State Review Clears Path for Next Phase of Sconset Bluff Coastal Protection Project
MEPA Completes Review Following Extensive Local and State Environmental Evaluation
The Sconset Beach Preservation Fund (SBPF) and Town of Nantucket have received a Certificate from the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs concluding that no further environmental review is required under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). This determination confirms that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is not required and allows the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to proceed with its review.
MEPA is a public review process intended to ensure that projects requiring state permits are evaluated with a broad understanding of potential environmental impacts. MEPA does not approve or deny projects; rather, it determines whether sufficient information is available for permitting agencies to act.
As part of its review, MEPA evaluated SBPF’s Notice of Project Change, alternatives analyses, project plans, monitoring results, potential impacts to coastal wetland resource areas, and the findings and conditions contained in the Order of Conditions issued by the Nantucket Conservation Commission. In its Certificate, the Secretary concluded that MassDEP has sufficient regulatory authority to address outstanding design issues and impose appropriate conditions through the permitting process.
The project was previously approved by the Nantucket Conservation Commission following more than 15 months of public hearings and extensive, detailed review. Throughout that process, the Commission carefully evaluated alternatives, environmental effects, mitigation measures, and compliance with state and local regulations, and incorporated those findings into a comprehensive Order of Conditions governing construction and long-term maintenance. SBPF credits the depth and rigor of this local review for establishing a robust record that supported subsequent state review.
The Conservation Commission’s decision was later appealed to MassDEP by project opponents, requiring completion of MEPA review before MassDEP could proceed. During the MEPA process, the Secretary considered public comments and correspondence, including requests from opposition groups and legal counsel urging MEPA to require an Environmental Impact Report. Following review of the full record, MEPA concluded that additional environmental review was not necessary.
“This determination reflects the extensive environmental review that has already taken place,” said Meridith Moldenhauer, representative for the Sconset Beach Preservation Fund. “SBPF will continue working closely with its experts, the Town, and state agencies to address comments received and to provide any additional information required as part of the MassDEP permitting process.”
With MEPA review complete, MassDEP may now proceed with its review of the appeal and issue a Superseding Order of Conditions in the coming months.
The Baxter Road and Sconset Bluff Stabilization and Coastal Resiliency Project is designed to protect public infrastructure, including Baxter Road and nearby utilities, and preserve public access along one of Nantucket’s most erosion-prone shorelines.
