approach which will include "environmental protection factors including the ecological health of rivers."  

The four organizations that resigned from the Governor's Water Management Act Advisory Committee - CRWA, Conservation Law Foundation, Ipswich River Watershed Association, and Clean Water Action - have rejoined the Committee to work through the careful assessments and science necessary to establish true, ecologically-protective safe yields for each of the 27 river basins in the state.  Our insights, as well as CRWA's science, developed over the past 16 years, will play a central part in making certain that DEP gets these new determinations right. 

Each of you who responded to our alert played an important role.  The Governor received hundreds of emails and letters. Your voices were heard, and we and the rivers of Massachusetts are deeply grateful. 

Thank you.

Bob Zimmerman
CRWA Executive Director

For more information

Please visit CRWA's website for more information. We will be updating our website with more details as they become available.