ORLEANS – Selectmen in Orleans voted unanimously last month to move ahead with the first year of a revised scope of field investigations and permitting for a less ambitious dredging of Nauset Estuary.
The vote comes without the financial support of neighboring Eastham.
The revised program includes backing off 100 feet or more from the barrier beach to avoid impacts.
“The channel is offset from the back of the barrier beach 100 feet or more to avoid impacts to the barrier beach and to allow it to roll over and react naturally to sea level rise, climate change and storms,” Woods Hole Group consultant Leslie fields told the board at the May 15th meeting.
This means that the amount of sand to be dredged behind the barrier beach is now 71,000 cubic yards rather than 127,000.
Eastham Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe was present at the meeting and said, “The primary concerns were environmental, not financial.”
“Dredging the channel immediately behind the barrier could accelerate erosion,” Beebe continued.
Selectman Mark Mathison expressed his frustration with the current dredging situation and said the board needs to determine who’s running the operation and who’s coordinating between consultants.
Chatham Town Meeting last month approved $50,000 to investigate a town-owned dredge; the measure included language directing officials to look into working with other municipalities.
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