On a recent afternoon, Dave Gallerani looked out from his deck at ducks and swans swimming on Billington Sea. But on closer inspection, the scene was far from idyllic. He pointed to two dead swans on a frozen section of the pond. They were among the many dead and dying birds Gallerani has seen since […]
Category: Environment & Health
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Officials warn of ‘additional outbreaks’ of bird flu in Plymouth
Plymouth officials are warning residents to assume that the avian flu is present in town, and that the outbreak extends beyond the Billington Sea area, where about 70 dead birds were removed by environmental workers on Jan. 19. In a CodeRED alert sent out via text message, voicemail, and email Thursday evening, the town said […]
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Avian flu could be to blame for dozens of bird deaths at Billington Sea
Plymouth officials are working with the state to determine whether dozens of dead birds found at Billington Sea were killed by avian flu. Karen Keane, the town’s director of public health, said about 70 dead geese, swans, and ducks were collected from the 269-acre pond Sunday morning. The operation involved the Massachusetts Department of Environmental […]
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In federal suit, vocal sand mining critic says she has been targeted by local officials, business leaders
Environmental activist Meg Sheehan is seeking to identify anonymous critics she says maligned her on a Facebook page called “Meg Cost Us Millions” and other social media sites. In a 117-page lawsuit filed in US District Court in Boston, Sheehan, alleges that she has been victimized by town officials and powerful business leaders because she […]
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New kiosk provides a safe way to dispose of needles and medical waste
If you’re out and about regularly, you’ve likely come across a used needle on a sidewalk, the beach, or in a park. It’s a symptom of a problem that plagues every community – the improper disposal of syringes used to inject drugs. That’s one of the reasons why Plymouth’s Public Health Division, working with Fire […]
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Jenney Pond dredging marks the start of a major restoration effort
Dredging of Jenney Pond is underway, the first step in the construction of a fishway bypass around Plimoth Grist Mill. The $2.1 million initial part of the project is using $1.1 million of a $10 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and another $1 million in Community Preservation funds signed off on […]
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Former Holtec worker at Pilgrim plant alleges radiation poisoning
A former Holtec worker at the shuttered Pilgrim nuclear power plant has filed suit against the company, alleging he was poisoned by radiation. Adam Snyder, 41, a boilermaker from Ohio, also claims the company kept secret the dangerous conditions at the Manomet plant, which stopped generating power in 2019 and is being decommissioned by Holtec. […]
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State lowers town’s EEE risk from high to moderate
Both of Plymouth’s high school football teams are on the road this week, but when they return to play on their home fields, it will back to “Friday Night Lights.” The state Department of Public Health on Wednesday said it is lowering the town’s risk level for the deadly eastern equine encephalitis from high to […]
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The state has denied Holtec permission to dump radioactive water into the ocean, but the company’s opponents aren’t letting up
The Association to Preserve Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, along with state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, held a press conference at Plymouth Rock Wednesday to announce their opposition to the release of 1.1 million gallons of treated radioactive wastewater from the Pilgrim nuclear power plant. In July, the state Department of Environmental […]
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If you have concerns about water in Ponds of Plymouth: The company that manages the system is holding an open house.
Some Ponds of Plymouth residents have been complaining about smelly and discolored water for years – ever since Connecticut-based Aquarian Water Co. started managing the development’s system in 2021. Drinking water for the more than 800 homes in the sprawling South Plymouth subdivision comes from two groundwater sources within its boundaries. “We used to rave […]