- We are petitioning to ask for an accounting of the funds that were appropriated for the revitalization of Boston Harbor beaches, including Winthrop Beach, over 18 years ago
during the "Back to the Beaches" initiative. This revitalization included wider sidewalks, pavilions, bike racks, replenishing sand and bathhouse amenities. Instead the beach has declined over the last 18 years by neglect from the MDC and now the DCR. In 2003, the Army Corps of Engineers findings for Winthrop: “The existing beach and seawall have deteriorated to the point that their protective capabilities are now compromised." In 2008, the DCR applied for permitting to renourish the beach using the hopper dredge method and an offshore borrow site. This method is proven to be the most successful, cost-effective, fastest and least environmentally damaging methods of all renourishing methods. The permit was denied by the Army Corps of Engineers based on opinions offered by the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS). An appeal was filed because NMFS showed a willingness to distort or misrepresent accepted scientific standards to bolster a prejudicial bias against the project. An appeal to the denial was filed, but the Army Corps of Engineers stood by its decision and denied the permit again in 2010. Without the needed Renourishment Project, continued lowering of the beach fronting the seawall is anticipated leading to further catastrophic failures of the seawall, as well as continued coastal flooding of the 5,000 person community directly fronted by the seawall. The original assessment of seawall failure was made in 2003, it is now 2011. The two roads that flood and become impassible during every major (and now minor) storm events are the only access roads to the MWRA's Waste Treatment Plant and the thousands of residents who live on Point Shirley. We demand to know when and how the Renourishment Project will be resolved, and when Winthrop can expect the promised beach improvements that our neighboring beaches have been enjoying for many years.
- We demand the Winthrop Beach Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) written by an ecologist at the DCR is dissolved. This plan required an expert(s) in the field of Coastal Ecology with expertise on the impact to urban community beaches. The plan was written and application approved without the required public commentary process or abutter legal notifications. The VMP sets aside only 20% of the beach for recreation and the balance to be force naturalized by planting outsourced beach grass and undisturbed native plants/weeds. The plan does not allow the DCR to mechanically remove native plants and weeds from over 80% of the beach. To cover 80% of the beach with vegetation for sand retention to keep the beach from further decline does nothing significant to remedy the situation, it only creates a health and injury risk to the community and an unsightly, unusable beach. We demand a community-approved plan that incorporates our vision of the beach.
- We demand the beach, or more specifically, "the Undisturbed Native Species" area be cleaned immediately of weeds and noxious plants protected by the Winthrop Beach Vegetation Management Plan. The weeds and noxious plants (sandburs, mugwort, ragweed, etc.) present a health risk to the community, from both allergies and injuries. The people have the right to a healthy and safe environment.
- We demand the endangered birds nesting site not increase in size, but decrease to a reasonable area equal to the same percentage reserved on other state beaches. Example: Revere Beach is 1% of nesting area, 99% recreational beach. Winthrop Beach is more than 50% nesting area, 20% beach, 30% undisturbed vegetation. We do not agree that all the land to the right of the "recreational beach" should be set aside for birds.
- We demand that our representative, Robert DeLeo, arrange a meeting with key people at the DCR and the community to address the above issues upon delivery of this petition.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
April 18, 2011
April 3, 2011
The growth of this movement has caught the attention of local journalists who are now requesting interviews regarding the lack of oversight on these funds. I am currently preparing a formal inquiry to the DCR to demand a transparent accounting of the original project budget. We are moving forward with a scheduled meeting to present these concerns to the regional oversight board.
March 27, 2011
The petition reached 100 signatures. I am using this total to finalize the formal request for the original allocation records from the department oversight board.
Reached 100 supporters
March 27, 2011
March 26, 2011
We need to hit the one hundred signature milestone to establish a baseline for the formal inquiry letter currently being drafted. Focus your efforts on securing additional signatories before the upcoming meeting with local district representatives.
6 Comments
total joke. the seawall is falling down and they just keep passing the buck. enough is enough.
My kids want to go to the beach but it is just not safe. Do your job DCR.
Seriously just get it done. The bureaucracy is insane.
Where did the money go?? It is such a shame to see our beach falling apart while they make excuses.
I hope someone finally listens. winthrop beach used to be the jewel of the harbor now its just trash.
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- We are petitioning to ask for an accounting of the funds that were appropriated for the revitalization of Boston Harbor beaches, including Winthrop Beach, over 18 years ago
during the "Back to the Beaches" initiative. This revitalization included wider sidewalks, pavilions, bike racks, replenishing sand and bathhouse amenities. Instead the beach has declined over the last 18 years by neglect from the MDC and now the DCR. In 2003, the Army Corps of Engineers findings for Winthrop: “The existing beach and seawall have deteriorated to the point that their protective capabilities are now compromised." In 2008, the DCR applied for permitting to renourish the beach using the hopper dredge method and an offshore borrow site. This method is proven to be the most successful, cost-effective, fastest and least environmentally damaging methods of all renourishing methods. The permit was denied by the Army Corps of Engineers based on opinions offered by the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS). An appeal was filed because NMFS showed a willingness to distort or misrepresent accepted scientific standards to bolster a prejudicial bias against the project. An appeal to the denial was filed, but the Army Corps of Engineers stood by its decision and denied the permit again in 2010. Without the needed Renourishment Project, continued lowering of the beach fronting the seawall is anticipated leading to further catastrophic failures of the seawall, as well as continued coastal flooding of the 5,000 person community directly fronted by the seawall. The original assessment of seawall failure was made in 2003, it is now 2011. The two roads that flood and become impassible during every major (and now minor) storm events are the only access roads to the MWRA's Waste Treatment Plant and the thousands of residents who live on Point Shirley. We demand to know when and how the Renourishment Project will be resolved, and when Winthrop can expect the promised beach improvements that our neighboring beaches have been enjoying for many years.
- We demand the Winthrop Beach Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) written by an ecologist at the DCR is dissolved. This plan required an expert(s) in the field of Coastal Ecology with expertise on the impact to urban community beaches. The plan was written and application approved without the required public commentary process or abutter legal notifications. The VMP sets aside only 20% of the beach for recreation and the balance to be force naturalized by planting outsourced beach grass and undisturbed native plants/weeds. The plan does not allow the DCR to mechanically remove native plants and weeds from over 80% of the beach. To cover 80% of the beach with vegetation for sand retention to keep the beach from further decline does nothing significant to remedy the situation, it only creates a health and injury risk to the community and an unsightly, unusable beach. We demand a community-approved plan that incorporates our vision of the beach.
- We demand the beach, or more specifically, "the Undisturbed Native Species" area be cleaned immediately of weeds and noxious plants protected by the Winthrop Beach Vegetation Management Plan. The weeds and noxious plants (sandburs, mugwort, ragweed, etc.) present a health risk to the community, from both allergies and injuries. The people have the right to a healthy and safe environment.
- We demand the endangered birds nesting site not increase in size, but decrease to a reasonable area equal to the same percentage reserved on other state beaches. Example: Revere Beach is 1% of nesting area, 99% recreational beach. Winthrop Beach is more than 50% nesting area, 20% beach, 30% undisturbed vegetation. We do not agree that all the land to the right of the "recreational beach" should be set aside for birds.
- We demand that our representative, Robert DeLeo, arrange a meeting with key people at the DCR and the community to address the above issues upon delivery of this petition.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
April 18, 2011
April 3, 2011
The growth of this movement has caught the attention of local journalists who are now requesting interviews regarding the lack of oversight on these funds. I am currently preparing a formal inquiry to the DCR to demand a transparent accounting of the original project budget. We are moving forward with a scheduled meeting to present these concerns to the regional oversight board.
March 27, 2011
The petition reached 100 signatures. I am using this total to finalize the formal request for the original allocation records from the department oversight board.
Reached 100 supporters
March 27, 2011
March 26, 2011
We need to hit the one hundred signature milestone to establish a baseline for the formal inquiry letter currently being drafted. Focus your efforts on securing additional signatories before the upcoming meeting with local district representatives.
6 Comments
18 years is way too long to wait. i grew up here and it used to be so nice. fix it already!
total joke. the seawall is falling down and they just keep passing the buck. enough is enough.
My kids want to go to the beach but it is just not safe. Do your job DCR.
Seriously just get it done. The bureaucracy is insane.
Where did the money go?? It is such a shame to see our beach falling apart while they make excuses.
I hope someone finally listens. winthrop beach used to be the jewel of the harbor now its just trash.
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18 years is way too long to wait. i grew up here and it used to be so nice. fix it already!