Chatham Officials Send Petition to Governor Baker to Back Keating Bill

CHATHAM – A petition with more than 1,000 signatures has been sent to Governor Charlie Baker, asking him to support legislation that restores the western boundary of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.

Congressman Bill Keating has filed a bill that clarifies that the western boundary is the mean low water line.

“There’s no reason to think that it’s not going to advance, it could be just in the course of time within our committee moving, so I do think that the options on moving forward in the House are there,” said Keating.  

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan shows a different boundary which puts control of the 3,000 acres of submerged lands in the hands of the federal government instead of the state.

It affects the access to fishing grounds that local fishermen rely on in Chatham.

Because of the legislative process though, Keating’s legislation could be connected to other bills that may be controversial and there is a chance that it would be struck down.

He thinks it should be a stand-alone bill.

“By itself, I believe it should advance, entangled with other controversial bills, it could fail,” said Keating.

Baker sent a letter last year to the federal delegation, expressing support for Chatham’s cause.

By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter

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