WELLFLEET — The National Park Service plans to treat six Outer Cape kettle ponds for the invasive weed Phragmites australis, which is threatening the ecology of Herring, Gull, and Higgins […]
Environment
RADIOACTIVITY
State Legislation to Stop Radioactive Water Release Fails
Those fighting Holtec ask the attorney general to act
PLYMOUTH — A plan to release one million gallons of radioactive water from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station’s systems into Cape Cod Bay, announced last fall by Holtec Decommissioning International, […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Aug. 16 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
BUGGIES & BIRDS
On ‘the Outer,’ Piping Plover Protection Is Working
From Nauset Beach to Race Point, shorebird programs balance over-sand vehicle access
ORLEANS — From the sandy bank of Pochet Creek emerge two small piping plover chicks. Their fuzzy plumage serves as camouflage against the sand, making it nearly impossible to spot […]
THE DREDGE REPORT
Final Dredging of Wellfleet Harbor Is Put Off for a Year
Corps of Engineers insists on land exchange or $14.5-million ‘mitigation’ fee
WELLFLEET — The dredging of the mooring field at Wellfleet Harbor will not happen this fall. The final phase of the $20-million three-year project to clear silt and muck from […]
POND SCUM
Cyanobacteria Blooms Rise With Water Temperatures
Swimmers are advised to learn to spot and report ephemeral blooms
TRURO — Kettle ponds, the glittering pools of fresh water that are one of the Outer Cape’s most prized natural features, are facing a growing threat caused not only by […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Aug. 9 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
BUGGIES & BIRDS
On ‘the Outer,’ Piping Plover Protection Is Working
From Nauset Beach to Race Point, shorebird programs balance over-sand vehicle access
ORLEANS — From the sandy bank of Pochet Creek emerge two small piping plover chicks. Their fuzzy plumage serves as camouflage against the sand, making it nearly impossible to spot […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Aug. 2 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
MARINE LIFE
Right Whales Are ‘Going Extinct Unless We Change’
Ship strikes and entanglements are rapidly depleting the species
PROVINCETOWN — Only 12 years ago, marine biologists and whale watchers on the Cape had something to celebrate: the endangered North Atlantic right whale population was making a rebound, from […]
RADIOACTIVITY
Foes of Pilgrim Dumping Plan Distrust Holtec
They suspect contaminated water will end up in the bay
PLYMOUTH — The meetings of the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (NDCAP) usually draw just a handful of observers. But on Monday it was standing room only when the group […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, July 26 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
WATER QUALITY
Major Septic System Rule Changes May Be Ahead
Systems near ponds and bays would need upgrades
WELLFLEET — The state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) is proposing major changes to Title 5 that, if adopted, could force home owners near sensitive bodies of water to upgrade […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, July 19 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
PILGRIM PROGRESS
Holtec Chief Says Shipping Water Offsite Is Off the Table
In a letter to Sen. Markey, Singh cites concern for ‘environmental justice’
PLYMOUTH — The president of the company decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear power plant has ruled out shipping a million gallons of radioactive water to a licensed disposal site, taking off […]
