Chezsven Blog: Wellfleet Today: What's New Under the Power Lines?

Monday, November 01, 2010

What's New Under the Power Lines?

If you happened to be in Wellfleet this past weekend and had occasion to drive east towards the ocean, you would have noticed something unexpected. Check out the sturdy wooden fence that went up recently on either side of Long Pond Road. It is not clear who gave permission for the utility company to block access to the rights-of-way or, indeed, whether anyone was consulted ahead of time. Similar fences are going up all across Cape Cod. Not only are there fences. The utility company has also installed metal gates that can be locked. This show of force provides evidence that the plan to spray up to five herbicides has not been abandoned for one minute. Wellfleetians were out removing vegetation a couple weeks ago to prove there is a non-chemical option, one that does not put pregnant women, children, and pets at risk of endocrine disruption through the contamination of our sole-source aquifer: mowing and pruning, a safer method that was used successfully in the past.

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Melanie @Frugal Kiwi · 751 weeks ago

I'll be interested to see if they had permission to do this or if it was a unilateral move on their part to strong arm.
My recent post Emerging

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Chris V · 751 weeks ago

Hmmm ... all of these fences going up around Cape Cod under the power lines. Someone mentioned that the Town Fire Departments have no keys to the gates that are locked. Is this true? What if there were to be a brush fire or other emergency requiring town enforcement? Who is allowing this construction? Did the utility company have to get permits from the town? Lot's of unanswered questions ....

On another note, kudos to Laura Kelley for her expertise on vegetation that should be propagated under the power lines to discourage growth of high-growing vegetation that could threaten the lines. Laura, please keep up the good work to educate the general public as well as town officials Capewide about the various types of suitable and sustainable vegetation! Alexandra, thank you for your tireless efforts in keeping this issue alive in your Blog! After all, who is going to need electricity if we don't have access to clean water to survive?

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Zalman Saperstein · 751 weeks ago

Hi Alexandra
Makes no sense whatsoever to spray toxic herbecides--nothing is threatening the power lines, and cannot for probably more than a century if then. Refer to the following sources to fight back!
* A Drinker's Guide to Pure Water--Is Your Water Safe?
* CDC Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals
* Environmental Working Group
* EPA Drinking Water Regulations
* EPA Toxic Release Inventory
* NIH Reports on Carcinogens
Get Massachusetts environmental officials involved as soon as possible and file a request for a hearing immediately, and request an injunction against the utility company. My book may also provide useful information.
: * A Drinker's Guide to Pure Water--Is Your Water Safe?
Keep up the battle --your health is at risk!

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chezsven 82p · 751 weeks ago

Emailed by Tim:

I've written to you once previously about how much I enjoy reading your daily updates from Wellfleet.

I'm writing again to reaffirm that statement and also to say that what you are doing regarding informing your fellow citizens - Wellfleetians and beyond - about the dangers of chemicals in our shared environment is nothing short of what I call "necessary heroism". With the vile political climate unfolding and the expected horrendous results for progressives in tomorrow's elections, it is imperative that more people such as yourself continue to speak up about the utter arrogance and uncaring ways of companies that perpetrate the use of chemicals upon us. With our national government in such ruins, local communities such as Wellfleet and individual states - and citizens - will have to carry the progressive torch.

Let me also state that I also love going to Wellfleet every summer. My wife and I - and now 1 year old son - go every June for two glorious weeks to a cottage on Ocean View Drive (one of the most beautiful roads in the country). While I read you nearly everyday, my only concern is that other people will catch on as to how wonderful Wellfleet is in June. It's just busy enough but not crowded at all. I like it that way, so don't tell anyone! Being from New York City, going to Wellfleet provides the salve needed to escape the rushed city life. If I were lucky enough I'd own a house up there some day so I could escape any time I chose (though I do love living in the city).

I do hope Wellfleet retains its vibrant shellfishing industry because industry - even if it's small - is key to maintaining a well rounded community. Eastern Long Island and Nantucket have been ruined as they're only rich people's playgrounds now. There's something so wonderfully unique about Wellfleet - I feel like I'm truly far from New York, even though it's not that far away and even though there are many New Yorkers who go there. From the red clay tennis courts I use all the time on Route 6 to the WHAT theater to the Bomb Shelter Pub where I've spent many nights with friends (unfortunately fewer in the future with a child!) it's paradise for me. I've been to nearly every major vacation spot between DC (used to live there for 9 years) to Maine and there's no place like Wellfleet.

Please keep up the great work. As a fellow writer (I'm a sports columnist) I know how difficult it is to create blogs everyday.

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amywellfleet 46p · 751 weeks ago

Is that fence intended to keep out pedestrians? Or just motorized vehicles? Horses? Bicycles?

4 replies · active 751 weeks ago

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chezsven 82p · 751 weeks ago

Pruning brigades? Blueberry pickers? Wild turkeys? Mountain-bikers? Mushroom hunters in season? Who knows? In any case, the gates are currently open and unlocked but that probably will not last long. The head of Preservation Hall lives nearby and is quite irate. She was on the phone with the utility company at the end of last week. Ditto a fellow in Yarmouth.

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amywellfleet 46p · 751 weeks ago

I don't see how they can really keep people out unless they gate and fence the entire perimeter of those areas since there are many, many access points without entering from a main road.

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chezsven 82p · 751 weeks ago

As soon as we find out, I will let you know.

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laura kelley · 748 weeks ago

I don't think it's about keeping people out but it will stop anyone who wants to drive there. slows horses & bicycles too. does anyone want to call them and ask them the reason for the fences, please? it would be nice to have at least a reason, since we've been somewhat controlled on our own land. i wonder if it is to keep vehicles that may remove the unwanted hand-pruned vegetation??? (see video) i wonder...

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Chris V · 751 weeks ago

If you are on Setucket Road in Yarmouthport off Rte 6A, there is one of those fences. Get this! Just behind it is an orange sign with black letters saying "No Trespassing, Public Water Supply". What does that mean? Did NSTAR put up the fence? Who posted the "No Trespassing Pubic Water Supply" sign? What the heck is going on???

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janet · 751 weeks ago

I have recently noticed another of those sturdy fences off Nauset Road in North Eastham, near the old pit and the bike trail crossing. Will take a closer look today.

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jim · 751 weeks ago

By the way, the right side of the video here is clipped off in the window for some reason. I guess the alotted window size is too narrow.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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chezsven 82p · 751 weeks ago

Thanks for pointing this out, Jim. Sorry about that! Maybe it depends on what you watch it with? The video is not clipped on my machine.

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Jennifer Margulis · 751 weeks ago

I'm so sad and sickened that they are STILL PLANNING to spray. I hate this "show of force." We have to stop poisoning the earth. I wish the power companies would start reading your blog.

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stanley · 750 weeks ago

I don't like the idea of chemicals mixing with the water that we drink! Having said that, if access control on the rights-of-way beneath the power lines leads to a reduction in the number of motorized vehicles like ATV's and off road motorcycles - with unrestricted exhausts - that speed around at all hours during the summer, then I'm not necessarily opposed. It doesn't seem to prohibit pedestrian access.

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Laura Kelley · 748 weeks ago

I was at a meeting with N and asked them directly why the new fences across all of the Cape? their response was not clear: because of the couches left - what? those fences cost some good money to put in, for some trash? I feel violated personally. I asked them who gave them permission to put up the new fences, they said the state. we contacted state and feds, still to this day there is nothing in writing giving them the order.

it takes so much for a resident to put up a simple fence. we have to go to a meeting with a proposal that documents size & location and pay a fee. no town officials knew of this going to happen and now that it has what can we do about it? they are locked fences. turns out N give a key to fire stations for emergencies only. what is N doing? feels like an invasion - do they have to spend some money since they didn't get to spray this year?