Beach Access Update

[nauset2034]

I have just confirmed a meeting with US Fish and Wildlife and MA Natural Heritage on December 10th to discuss the impacts of total OSV closure and what can be done to decrease these lengthy closures.

I welcome anyone interested to send me their comments or ideas that may be useful at the meeting table.
Please send any correspondence to
[e-mail]

[nauset2034]

Just a quick update:

Vice-President Bill Correia and I attended the meeting yesterday afternoon that we requested with MA Natural Heritage/MA Fish and Wildlife and US Fish and Wildlife. The meeting went well and much information was exchanged in relation to total closure of OSV trails on Nauset Beach, Orleans/Chatham. Selectman from Orleans and Chatham were in attendance along with beach managers from both towns. It was made clear that Federal and State agencies are ready and willing to engage in discussion with the Town of Orleans to begin the mitigation process to allow increased beach access during certain times of the shorebird nesting season. A full report and discussion will take place at the Orleans Selectman's meeting scheduled for Wednesday December 18, at the Orleans Town Hall. I will be posting more information about this meeting in the coming days. I will be asking all that are able to PLEASE make every effort to attend this meeting. There has been countless hours and continued dedication from a small amount of volunteers to get us to this point. WE MUST show the Orleans Selectman that we are not only willing to attend meetings in the summer months when the beach is closed, but will continue to show our support in the winter months to avoid continued closures next season.

Thank you,

Scott Morris
President, MBBA

[nauset2034]

Just a reminder that there will be an Orleans Board of Selectmen’s meeting this Wednesday, December 18th, 2013 at the Orleans Town Hall located at; 19 School Road, Orleans. The meeting will start at 6:30PM and over-sand beach access discussion is the first topic on the agenda. The discussion will include a report issued by the Orleans Parks Commissioners Chairman outlining the recent meeting with US Fish and Wildlife, and MA Natural Heritage held on Tuesday, December 10 in West Boylston, MA.

The Parks Commissioners will also be discussing whether or not to approve and submit a proposal to allow passage by a designated number of unfledged Piping Plover chicks during their nesting season. There will also be discussion of potential mitigation proposals required to obtain the necessary permits issued by Federal and State agencies. I would ask everyone that may be able to attend this meeting to please do so. It would be in our best interest to fill the meeting room Wednesday night to again demonstrate to the elected officials of Orleans that our over-sand beach access is very important to us. We have an opportunity to be part of something that has yet to be implemented on the entire Eastern Seaboard, an opportunity that does not come around to often.

Please make every effort to come out and support a great organization and a traditional use that we hope to be part of expanding for generations to come.


Thank you for your time.

For Fair and Reasonable Beach Access and Conservation,

Scott Morris
President, MBBA

[nauset2034]

It is my pleasure to update everyone in regard to tonight's Selectmen's/Parks Commissioner's meeting in Orleans.

First off, I'd like to thank the dozens of MBBA members that took the time to attend tonight's meeting. Two of which made the trip all the way from Boxborough!!! I'd also like to thank the OBC supporters for attending as well. A very impressive turnout was on display.

The good news is the Town of Orleans Parks Commissioner's unanimously voted to pursue the permits necessary to obtain increased OSV access during piping plover nesting season.
This process also required the town to appoint a working group to participate in mitigation with State and Federal agencies as part of the permitting process. I am honored to have been appointed as one of the six members of the working group. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done, and I welcome the challenge. This group will immediately begin the preparation of the documents required to begin the process.

I'd again like to thank everyone that came out to support our efforts. Your attendance did not go unrecognized.

For Fair and Reasonable Beach Access and Conservation,

Scott Morris
President, MBBA

[nauset2034]

Good morning to all,

I want to thank those of you that came out last night in support of the Town of Orleans Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) discussion. I especially want to thank you for your patience while enduring the over 3-hour discussion of a non-related agenda item prior to the HCP topic. The good news is, the Orleans Board of Selectmen unanimously voted in favor of the plan, and to also submit it along with the Incidental Take Permit (ITP) application by midday today (3/5/14).

As many of you already know, the Massachusetts Beach Buggy Association, Inc. (MBBA) Board of Directors voted unanimously at their February meeting to appropriate $ 4,000.00 to fund the hiring of a consultant to assist the town appointed workgroup create the over 360-page HCP document. Hundreds of hours were put into this process and last night, the Orleans Selectman expressed their appreciation and gratitude. Although our mission is far from over, I am proud to report that we are part of a group that has taken this process further than it has ever been.

As always, thank you for you continued dedication and support.

For Fair and Reasonable Beach Access,

Scott Morris
MBBA, Executive Vice-President
MBBA, Nauset Beach Representative