Posted on February 19, 2019
(Photo Courtesy: Corinne Prado)
CHATHAM – A homeowner’s lawsuit to prevent the conservation commission’s amended order of conditions from moving ahead with the North Inlet dredging project is on hold at the state Department of Environment Protection, a DEP spokesman said.
Chatham officials must complete a notice of project change review with the state Environmental Policy Act Office, said spokesman Ed Coletta, and when that’s done the DEP will take up the case.
The appeal was filed by Minister’s Point homeowner Gerald Milden through his attorney, Paul Revere III, and claims that the dredging of a channel to connect the North Inlet break to the southern portion of Chatham Harbor will lead to additional erosion at Minister’s Point and adjacent lands.
“My client’s property has been eroded and his economic value has gone down like the fishermen,” Revere said at a meeting held at Milden’s residence last week. “Removing sediment from the barrier beach seems counter-productive.”
The meeting included town officials, local residents and members of the DEP. A few neighbors who share Milden’s concerns that dredging could negatively affect their properties also attended.
Director of Coastal Resources Ted Keon said the town is currently undertaking a study into the inlet and channel dynamics that will help determine effects in the Minister’s Point area. He said the town received a state Coastal Zone Management grant ($182,000) last August to fund the study, and a public presentation on its preliminary findings is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 28 at the community center.
But Milden and his attorney argue that the study should have been completed before the dredging project was approved.
Revere said that his client’s main concern is that dredging will cause increased flooding and speed of tidal currents in front of his property or cause erosion from an increase in the height or velocity of waves impacting the shore. He’s also concerned that sediment transport processes will increase flood or erosion hazards.
The project to dredge the North Inlet was initially approved for an emergency permit by the conscom last July and by the board of selectmen last August, with the goal of providing a safer passageway for the commercial fishing fleet and recreational boaters.
Over the summer, fishermen spoke out about the dangers of the shallow, narrow passageway at the North Inlet, saying that during certain times of the day they can’t see what’s coming around the corner. Keon said at low tide it’s basically impassable for commercial vessels.
“This is the most severe hazard in navigation I’ve seen not only in my time here but anywhere I’ve been in my career,” Deputy Harbormaster Jason Holm said at the July conscom meeting.
The project was ultimately postponed due to delays with the Barnstable County dredge and dangerous weather conditions.
Last November, Keon requested that the inlet be added to the town’s comprehensive dredging program, and the conscom approved the request, amending the order of conditions a month later.
The town has not yet decided whether to dredge the inlet this year. It isn’t known when the required change notice will be completed with the EPA.
Source: capecod.wickedlocal.com
