Fish kill explained by Division of Marine Fisheries.

According to David Pierce, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries: “Menhaden mortality in the wrong places at the wrong times are the unpleasant down-side to an otherwise great conservation story.”

Call Needed to Help Your Mystic River

There are four important opportunities to protect both the Mystic River and nearby residents through amendments to the Environmental Bond Bill, going through the Massachusetts State Legislature right now:

• Amendment 191 (Amelia Earhart Dam) provides funding to do an engineering study and then fund a fourth pump on the Amelia Earhart Dam to protect Mystic River communities from flooding as storms become more severe.
• Amendment 173 (Aquatic Invasive Species) increases funding from $10m to $15m to remove invasive aquatic plants that clog our rivers.
• Amendment 174 (Awareness of Sewage Pollution in Public Waters) requires telling the public when there are accidental sewage spills that make rivers unsafe for swimming, boating, and fishing.
• Amendment 198 (Combined Sewer Overflow Monitoring and Notification) provides some funding to keep working to eliminate raw sewage discharges into rivers during heavy storms.

The deadline for calls is Noon on Thursday, July 12th. We promise this will take less than a minute, and it will have a huge impact!

1. Get the phone number of your State Senator here.  

2. Call his or her office and tell the staff person you speak with that you want him or her to cosponsor a group of amendments filed by Senator Pat Jehlen that will help the Mystic River and the public health of people who use the river or live nearby:  The amendment numbers are 173, 174, 191, and 198.  Make sure to mention your name and your city or town.

3.  Thank the staff person and hang up.  

4. Pat yourself on the back and have a great rest of your day!