Secretary Stephen R. Pritchard
EOEA, Attn: MEPA Office
Briony Angus, EOEA No. 10284
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114

Dear Secretary Pritchard,

This letter is in regards to the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) submitted by the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) for the Buzzards Bay Disposal Site which was released for public comment on November 22, 2005 (EOEA No. 10284). The notice in the Environmental Monitor indicates that all comments on this document must be received by January 20, 2006. The Falmouth Associations Concerned with Estuaries and Saltponds (FACES) takes issue with the limited time frame allowed for reviewing this incredibly complex and multifaceted DEIR and requests that an appropriate six month review period be established with comments due by May 22, 2006.

FACES is a non-profit Corporation whose purpose is to educate and inspire the residents to preserve the environment and natural resources of the estuaries and salt ponds of Falmouth, Massachusetts and to combat and prevent pollution of these estuaries and salt ponds through consultation with environmental scientists and engineers, study of existing conditions, publicizing problem areas via meetings, member newsletters and newspaper releases, alerting local and state officials to the need for corrective measures and mobilizing community support. We represent over 60 homeowner association/organizations in Falmouth and 160 plus individual members. In light of the deteriorating conditions in West Falmouth Harbor and other Falmouth harbors on Buzzard’s Bay, we believe that this project requires careful review to insure the proposed disposal of dredge material does not adversely impact the Bay and our harbors.

The DEIR submitted by the project applicant, CZM, contains over 1,400 pages of detailed scientific, regulatory, site use, and proposed management information gathered over a ten year period. The potential impacts discussed are technical in nature and involve several different disciplines. FACES believes that it is in the best interest of the public and of the Bay to extend the thirty day comment period to six months in order to conduct a thorough review of this very technical document by all interested parties. Furthermore, because the Environmental Notification Form (ENF) for the proposed project was filed on March 22, 1995, a six month comment period will not adversely impact the applicant’s project schedule and is a reasonable request in consideration of the type and size of the project and of the quantity of data that has been assembled and must be examined.

Thank you for your consideration of our request for a six month comment period. Considering the limited time currently allotted for review, FACES would appreciate a timely response.

Sincerely yours,
F. Bradley Stumcke Jr., President cc: State Senator Therese Murray
State Representative Matthew C. Patrick
State Representative Eric Turkington
Kevin Murphy, Chairman, Board of Selectman, Town of Falmouth
Brian Grozier, Chairman, Conservation Commission, Town of Falmouth