Program Outline Restoration Project Update Welcome and Introduction (Don Palladino) Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan) Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph) Agency Contributions National Park Service – NEPA Process (Tim Smith) US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth) Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear) Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn) Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts Mission Promote the restoration and ongoing environmental vitality of the Herring River Estuary Promote education, research and public awareness about the project Coordinate outreach activities to ensure effective public involvement Raise funds and seek volunteers

Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts What have we done? Summer 2008 – HRRC suggests formation of Friends Formed a Board of Directors November 2008 – Formal announcement of Friends of Herring River at Wellfleet Harbor Conference. Worked with pro-bono attorney to prepare incorporation documents for non-profit status With a generous grant from Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore launched a website and electronic newsletter

Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts What have we done? Supported Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project with APCC Conducted logo contest (54 Nauset Regional High School students participated) Presentation to Wellfleet BOS and outreach to Cape leaders Co-sponsored or participated in key activities  Brush burn with CCNS  Herring count with APCC  Kayak trips with Audubon Incorporated in Massachusetts 501(c)(3) application pending with IRS

Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts What are we doing? Publishing a bi-monthly electronic newsletter with 300 plus subscribers Meeting with key interested parties, for example recently  Truro BOS and Open Space Committee  Truro property abutters Seeking funding support Continuing to promote public awareness Preparing special events  Oyster Festival  Wellfleet Harbor  Conservation Trust Walks in Wellfleet

Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts What can you do? Become a member Subscribe to e-newsletter Share ideas – be active Volunteer – share talent Visit our website Grant writer Communications Historian Photography Membership Computers - website Fundraising/Finance Volunteer Work Projects

Restoration Project Update Welcome and Introduction (Don Palladino) Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan – Wellfleet Board of Selectmen) Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph) Agency Contributions National Park Service – NEPA Process (Tim Smith) US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth) Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear) Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn) Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

1908 Salt Marsh Declared shared commitment to investigate restoration of tide to the Herring River Established the Herring River Stakeholders Committee to identify interests that could be affected by tidal restoration Established the Herring River Technical Committee (HRTC) to assess the feasibility of restoring tide to the Herring River Development of the Herring River Restoration Project 1. September 2005: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Wellfleet and Cape Cod National Seashore:

Development of the Herring River Restoration Project 2. November 2007: Conceptual Restoration Plan for the Herring River Tidal Restoration Project completed and approved Developed by the HRTC Integrated technical information and analyses with issues raised by the Stakeholders Committee Concluded that restoration was feasible and in the public interest Available on Town of Wellfleet, CCNS and Friends of Herring River web sites

Development of the Herring River Restoration Project 3. November 2007: Memorandum of Understanding, MOUII, among the Towns of Wellfleet, Truro and the Cape Cod National Seashore Declared shared commitment to restore tide to the Herring River Established the Herring River Restoration Committee (HRRC) Tasked the HRRC with using local, state, and federal planning processes to produce a Detailed Restoration Plan for the Herring River

Restoration Project Update Welcome and Introduction (Don Palladino) Town of Wellfleet Role (Dale Donovan) Overview of Herring River Restoration Project (Gary Joseph – Chair of Herring River Restoration Committee and Wellfleet representative) Agency Contributions National Park Service – NEPA Process (Tim Smith) US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth) Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear) Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn) Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

HRRC: Town of Wellfleet Town of Truro Cape Cod National Seashore Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game US Fish and Wildlife Service National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Natural Resource Conservation Service Herring River Restoration Committee A Unique-Multi Entity (Federal, State, Local) Committee Planning Processes: Cape Cod Commission Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Conservation Commissions

Current Major Activities: Herring River Restoration Committee (HRRC) Comply with Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Continue to address overall social concerns and specific impact on CYCC and property abutters Produce a detailed restoration plan using local, state, and federal planning processes

National Environmental Policy Act NEPA 1969 Purpose: "to make sure that agencies fully consider the environmental costs and benefits of their proposed actions before they make any decision to undertake those actions" NEPA is a decision making process and tool Requires careful, complete, and analytic study of the impacts of any proposal that has the potential to affect the environment; requires study of alternatives to the proposed action

Social concerns Vegetation change Downstream shellfish beds Water-supply wells (six) Flooding of roads Flooding of private properties CYCC golf course

Ecological benefits Increased sediment deposition (to counter sea-level rise) Removal of exotic plants Re-establishment of salt-marsh plants Increased tidal flushing Improved water-column aeration Elimination of acidity/metals Improved migratory fish habitat Restored export to near-shore waters Social benefits Restored pollution control Restored public access, recreation & education Boating Birding Fin- and shellfishing Restored harvestable resources Finfish Shellfish Improved shellfish water quality Reduced mosquitoes

Restoration Project Update – Agency Contributions National Park Service – NEPA Process (Tim Smith) US Fish and Wildlife Service – Overview of Hydro Modeling (Eric Derleth) Natural Resources Conservation Service – Funding (Steve Spear) Association to Preserve Cape Cod (Margo Fenn) Questions and Discussion Friends of Herring River Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts

Healthy marshes generate diatom biomass To feed Oysters