Disappointed but undaunted, SBPF forges ahead
ENVIRONMENT
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
Reeling from the 2,986 "no" votes Nantucketers cast in the April 15 election on whether the town should support the 'Sconset Beach Preservation Fund's beach nourishment project, SBPF is plodding along, preparing for its next Conservation Commission meeting on Monday.

As evidenced by overwhelming public support, Bob DeCosta and the Coalition for Responsible Coastal Management ran a successful campaign. The Conservation Commission will weigh in next.

Less than 15 percent of voters supported the Board of Selectmen's signing SBPF's order of conditions (should the ConCom issue it) and endorsing its Department of Environmental Protection Chapter 91 Waterways Program license.

"Obviously, it's very disappointing that we couldn't explain our project to people to get more support," said SBPF Executive Director Cheryl Bartlett. "A lot of people felt they didn't have enough information to make an informed decision. Forty-four percent of the people voted, so we don't know how the rest of the voters feel."

SBPF wants to mine 1.9 million cubic yards of sand three miles off Sankaty to rebuild three miles of beach from the lighthouse down to Codfish Park. If necessary, they hope to mine more sand at three-tofive year intervals, depending on erosion rates and storm frequency.

At issue are the size of blue mussel beds where the sand would be mined and the extent of the destruction of fishing grounds by the dredging of sand and outward migration of the new beach.

For several weeks prior to the election when voters were asked in Question Five, one of six non-binding questions on this year's ballot, whether they supported the project, SBPF's informational post cards filled mailboxes and their hired army of independent survey people tried to visit each of the island's 8,109 voters to spread SBPF's message. Whether SBPF's envoys garbled their message or Nantucket voters knew enough already to vote informed is not known. Bartlett said the seven whose votes that do count are on the Conservation Commission, and she believes that they will have more than enough information to rule on SBPF's application at the close of the public hearing. Bartlett estimates the hearing will close after two more meetings.

"We will continue," she said. "This does not stop any permitting. We're not even sure when this will be before the selectmen, but we'll get through permitting and see where we are at the end of permitting. I'm sure if we're given a permit the [Nantucket] Land Council and their friends will appeal. I'm not sure what we'll do if were denied. There's a lot of unknowns at this point."

Those Nantucketers who quickly formed the Coalition for Responsible Coastal Management to oppose SBPF's information campaign and give voters what they say is the real truth about the impacts of project, believe the 2,986-490 vote proves Nantucket voters knew exactly what they were voting against, and why.

"I had been at every ConCom meeting and I was quite surprised that this media blitz, which they forced upon us, simply didn't focus on the facts of their presentation," said Coalition Treasure D. Anne Atherton. "I think that the voters could see that they were being given inaccurate information, so they turned to people that they could trust and the people they could trust were our fishermen. I think they cast very well-informed votes."

As SBPF readies itself for the April 28 Conservation Commission meeting, the Coalition for Responsible Coastal Management is working to thank voters for supporting them. Drivers around the Rotary have certainly seen Larry Cronin in his fishing garb dangling his stuffed fish and waving a thank you sign with other members. They are also trying to get on the selectmen's May 7 meeting agenda to have an open discussion with them about the results of Question Five and

will continue to monitor SBPF/ConCom meetings. I