Progress on Plum Island

I worked with my colleagues in state government, local officials, non-governmental organizations and many interested citizens of Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury to organize the Merrimack River Beach Alliance in November of 2008 to unify and intensify efforts to preserve the coastal dune system at Plum Island and Salisbury Beach.

An unprecedented cooperative effort has brought us success in installing temporary measures to protect the Island Center area, and we are closing in on a major dredging project to nourish both beaches. In turn, planning is now underway for a more permanent solution in the form of repairing the jetties that define the mouth of the Merrimack River.

Recently, Newburyport Daily News reporter Victor Tine authored a story documenting the progress that’s being made by this diverse and committed team. Please click here to read it.

Below are some photos of the recent meeting of the Alliance.