Environmental Leaders Say Great Bay, NH, in Danger
Algae, such as this sea lettuce (ulva rigida) in Great Bay, New Hampshire, grows vigorously in areas with high levels of dissolved nitrogen. Excessive algae growth can smother beneficial eelgrass beds, lead to low dissolved oxygen levels in the Bay and cause foul odors. Photo/Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership from Nettleton, Jackson Estuarine Laboratory - University of New Hampshire.
In a recent Letter to the Editor on SeacoastOnline.com, the heads of 4 New Hampshire environmental organizations called for action to protect the Great Bay estuary and criticized local municipalities for blocking environmental efforts.
According to the letter, of 12 primary indicators of the estuary’s health tracked by the Piscataqua Estuary Region Partnership, 11 show negative or cautionary trends, including 2 very troubling negative trends: nitrogen concentrations in Great Bay are increasing, and eelgrass vegetation—the cornerstone of the Great Bay ecosystem, and an important nursery for fish and other marine species—is in sharp decline.
The letter goes on to say that rather than taking meaningful steps to solve the problem, a coalition of 5 municipalities has engaged in a withering, all-out assault on the N.H. Department of Environmental Services and EPA to delay needed improvements to their sewage treatment plants.
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