Published in the Newburyport Daily News

City steps forward to save homes

By Katie Curley, Staff writer

October 25, 2008 03:57 am

NEWBURYPORT — Residents of 55th Street on Plum Island are content with action taken this week to lessen the impacts of erosion to their properties.

Mayor John Moak called an emergency meeting with state Rep. Michael Costello, D-Newburyport, on Wednesday to discuss what could be done to immediately deal with the erosion that is now affecting homes.

"It is remarkable the level of reaction local, state and regional officials have taken in just the last month to help the island," Bob Connors, Plum Island Foundation activist said of the meeting. "With the full support of Senators Tarr and Baddour and our Representative Costello and Stanley, our community will be able to temporarily protect itself from the shoreline damage caused by the failed jetties of the Merrimack River."

At the private working meeting held in the mayor's office, homeowners of 55th Street, Conservation Agent Mary Riley, the mayor, Costello and Connors discussed what could be done with and without permitting to protect homes should a storm hit the coast in the coming months.

"We talked about what we could do to help the permitting process," Moak said. "The Department of Environmental Protection will allow one homeowner to use biodegradable sandbags to protect his home and reconstruct some of the dune."

As part of the meeting, Connors provided officials with a list of recommendations the Plum Island Foundation is making.

"We really have to hold the federal government's feet to the fire," Connors said. "The fact there has been lack of maintenance, dredging and problems with the jetty is unacceptable."

The newest example of erosion is occurring more than a mile north of the Beach Center, where waves have torn decks off homes and lapped against foundations. Nearly all of the anti-erosion efforts have been focused on the Beach Center.

Alice McCarthy of 55th Street and her neighbors are watching the waves warily, scared of what could happen during a storm event. Last weekend they noticed a severe change in the erosion pattern with an ocean storm out at sea causing waves to be higher and stronger than usual. After a high tide on Monday, snow fencing was washed away and waves lapped the walkway between homes on 55th Street.

"We are hoping to have emergency measures in place, but there is no imminent danger," Moak said. "We will now work to expedite any other permitting that needs to be done."

Moak said he will work with Riley to get a notice of intent to the Conservation Committee for approval so work can be done.

"There is quite a decent amount of erosion out there," Moak said. "We will be monitoring it and working with homeowners."

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