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We have learned just in the past few days that a new
regulation is pending at the DEP. It effects beach cleaning and would
require that anyone cleaning a beach be required to obtain a permit and pay a
permitting fee each year and beyond that, that cleaning would not be permitted
at all between May 10th and July 15th. It is our
understanding that the DEP is accepting comments from the public prior to
adopting the regulation. And we assume that they will amend or not adopt
the regulation if the comments present a case that the regulation is not in the
best interest of the public. Below is a quick summary of the regulation: General Permit for Beach Grading and
Cleaning Activities: Establishes a registration process
for beach grading or beach cleaning activities conducted in the area between
mean high water and the high tide line. This general permit would authorize a
maximum of one beach grading per calendar year and unlimited beach cleaning per
year. All work prohibited between May 10th and July 15th to protect horseshoe
crab spawning. A registrant must file a general permit registration each year
prior to conducting beach grading and/or beach cleaning activities for that
year. Approval of registration is necessary. The obvious problem for NBYC is two fold. First it
would be another permit to obtain which takes time and costs a fee just to keep
cleaning our beach as we have for many years. Second, not being able to
clean the beach between May 10 and July 15 would result in an incredible mess of
weeds and other debris along with the resultant flies, odors, etc. Our
beach would be unusable. “Little Beach” would be in the same
position. Sorry for the very last minute notice but we understand the
last day for public comment is tomorrow, Sept 12th.
(Please note that we only stumbled across this information in the last day and
have been scrambling to try to sort out its impact and validity – the DEP
did not send us a notice requesting our input.) If you would like to comment you should send your comments
to: janice.deshais@po.state.ct.us
and/or peter.francis@po.state.ct.us Sample comments written by another club member follow just
for your reference: I would like to take this opportunity to respond to your
request for comments on the proposed permit for beach cleaning on the While commendable in the area of protecting the environment
and nature, I see a real health hazard to the human population of the state
with decomposing seaweed, refuse that has washed up, flies, mosquitoes, and bees
all on the heavily populated swimming beaches for almost 10 weeks of the
warmest part of the year. Exposing the huge numbers of people that utilize the state,
town and private beaches, to the risk of illness such as There are large areas of the shoreline that are
not swimming beaches and are not used by people. It would seem that there
is more than adequate space for the crabs to populate in those areas. I would urge you to rethink the "no clean" time
window and allow swimming beaches to be cleaned and made free of debris,
disease bearing insects, bird droppings and trash. |