To the Editor:

I am writing to you regarding Article 80, the Nitrogen Article being presented at the Wareham Fall Town Meeting starting on October 25, 2010.

This article was the result of the Wareham Nitrogen Consensus group, sponsored by the Coalition for Buzzards Bay.  This group met during the Fall of 2009 through the Summer of 2010.  The Consensus group unanimously agreed to the intent of Article 80.

On June 30, 2010, the last meeting of the Wareham Nitrogen Consensus group was held.  At this meeting, the final draft of the action plan was presented. The group agreed to and signed the final draft with some amendments. One of the goals in this final draft for Medium-sized developments was a “nitrogen-zero standard,” which requires that the construction of any new development contribute zero nitrogen to the watershed.   On page 23 of this final draft, members of the nitrogen consensus group agreed to the following: “We will work toward presentation of bylaws and regulations related to this goal by Fall 2010.”

On September 15, 2010 members of the Clean Water Committee met with the Board of Health.  At this meeting, a representative of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay spoke in opposition to Article 80 going forward.  The members of the Clean Water Committee were stunned and were in total disbelief.  The Coalition representative stated that she did not have a problem with the article itself, but wanted to present the article to the Wareham Spring Town Meeting 2011.  Members of the Clean Water Committee asked why? The reason given by the Coalition representative was to try and build a consensus among the various boards and committees in Town.

It should be noted that the members of these boards and committees as well as their respective department heads were invited to participate in the Nitrogen Consensus Group but only a few committee members took advantage of this invitation.  Members of the Clean Water Committee stated that is why they were meeting with the Board of Health in order to get their support for this article.  Why wasn’t the Coalition assisting in building this consensus and getting the support of the Board of Health rather then trying to delay going forward with this article?

At the meeting on September 15, 2010 the Coalition representative distributed a booklet titled, “The Wareham Nitrogen Consensus – An Action Plan – 2010”.  This booklet, which supports Article 80 as it is written in the Town Meeting warrant, had the signatures of those members of the nitrogen consensus group that had signed the final draft.  On page 28 of this booklet under the section for Medium-sized developments, however, the following appears: “We will work toward presentation of bylaws and regulations related to this goal by Fall 2010 or Spring 2011.”  This language was not agreed to by the members of the consensus group nor was it even discussed.  It appears to have been added to the signed document by the Coalition for Buzzards Bay for reasons that are difficult to fathom.

On several occasions I have tried to get in contact with the president of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay. My telephone calls were not returned.

Why would the Coalition want to delay implementation of this bylaw establishing a nitrogen standard?  The longer the town continues without a nitrogen standard will result in more Wareham residents wasting their hard-earned dollars for sewer construction that will aid nitrogen removal, while new construction contributes nitrogen that the residents are paying dearly to remove.

As a supporter of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay for many years, I have no logical explanation for their delay.  It makes no sense.  It is harming the possibility of Article 80 being approved at this Fall Town Meeting, undoing all of the good work that was done by the Nitrogen Consensus Group, and having a detrimental effect on any future article dealing with a nitrogen standard.

On Monday, October 18, 2010 at 7 p.m. the Clean Water Committee is meeting with the Planning Board at Town Hall to discuss Article 80.  The Coalition will be present to oppose Article 80 from going forward. The Coalition will also be meeting with the Board of Health on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 5:15PM. If you are concerned with wasting your money on sewer while developers are not required to pay their fair share of the nitrogen cleanup, I ask you to attend these meetings and voice your concerns. I suggest that you call the Coalition for Buzzards Bay and ask them why they are trying to delay Article 80 from going forward.  Also, I ask all of the residents of Wareham who are or will be on sewer to attend Town Meeting, pass Article 80, the nitrogen standard, and stop the grievous injustice involving the sewering of Wareham.

Sincerely

Edward J. Pacewicz

Chairman

Clean Water Committee