Something Missing
To the editor:
In the May 13 issue, on page A1, is an article about local fishermen who can’t afford housing in Wellfleet, thereby possibly imperiling their livelihood [“Select Board to Hear Change in Residence Rule”].
On page A9 of the same issue, however, we read about opposition to accessory dwelling units [“Planners See Only Problems in ADU Petition”], which seems like an answer to the problem of housing on page 1.
Am I missing something?
Judy Wood
Wellfleet
Nuclear Safety
To the editor:
When the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station closed in 2019, I naively breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that my worries about radioactive leaks would be over. But that’s not the end of the story. Christine Legere’s articles on the decommissioning process (April 1 and April 29 editions) were eye-opening.
There are many problems associated with decommissioning Pilgrim safely. Holtec International, the current owner, has had no experience decommissioning a nuclear power plant and has no plan for dealing safely with the 47 years of accumulated nuclear waste.
Holtec plans to use substandard dry casks (with a 25-year warranty) on a concrete platform in an exposed field with only a chain-link fence and shrubbery surrounding them. The salt air alone is enough over time to create leaks.
Although Holtec will claim that this is just temporary, and that they will transport the rods across the country to a final storage place in New Mexico, the attorney general of New Mexico and activist groups are fighting to block this move.
Our state legislators are having difficulty passing legislation to protect the citizens of the Cape and Islands in the event of a radiation leak. The only emergency plan for Cape residents is to shelter in place while residents closer to the Pilgrim site are evacuated.
The Cape Downwinders have persuaded Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Sarah Peake to file a bill that would implement a 50-mile emergency zone. Both legislators have said that they do not support this bill because it has no chance of passage, but they filed it because of constituent pressure.
We must continue to pressure our legislators to pass these important bills. Call or email them. Let them know that you support the passage of HD4212 and SD2662 and want them to do so, too.
Laura Gazzano
Wellfleet
Cleaning Up in Wellfleet
To the editor:
The annual cemetery clean-up day on May 15 at the Pleasant Hill and Oakdale cemeteries (right behind the Wellfleet Police Station, off Gross Hill Road) was a great success.
The Wellfleet Cemetery Commission thanks all who participated. It was a beautiful day to be working in one of Wellfleet’s historic cemeteries. Pleasant Hill and Oakdale look great now after the weeding, pruning, trash removal, and creation of locations for donated trees in our newly cleared section. We also appreciate the family members who came to care for their loved ones’ plots and then moved on to care for the surrounding sections as well.
We encourage all Cape residents and visitors to stop and walk through these cemeteries and enjoy their beauty, serenity, and historical significance.
Thanks to Richard Robicheau, Chris Allgeier, Jude Ahern, Robin Burns, Jennifer Congel, Nancy Winslow, Eric Winslow, Addison Winslow, Holly Lajoie, Sharon Rule-Agger, the family of Clara Higgins, Laura and Steve Gazzano, and AmeriCorps Cape Cod members Bianca Bowman and Nicole Westfall.
We hope to see all at our fall 2021 cemetery clean-up.
David Agger
Wellfleet
The writer is a member of the Wellfleet Cemetery Commission.
