Town’s Freshwater Ponds Get A Vote Of Support – Letter -- April 26, 2024

It was fitting that this past Monday, Earth Day, the select board approved six candidates for the newly established Freshwater Ponds Advisory Committee. Their votes represented a major milestone and expression of support for Falmouth’s 75+ freshwater ponds.

The committee will help raise awareness of the importance of protecting our freshwater ponds and will work with our town manager and select board to integrate pond protection strategies into Falmouth’s strategic plan. By doing so, the committee will help affirm the responsibility of the town government to actively engage in freshwater pond protection.

Kim Comart

Strand Way

East Falmouth

(See full letter at https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/opinion/town-s-freshwater-ponds-get-a-vote-of-support---letter/article_ff2b0456-cf9c-5eda-948f-eaad68533a12.html

Falmouth Enterprise - April 26, 2024

Falmouth Adopts Resolution Recognizing The Rights Of Nature

The select board this week made Falmouth the first community on the Cape and one of only a half-dozen municipalities in the nation to adopt a resolution recognizing that humanity is a part of nature, is responsible for nature’s care and should recognize nature as having the right to exist, persist, regenerate and be restored.

The resolution acknowledges Cape Cod’s unique landscapes—from its coastlines to its aquifer—and establishes the global climate change problem and an ever-increasing need to address the crisis.

See full article at: https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/news/falmouth-adopts-resolution-recognizing-the-rights-of-nature/article_ee5cf63e-1269-54ee-9a7b-1bce3bb5e2b1.html

Falmouth Enterprise - March 15, 2024

Town Management Takes Reins On Urine-Diversion Project

Falmouth town staff are working to resolve questions hanging over a proposed urine-diversion pilot project after the finance committee last week said it would recommend indefinite postponement of the idea at April’s Town Meeting.The plan is to bring the article back with all questions answered by the November Town Meeting.

Town manager Michael Renshaw told the select board during its meeting on Monday, March 11, that staff began meeting with Article 22 petitioners—Hilda Maingay, Earle Barnhart and members of the Falmouth Pond Coalition—after the finance committee said it had many unanswered questions concerning the program. Committee members generally said they supported the premise of the article, but they needed their questions answered. Mr. Renshaw said he and the assistant town manager plan to take the lead on making sure that all the details of the project come together for November’s Town Meeting.

See full article at: https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/news/town-management-takes-reins-on-urine-diversion-project/article_f8ef711b-731a-521d-97b1-3ecd4a031d70.html. 

Falmouth Enterprise - Feb 9, 2024

Falmouth Water Quality Committee Endorses Urine-Diversion Pilot

The water quality management committee officially recommended that the select board support a citizens petition article that would fund a urine-diversion pilot project. The committee and its partners have been planning this pilot for months, and Town Meeting members will vote on whether to appropriate $1.9 million for the project in April. 

See full article at:

https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/news/falmouth-water-quality-committee-endorses-urine-diversion-pilot/article_ca4dfc0b-c4fc-59bf-8d91-9765523a65bd.html. 

Falmouth Enterprise - Feb 2, 2024

Putting Urine To Work For Us 

By Hilda Maingay and Earle Barnhart 

Most of the nitrogen and phosphorus in our wastewater that pollutes our ponds and estuaries comes from one concentrated source: urine. A full 80 percent of the nitrogen in the wastewater is from urine, but urine is only 1 percent of the volume of residential wastewater—120 gallons per person per year. If that urine is diverted from the waste stream and collected, it will not go into the environment and pollute downstream ponds and estuaries. But if Falmouth does a urine-diversion pilot project and diverts the urine of 100 people from 50 homes, the question arises, “What do you do with that urine?” 

See full atticle at: https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/columns/putting-urine-to-work-for-us/article_b967ca90-5a8d-57de-94cc-7eef9655d947.html 

Falmouth Enterprise - Feb 1, 2024

Falmouth Select Board Creates Committee To Champion Town's Fresh Water Ponds 

The Select Board voted this week to create a new freshwater ponds advisory committee, tasked with finding solutions to pollution that is stifling freshwater quality across Falmouth.

This committee will be the first of its kind in protecting the town’s freshwater ponds. Town Manager Michael Renshaw suggested the select board appoint five committee members when it interviews prospective candidates at a future meeting. The board will vote on committee members once residents have had the opportunity to see the advertisements and apply to volunteer.

See full atticle at:

https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/news/falmouth-select-board-creates-committee-to-champion-towns-fresh-water-ponds/article_9dc22ce4-4cfc-5fc7-b137-53e54a0ee742.html. 

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