Massachusetts Bays Program
Since July 1, 2006, APCC has been the host organization for the Massachusetts Bays Program (MBP) on Cape Cod. MBP is one of 28 National Estuary Programs established under the Clean Water Act to improve the quality of estuaries of national significance. It was created in 1988 to address threats to the health of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays.
The MBP extends from the border with New Hampshire to the tip of Cape Cod, covering an area of 1,650 square miles and a shoreline of more than 800 miles. It is hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) with funding assistance from EPA. The Barnstable County Coastal Resources Committee acts as the local governing body for the MBP, Cape Cod Region.
Because of its large area, the MBP is divided into five regions: Cape Cod Bay, the South Shore, Metro Boston, Salem Sound and the upper North Shore. On Cape Cod, there are 11 towns in the MBP region, defined by frontage on Cape Cod Bay: Bourne, Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.
The mission of the Mass Bays Program is to protect and enhance the coastal health and heritage of Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) identifies 17 Action Plans for the program. On Cape Cod, our priorities are to: Restore and protect fish runs and habitat; Restore and protect shellfish resources; Restore and protect salt marsh; Improve coastal water quality; Promote stormwater management and stormwater utilities; Manage coastal erosion; Control marine invasive species; Promote wastewater management; and Promote growth management.
MBP provides help to towns: The Regional Coordinator provides technical assistance to towns to help meet regional goals. Assistance can include: Identifying possible funding sources for restoration or protection projects; Helping to write, coordinate or review grant proposals; Writing letters of support for proposals; Facilitation and coordination; Opening up lines of communication; Providing outreach, training, and information; and Other assistance. If towns need any assistance relating to environmental protection or restoration, please contact the Regional Coordinator to find out if we can help you.
What about towns that are not in the MBP? APCC is a Cape-wide organization dedicated to protecting Cape Cod. Through APCC, we hope to offer similar services to other Cape towns that do not lie within the MBP jurisdiction.