Cape Cod Commission panel approves Marine Life Center
A sub-committee of the Cape Cod Commission has unanimously voted to recommend to the full Commission that the National Marine Life Center be approved as a Project of Community Benefit/Hardship Exemption, with conditions for stormwater, hazardous materials and lighting, for the construction of an acute and rehabilitative care hospital for stranded marine animals on Main Street in Buzzards Bay in Bourne. The first step will be to install the pipes bringing the necessary sea water to the facility from the Cape Cod Canal.
The panel, acting upon the recommendations of its staff, agreed the Center should be allowed to proceed under the Commission's Development of Regional Impact (DRI) regulations as such a project of community benefit to the Bourne, the Upper Cape and Barnstable County. This procedure, if agreed to by the full Commission, will provide the Center with authority to complete its design and to pursue local permits.
"We are delighted with is vote of confidence in our project." said Kathy Zagzebski, Center president and executive director. And we look forward to meeting with the full Commission next month in seeking final approval."
The Center's efforts were endorsed by current State Undersecretary of Transportation and former state representative from Bourne, Tom Cahir; State Senator Therese Murray, chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee; state representatives Matt Patrick and Susan Williams Gifford; Director Katie Touhey and board chair and president Don Abt of the Cape Cod Stranding Network; Tom Moccia, president of the Buzzards Bay Village Association and John Harding, chair of the Bourne Financial Development Corporation.
Allow expressing support were Bourne Town Planner Coreen Moore, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School superintendent Barry Motta; Bill Norman representing the Cape Cod Canal office of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
The National Marine Life Center is a private not -for-profit hospital for stranded marine animals. Its mission is to rehabilitate for release stranded sea turtles, seals, dolphins, and small whales, and to advance scientific knowledge and education in marine wildlife health and ocean conservation. For more information go to www.nmlc.org.
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