Matunuck area cleanup emergency meeting

[Springtides]

Last weekend the local surfrider group started somewhere around Charlestown and worked their way east. Supposedly 4 or 5 truckloads worth. Talked to their Pres.

[Bill L]

Here is an email from Surfrider regarding a follow-up clean up Sunday Morning 2/11/07......

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Hi all,

I just wanted to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who helped out
with the beach clean-up in Matunuck on this past Saturday. We had about 80
volunteers bear the cold to comb the beaches picking up trash big and
small. Narragansett Surfcasters also picked up about 6-7 bags of
trash earlier that morning. Overall we had about 5 pick-up truck loads of
trash consisting of timbers, tires, fishing gear, boots, cans, and
assorted other treasures. EXCELLENT JOB!

Unfortunately, we are not out of the storm yet. Another round of trash
has washed up over the last couple of days. The majority of the new trash
that washed up is concentrated in the area between Deep Hole and the Ocean
Mist. So, we are organizing another beach clean-up tomorrow (Sunday). We
are planning the clean-up to start at 9 a.m. We will meet at the Deep
Hole Parking Lot (at the end of Matunuck Beach Road, past the Ocean Mist,
and on the right). Dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes. While this
clean-up is last minute, we wanted to make sure that we remain on a
proactive patrol of the beaches. If you can make it down, even for a half
an hour, your help would be appreciated. If you can't make it tomorrow,
make it a point to head down to the beaches during the week. Bring a bag,
fill a bag, and make sure you call CRMC at 738-3370 to report the trash!


On another note..........


This Thursday night at 6:30 p.m., the Rhode Island Chapter Surfrider
Foundation is holding a panel discussion to follow up on our initial open
forum concerning the issue of solid waste washing up along our southern
shores due to the Point Judith Pond dredging project. Many of our
unanswered questions about the status of the project and issues and
concerns should and need to be answered that night. The panel will
consist of representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers, CRMC, RIDEM,
Save The Bay, and RI Chapter Surfrider Foundation. This is the
opportunity for you, as a concerned citizen, to voice your concerns and
get your questions answered. Please make it a point to attend.


MORE INFO:

WHAT: Point Judith Dredging Project Panel Discussion

WHEN: Thursday, February 15th, 2007

TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Auditorium, Coastal Institute, URI Bay Campus

DIRECTIONS: http://www.gso.uri.edu/aboutGSO/directions.html

WHO: Invite everyone who cares about our state's South Coast beaches

Please feel free to forward this email to any and all who are concerned
about the trash washing up on our beaches. Your attendance and input is
highly appreciated.

Thank you and we hope to see you there.

dave

David Prescott
Chair
RI Chapter Surfrider Foundation

[Bill L]

The dredging trash tends to be a lot of small stuff, glove, lobster bands, plastic, cloth, cans,rigging twine, etc that accumulates with the seaweed in the wrack line

[Bill L]

I went to the clean up on Sunday, a whole new batch of trash has washed up in a week's times. This area was cleaned just last sunday. The line of cans and junk went on out of site, and not shown is the masses of seaweed mixed with crap.

It will take many sessions to stay on top of this. Last week Surfrider had more than 70 volunteers, Sunday there were about a half dozen. Contractor's crews nowhere to be found, and obviously hadnt been here.

[Pete F.]

The technology is available
In fact there is one in York Maine