Regional efforts to preserve the natural heritage of Cape Cod and the islands received an important boost recently with the opening of a new Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) satellite office in Hyannis.

"We need access to where the action is; to people who are knowledgeable, motivated, and able to build grassroots efforts to deal with the issues here," said acting MassDEP Commissioner Arleen O'Donnell, who presided over the November 29 ribbon-cutting and open house with Gary Moran, the agency's Southeast Regional Director.

Rep. Sarah Peak, Rep. Jeffrey D. Perry, and Monica Mullen and Sue Rohrbach - aides to Sen. Therese Murray and Sen. Robert O'Leary, respectively - attended the ceremony and tour, as did a number of Cape Cod-based environmental and public health advocates. Rohrbach called the agency's presence on the Cape "a visible symbol of all the great things we do" and was not alone in her enthusiasm.

Dr. Anna Manatis of Cape Clean Air, who has pushed tougher emissions standards for power plants, said she was "ecstatic" and called the new MassDEP office "a positive force in the area." Benjamin Bryant of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay agreed that the agency's presence was a hopeful sign for ongoing efforts to protect the bay and surrounding waters.

Five full-time MassDEP employees are permanently assigned to the new Cape office: emergency responder Bob Murphy, Massachusetts Estuaries Project senior engineer Brian Dudley, watershed coordinator Patti Kellogg, air quality monitoring specialist John Paino, and office administrator Beverly Hill. Other staffers from the agency's Southeast Regional Office in Lakeville will work from the Cape location on a rotating basis.

Acting Commissioner O'Donnell also said that MassDEP is particularly committed to working with and training local fire chiefs and first responders to ensure effective and coordinated response to potential oil spills. Each community on Buzzards Bay was provided with an emergency response trailer, containment booms, and other supplies under the Oil Spill Act of 2004.

The new office, located at 973 Iyannough Road (Route 132) in Hyannis, features two conference rooms, a file review area, and office space for permanent and rotating staff. Its main telephone number is 508-771-6003.

Photo left: MassDEP Southeast Regional Office Director Gary Moran (far right) is joined at the Cape Cod office opening by the staffers who will be based there, (left to right): Bob Murphy, Brian Dudley, Patti Kellogg, John Paino, and Beverly Hill. Photo right: Shown at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for MassDEP's Cape Cod office are (left to right): Monika Mullen (from Sen. Therese Murray's office), Sarah Peake (from Rep. Shirley Gomes' office), Acting Commissioner Arleen O'Donnell cutting the ribbon, Rep. Jeff Perry and Susan Rohrback (from Sen. Robert O'Leary's District office).

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