Aspirational Statement

Nantucket residents and visitors share responsibility for the long-term sustainability of our beautiful island and address the challenges of climate change, sea level rise, and increasing energy demands. We recognize our stewardship of the land, air, and water and work to ensure our community is resilient and self-sufficient. Homes on Nantucket are wellconstructed, energy efficient, and integrated into the character of the island. Other communities look to Nantucket to
learn how to care for the natural environment.

With the Town’s contract for solid waste management coming due in 2025, the need to prepare for a vendor to manage the town’s solid waste has been a critical focus of the strategic plan. A working group meets monthly to discuss long-term solid waste planning. To date, the Town has issued an “Expression of Interest” for future vendors to oversee the Town’s solid waste facility that will address needs and opportunities in solid waste management practices that have occurred since the original contract was issued in 1996. In the shorter-term, improvements have been made to the “Take It or Leave It” and the separation of recyclable and non-recyclable materials. Additionally, the Town has implemented a ban on single-use plastics including a public outreach program focused on alternatives to single-use plastics.

Our island community must focus on the quality of its water sources and management efforts. The Strategic Plan has supported the development of a comprehensive Water Quality Management Plan including the quality of surface and harbor waters as well as stormwater and wastewater management. A new sewer force main running from the Sea Street Pump Station to the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility on South Shore Road is under construction; an extended new sewer line is operational in the Shimmo and mid-Island areas, and PLUS parcels, and a stormwater enterprise fund has been authorized. The emergence of PFAS as a critical issue occurred during the early stages of the Strategic Plan and the Select Board modified the Plan to devote resources to conduct assessments and provide recommendations for best practices to deal with the hazard.

Goals

1. Provide data-driven recommendations on island-wide solid waste management, guided by principles of sustainability and flexible enough to adapt to emerging technologies.
2. Implement the island-wide, long-term water quality management plan, which addresses ponds, harbors, stormwater, and wastewater with specific ways/methods to measure improvement.
3. Incorporate the recommendations of the Coastal Resiliency Plan in long term capital improvement plan.
4. Reduce demand on energy grid infrastructure.
5. Pursue public-private partnerships for environmental and resiliency initiatives.

Activities That Have Been Completed or Operationalized

With regard to Environmental Leadership, the Town’s goals generally align with solid waste management and water quality. Some of the completed activities or operationalized programs related to this focus area include:

• Finalizing the Island-wide, long-term water quality management plan, which:
  • Identified management strategies to reduce the controllable nutrient load to surface water
  • Worked to integrate existing plans related to water quality
  • Explored improvements to water quality testing procedures and habitat quality evaluation
• Continuing use of Nantucket WQAV - an interactive, web-based water quality monitoring tool
• Evaluating bay scallop and eelgrass populations for both harbors
• Researching and developing illicit discharge regulations, including for stormwater and pools
• Creating a robust PFAS awareness and education program to share recommendations and best management practices
• Implementing requirements related to the Town’s Green Communities designation
• Requesting expressions of interest for future solid waste management
• Conducting a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) condition and project assessment