
Federal Legislation to Save Our Sound
The Alliance is seeking federal legislation to permanently protect and preserve Nantucket Sound as well as safeguard traditional uses like fishing and recreation. The bill – the Nantucket Sound National Historic Landmark Act (NSNHLA) – would designate Nantucket Sound a National Historic Landmark to recognize its historic, environmental, and economic values. It would prohibit the federal government from authorizing industrial projects and any activities in the Sound that are inconsistent with protections that exist today under state law (see MOSA). The bill would also provide significant environmental protections to address diminished water quality, coastal erosion, habitat degradation and other climate change effects.
Stakeholder Support
Since beginning our preservation campaign, the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound has united a group of nearly 100 stakeholder organizations to support this legislation. The Alliance has reached out to dozens of local, state, tribal, and federal stakeholders over the last three years to create a progressive bill that meets the current and urgent needs for Nantucket Sound and does so in ways that affirmatively advance Biden Administration initiatives on 30 by 30, climate change, renewable energy, and environmental justice.
Support for the NSNHLA
The Nantucket Sound National Historic Landmark Act (NSNHLA) has been revised over 50 times to meet the needs of the many stakeholders that support it. These organizations represent tens of thousands of individuals and include environmental groups, tribal entities, renewable energy developers, commercial fishermen, municipalities, historic preservation groups, elected officials, and many others. The bill has widespread and enthusiastic support, no opposition from any stakeholder organization, and is needed to provide the meaningful protections that this important natural resource lacks today.
We are grateful to our Congressional delegation, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, and the Cape Cod Legislative Delegation for the Commonwealth for supporting this effort. You can read these letters of support here and find our full list of stakeholders here.