[DEHC] Important Meeting Dec 13 re: Neponset River cleanup

[Rosanne.Foley at codman.org]

Dear NepRWA Members and Friends,
I urge you to attend a meeting Thursday, December 13, at 7 p.m.
The Riverways Program and Division of Marine Fisheries will present the 
final results of their long awaited study on restoring the Neponset River.

This project would clean up high levels of toxic PCBs from the 
river-bottom in Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park and Milton. Just as 
importantly, it would restore historic herring and shad runs to Walpole, 
Norwood, Westwood, Dedham, Canton, Milton, Quincy, Dorchester, Mattapan 
and Hyde Park by removing the two most downstream dams on the river.

The benefits of the project are many, from restoring the ecology of the 
river, invigorating local and regional sport fisheries, making it possible 
to canoe uninterrupted from Walpole to the sea, protecting public health 
from toxic contaminants, preventing flooding in Lower Mills, and saving 
taxpayers the millions of dollars it would cost to maintain two obsolete, 
state-owned dams. In short, the project is critical to making the Neponset 
and its tributaries the environmental and recreational jewels that our 
communities deserve.

The meeting will kick off the final public comment process, and the 
project will ONLY move forward if it has a very widespread public support. 
I hope you will plan to attend the meeting on Dec. 13th and express your 
support for a clean, beautiful, accessible, “living” Neponset River. It 
promises to be both interesting and informative.

MEETING DETAILS
DATE:   Thursday, December 13, 2007, 7-9 PM
LOCATION:   Cushing Auditorium, 2nd Floor of Carney Hospital, 2100 
Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, MA
PARKING:   On the street or in the Carney lot
QUESTIONS?   Please call Ian Cooke at 781-575-0354. 
 
Ian Cooke
Executive Director
Neponset River Watershed Association
2173 Washington Street
Canton, MA 02021
www.neponset.org
p/f 781-575-0354 / 781-575-9971