A Responsible Path Forward For Sconset Bluff
To the editor: As Nantucket residents consider how they will vote on Article 73, it is critical that this discussion be guided by facts, not fear.
The proposed geotube expansion is one of the most thoroughly reviewed coastal resilience projects in Nantucket’s history. Over a 15-month public hearing process, the Nantucket Conservation Commission evaluated extensive scientific data, expert testimony, and regulatory standards under both the Wetlands Protection Act and local bylaws. The result was an approved Order of Conditions with 72 specific requirements; a level of scrutiny and oversight that is virtually unprecedented.
A central claim made by opponents is that the existing geotubes are causing erosion of nearby beaches. That claim is not supported by the record. Data reviewed by the Commission including analysis from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management which shows that the entire eastern shoreline of Nantucket has been eroding for decades, in some cases dating back to the 1800s, and well before the geotubes were installed in 2014.