EPA to Protect US Coastal Waters

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to designate the coastal waters of six towns and the Cape Cod National Seashore as ‘No Discharge Areas’.

With this step, the EPA can prohibit discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage within the town boundaries of Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown.

The Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management petitioned the EPA to approve the No Discharge designation, with the towns and the Cape Cod National Seashore office’s concurrence.

Most of the coastline of the proposed area lies within the Cape Cod National Seashore, which covers 43,500 acres.

EPA will endorse a No Discharge Area designation for areas that have enough pump-out facilities where boaters can get their sewage holding tanks pumped.