CHATHAM – Proposed federal legislation that would declare Nantucket Sound a National Historic Landmark is not receiving support from the Chatham Board of Selectmen.
The legislation was promoted by the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. Dozens of towns and nonprofits have signed on to a letter of support to be sent to U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and Congressman Bill Keating.
The Alliance is seeking to protect the sound from future wind energy development, following the demise of the Cape Wind project which had a lease for 46 square miles in the sound.
Chatham is the only Cape Cod community that is on Nantucket Sound which did not endorse the federal landmark status legislation.
Selectman Shareen Davis does not feel the designation is necessary and that the sound is already safeguarded.
“If this was a grassroots effort by our local citizens, I would be far more supportive of something like this,” Davis said.
“But this is a nonprofit with particular interests.”
Davis believes there are preservation and water quality improvement efforts that could be done for the sound, but that the landmark status is just overkill.
The board is worried that landmark status would also result in more federal oversight of local waters.
Selectman Dean Nicastro believes it could limit shark mitigation efforts, including the potential decrease in the seal population. A study is being conducted that is looking at possible culling or contraception.
Selectman Cory Metters said supporting the legislative effort is not a necessity for the town.
“I think we need to keep our options open right now,” Meters said. “I think there is a lot of stuff going on and there is no need or real rush for us to endorse this one way or the other.”
Former selectman Seth Taylor also spoke out against supporting the legislation.
“I think an invitation into further outside government forces on the decisions we make with our resources going forward is a bad idea,” Taylor said.
Davis added that town counsel Patrick Costello does not think the legislation would affect Chatham’s battle with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge boundary.
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