Posted on May 25, 2021
The US Army Corps has politely asked a state environmental agency to stand down—for now—on its questions about the quality of sand that would be scooped from Scusset Beach and deposited on Town Neck Beach.
Michael S. Riccio, the Army Corps’ project manager for the New England District, said in a recent email to Town Manager George H. (Bud) Dunham that the Corps had erred in asking the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) to weigh in on the consistency of Scusset sand.
Mr. Riccio said that although—in seeking the many permits needed before the Army Corps can dredge and deposit almost 400,000 cubic yards of sand on badly eroded Town Neck Beach—the Army Corps asked CZM for a “consistency determination” the request came too soon in the lengthy process.
“When we published the Public Notice for the project, we inadvertently requested a formal CZM Consistency Determination, which was a bit premature and essentially a word-smithing error on our part,” Mr. Riccio wrote. “That error started a formal review clock for CZM which is why there’s been concern that they would have to issue a denial as the project is currently proposed; not because CZM opposes the project.”
In a letter sent to the Army Corps last month, the CZM pointed out that the sand on Town Neck is far coarser in quality than the sand that would be taken from a borrow site off Scusset Beach.
The CZM was concerned that the conflicting coarseness would cause the finer sand be erode more quickly, the letter said.
“If all 388,000 cubic yards of sediment needed to nourish Town Neck are taken from the nearshore borrow area, the finer sediments are likely to move and be redistributed faster than if sediments of a similar grain size are used,” wrote Lisa Berry Engler, CZM director.
“If compatible sediment is not used for the nourishment project, it will limit the longevity and protection provided by the nourishment as well as increasing the potential adverse impacts to adjacent eelgrass, shellfish, and other sensitive habitats,” Ms. Engler added.
The letter triggered consternation from town officials, who said they feared the CZM’s concerns could discourage the tentatively approved replenishment effort by the Army Corps that has been years in the making.
But Mr. Riccio assured Mr. Dunham that the Army Corps has withdrawn its request for a CZM consistency determination and will submit the request again to the state agency “when our plans are more refined/developed for construction purposes during the Design Phase.”
Mr. Riccio said the Army Corps continues to communicate with the CZM about the progress of the 111 Study report (the blueprint for the Town Neck replenishment effort) as it slowly moves toward finalization by other Army Corps departments.
“Basically, we slipped up on how we published the public notice with respect to CZM consistency and by withdrawing that request we’re correcting that error,” Mr. Riccio wrote. “The Corps and CZM both fully support the project in general. We just need to work through some of the particulars with respect to sand sourcing, which we’ll continue to coordinate with them on in the design phase.”
Neither Mr. Riccio, nor CZM officials could be reached for comment on Thursday, May 20.
The “borrow” area, just off Scusset Beach, was chosen primarily because sand has amassed there over the years as the stone jetties at the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal—owned and maintained by the Army Corps—diverted that sand from its natural path to Town Neck Beach.
The sand starvation over the years, in addition to natural erosion from storms, has led to Town Neck Beach’s severe depletion.
The Army Corps, after years of studying the situation, has recently taken responsibility for much of Town Neck Beach’s lack of sand and is proposing the placement of $12.5 million worth of sand as an immediate remedy.
Before forwarding the plan to its next steps—design and implementation—the Army Corps held a 30-day public comment period that ended the first week of April. The CZM letter was sent to the Army Corps accordingly.
The CZM believes sand taken from upland—or farther ashore—from Scusset Beach and/or sand from periodic dredging of the Cape Cod Canal would be coarser and therefore more stable materials for beach renourishment.
“Both alternatives warrant further investigation to assess the additional benefits from using other sources with coarser grain sizes,” Ms. Engler wrote last month. “The current analysis [by the Army Corps]…did not appear to consider the increased longevity associated with using a coarser grained source of sediments, and the impact to sensitive environmental resources was not identified.”
Mr. Riccio said he believes the Army Corps and CZM will work out an agreement on sand sourcing when the time is right.
“We are working directly with CZM to help address their concerns and reach a mutually agreed-upon solution,” he said recently. “We don’t have any substantive updates beyond that at this stage, but it’s safe to say that we’re actively engaged with CZM to help solve this problem quickly and effectively, so that we can get this project across the finish line while minimizing impacts to the environment and surrounding area.”
