More Buried Lines
To the editor:
I read “Homeowners Learn They Must Maintain Buried Power Lines” [Nov. 3, page A9] with sadness, as I lived this myself.
I’m a first-time home buyer in Provincetown (took decades to get to the point where I could afford a place). My dream came true last November when I found a stand-alone cottage I could afford.
Everything was great until April 1, when I came home from dinner with my partner to find flickering lights, no heat, strange noises. We called Eversource, who, to their credit, came immediately and after midnight. But they said we had buried private power lines that weren’t their responsibility. We had no idea.
It took 75 days, until June 15, to correct the issue, during which we had no heat, no hot water, no fridge, no stove. For 30 days, we had no power at all. For the first week or two, temperatures were still hovering just north of freezing, and we were terrified about burst pipes. It cost us $2,500 to install entirely new lines that Eversource owns — and we couldn’t use our home for two and a half months.
We are grateful for our electrician and other folks in town who helped us during this time, and we’re grateful to Eversource for the new lines, which mean we should never have to live this nightmare again.
I’m sorry to hear this is happening to others and glad you drew attention to this issue.
Ben Williams
Provincetown and New York City
About That Marsh
To the editor:
The Provincetown Select Board has called a special town meeting to discuss sewer expansion. Very good. I’m all for it.
I wish there was the same sense of urgency regarding the degradation of marsh grass in the moors, which is being destroyed by the purple marsh crab. Predators that would keep the crab population in check can’t get to the marsh because of the breakwater.
A proposal has been put forward to remove a section of the breakwater and install a foot bridge over the gap allowing tidal flow to flush the moors and provide access to striped bass and other crab predators.
The Independent’s recent article [“Standstill on the Breakwater as Moors Decline,” Oct. 20, front page] explains how vital the marsh grass is as a nursery for young fish and invertebrates as well as a buffer between sea and land. What wasn’t mentioned is how breathtakingly beautiful the moors are with the expanse of green marsh grass set against dunes and sky.
If the marsh grass is killed off, we’ll be left with mud flats at low tide. Isn’t the protection of this important asset worthy of serious and immediate remediation?
Frank Barringer
Provincetown
A Ban on Boat Launching
To the editor:
On Friday, Nov. 4, two signs appeared on Lieutenant Island Road in Wellfleet, one on each side of the bridge. These signs say, “Launching a boat is prohibited on either side,” which seems to include kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, and Sunfish.
This location has been one of Wellfleet’s most popular kayak launching spots, often when the road is flooded. No location for parking on the island is both public and not subject to flooding at high tide.
What purpose is served by this ban? Who authorized it? What public hearings were held, and how was the public notified of the hearings?
If the ban had been instituted during the kayaking season, protest would have been immediate.
Recreation is a major attraction in Wellfleet and a contributor to our economy. The disregard of recreational interests is disturbing.
The positioning of the sign in the middle of the shoulder is a poor choice, since it prevents cars from pulling off the road to allow traffic leaving the island to pass when they inadvertently meet in that spot.
This ban was implemented without public input or, we think, much thought, and it interferes with a well-established Wellfleet recreational pursuit.
Dick Elkin
South Wellfleet
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