[MassHistPres] Areas of Water on the NR

Thu Nov 12 09:45:10 EST 2009

I agree absolutely.  Historic preservation is being misused as a
convenient tool to oppose this project.

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

Amherst Planning Department

4 Boltwood Avenue, Town Hall

Amherst, MA  01002

(413) 259-3040

tuckerj at amherstma.gov    

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Sam Bird
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 2:26 PM
To: Paul Bourdon
Cc: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu; Forum-L at lists.nationaltrust.org
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Areas of Water on the NR

I have to chime in here. This is an incredibly transparent use of
"preservation" by folks who only want to defeat Cape Wind. I am an
ardent preservationist - I've served on our local HDC for more years
than I care to remember, and some of the decisions I've made have cost
me some relationships in town - so be it. I have an 1892 farm in an area
of Rhode Island I have to sell - but at the cost of a hefty discount on
the price, I'm insisting the buyer place a preservation easement on it -
I've sold land to conservation groups at deep, deep discounts. In short,
I've put my money where my mouth is. I am also deeply concerned about
our collective abuse of the environment. Climate Change is a very real
threat that, if not dealt with swiftly and decisively, will certainly
eclipse preservation concerns.  The notion of Nantucket Sound suddenly
becoming a precious  historic resource coincident with the Cape Wind
proposal is hog wash! Where were the Wampanoags and the
"preservationists" on the issue of their precious sound 20 years ago? 

Someone please tell me - is there any other 560 square mile area of
marine bottom (or even dry land) currently on the NR on its own historic
merits?  I didn't study the rulings but I did scan enough to get the
flavor - Nantucket Sound was (when it was dry) probably the type of area
the Native Americans might have hung out in. No one knows if they did -
or if they didn't - it's just possible, maybe even likely. Does this
seem a little thin to anyone else? Then let's ask - what would Nantucket
Sound be preserved for? Will the public ever experience any of the
history made there? Will it become a diving Mecca? If so, why isn't it
one already? In short, what public good would come of listing it? I
don't see one.

The ridiculous bending and twisting of "historic preservation" into a
useful club to beat up a project unwanted by some for their own self
interest does tremendous harm to those who are trying to legitimately
practice preservation, which ain't easy.  If this was such a valuable
historic resource, there would have been a push to protect it long
before Cape Wind appeared on the horizon. If the push now is to preserve
it, and it merits preservation on its own qualities, then go all out -
start by banning all commercial fishing (the draggers have been ripping
the bottom to shreds for decades). For that matter, ban all boat traffic
because we could risk an oil spill, or a sinking, or anchors damaging
some archaeological resource. Make the ferries go around (and the
planes, too - have to protect those birds). Let those pushing for
preservation pony up the bucks to pay for a massive underwater research
dig.......

I'm all for historic preservation. I'm all for alternative energy. Both
are vital - one for our physical survival, one for our cultural
survival.  I'm all for a rational discussion and effective compromise to
meet both goals but that is clearly not the case here - we simply have a
bunch of Nimby's using whatever weapon they can find.

Sam Bird AIA, LEED AP

Concord

On Nov 10, 2009, at 10:42 AM, Paul Bourdon wrote:

I certainly understand that there are potential archaeological sites
that would be lost but to solely focus on those underwater sites would
be to forget that rising sea levels will endanger low lying sites in a
lot of places (including the Cape and Islands). Maybe nothing we do will
stop rising sea levels but like trying to save a building against the
odds we need to try and Nantucket sound is an obvious place.

Paul Bourdon
Southborough

On 11/6/09 9:00 AM, "Aaron Marcavitch" <acornhp at yahoo.com> wrote:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/2009/11/state_historic_r
uling_may_add.html
Hi folks,

Obviously as a preservationist who is currently located on Nantucket,
this has interesting implications.  For those not following along at
home, the Wampanoag Tribe asked for a ruling on the NR eligibility of
Nantucket Sound - where a wind farm is to be located.  

Personally, I like the wind farm.  Of course, reading this blog article,
we get a good feel for the "Hysterical Preservationist" label.  I know
that there are plenty of underwater archaeological sites in the sound
and that there is a cultural landscape element to it.  The proponents of
the wind farm (including our gov.) say that this is an end round to slow
the process down because now it will require a Section 106 process.  

Obviously I can see the preservation angle on this and hope that the
historical comissions on the islands and cape get pulled into the
discussion.  I have had concerns about the archaeological impact for a
while - but was assurred that nothing would be impacted.  On the other
hand, I see the impact a wind farm could have for the region.

Anyone have thoughts on this very historic preservation issue?  How do
we address broad areas of cultural landscape - which happen to be water.
Would we/have we put a lake on the NR?  How about a river?  Please dont
get into your opinions on why the Tribe did it or why MHC did what they
did - I am just looking for a more philosophical viewpoint.

Thanks!
Aaron
Housing Nantucket

--------
http://www.marcavitch.com

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