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Board urges coordinated outreach on fertilizer, pollutants and stormwater to protect eelgrass and water quality
Summary
Advisory board members raised public concerns about residential fertilizer use, power‑washing and household chemicals reaching shorelines and urged renewed outreach and coordination with landscapers, the Shellfish Association and the Natural Resources Department to protect eelgrass and water quality.
Board members at the June 3 meeting discussed public concerns about fertilizer use and other pollutants reaching beaches and harbor waters and urged a coordinated outreach and education campaign.
Members said recent listings showed lawns mown to the waterline and that some homeowners and landscapers apply fertilizer adjacent to marsh and beach areas. Mister Franzuto and Mister Anderson recommended broadening messaging beyond fertilizer to include household pollutants such as bleach and cleaning agents, which they said can enter storm drains.
Natural Resources staff said fertilizer and stormwater are prioritized in the harbor plan and eelgrass management plan; Tara Riley recommended prioritizing protection of existing eelgrass because restoration projects have low success rates. “Only 13% of restoration projects are successful,” Riley said, arguing that outreach and enforcement should focus on preventing damage to existing habitat.
Suggestions: board members proposed annual outreach to landscapers and homeowners, collaborative materials with the Nantucket Shellfish Association, and development of a best‑practice boat‑cleaning kit to reduce harmful chemicals. The board agreed outreach has to work in coordination with enforcement and that Natural Resources and health/stormwater staff should be involved.
No formal action was taken; the board asked staff to seek an update from the town’s administrative staff (Jeff) and to consider coordinated outreach efforts in upcoming meetings and events such as Oysterfest.
