Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve
Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve (Camp Edwards Training Area) and the northern 15,000 acres of JBCC are public conservation land dedicated to three primary purposes:
- water supply and wildlife habitat protection,
- the development and construction of public water supply systems, and
- the use and training of the military forces of the commonwealth; provided that, such military use and training is compatible with the natural resource purposes of water supply and wildlife habitat protection.
Additional Resources
Camp Edwards Natural Resources
The EMC's Role
The EMC, through the Commissioners and staff, oversees, monitors and evaluates activities in the Reserve. The EMC ensures that all military and other activities on the Reserve are consistent with the purpose of resource protection. The EMC’s responsibility in overseeing compliance with the Environmental Performance Standards is a key aspect of their role. The EMC also coordinates with MassDEP, the Environmental Police, and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife in the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in the Reserve. Updates on the Reserve are provided at EMC meetings and at the EMC’s Community Advisory and Science Advisory Council meetings. The advisory councils assist the EMC in their role to facilitate an open and public review of all activities on the reserve. EMC Upcoming Meetings and Meeting Minutes.
The Community Advisory Council (CAC)
The EMC’s Community Advisory Council assists the commission on issues related to protection of the water supply and wildlife habitat in the Reserve. The 15-member council consists of one representative from each of the surrounding towns (Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich), one resident of base housing, two representatives from the military, one representative from the Cape Cod Commission, one representative from the Upper Cape Regional Water Supply Cooperative, one representative from the Wampanoag Tribe, and five other members appointed by the governor. Meetings are held two times per year. CAC Upcoming Meetings and Meeting Minutes.
Appointees to the CAC
- Heather McElroy, Chair, Cape Cod Commission
- Marion McConnell, At Large
- Mark Harding, Wampanoag Tribe
- Andrew Campbell, Bourne
- Robert Prophett, Upper Cape Regional Water Supply Cooperative
- James Cummings, At Large
- MG Virginia Gaglio, Military
- Vacant Position, At Large
- Jimmy Dishner, At Large
- Ernest Virgilio, At Large
- Vacant Position, Falmouth
- Vacant Position, JBCC Family Member
- Jack Phelan, Mashpee
- Shawn Cody, Military
- Ralph Vitacco, Sandwich
Science Advisory Council (SAC)
The EMC’s Science Advisory Council provides scientific and technical assistance to the commission as it relates to protection of natural resources of the Reserve. The Science Advisory Council, appointed by the governor, consists of scientists and engineers recognized for their expertise in the areas of public health, water protection, wildlife habitat management, and land use management. Meetings are held two times per year. SAC Upcoming Meetings and Meeting Minutes.
Appointees to the SAC
- Paul Cavanagh, Chair
- Tara Nye Lewis
- Phil Gschwend
- Denis LeBlanc
Oversight Activities
The EMC oversees training and various monitoring activities conducted by the Massachusetts Army National Guard in the Reserve. An environmental officer is the on-base staff reporting to the EMC. The duties and responsibilities of the environmental officer are to monitor the activities being conducted on, and the uses of, the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve / Camp Edwards Training Area and the impact of such activities and uses on the water supply and wildlife habitat. The EMC has access to the training areas prior to, during, and immediately following training. The environmental officer evaluates range reports, inspection forms, logs, and other information and data regarding the ongoing activities and uses of the Reserve. The EMC evaluates whether or not a user is in compliance with the Environmental Performance Standards and provides for enforcement therein.
Additional Resources
Monitoring and Evaluation
- The EMC determines compliance and may restrict activities in accordance with Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2002, the law relative to the environmental protection of the northern 15,000 acres of JBCC.
- The EMC performs unannounced on-range monitoring of the range users’ training to ensure the users are properly informed of range use requirements and are following prescribed procedures.
The Environmental Performance Standards
The Environmental Performance Standards are a list of requirements, or standards for performance, that guide both military and civilian users in the protection of Camp Edwards' natural and cultural resources and the groundwater beneath the Reserve. These standards apply to Massachusetts Army National Guard properties at Joint Base Cape Cod. The Environmental Performance Standards are based in large part on already existing federal, state, and Department of Defense regulations. In some cases, the protections offered by the performance standards are more stringent than those offered by other regulations.
The Environmental Performance Standards are divided into general and specific performance standards. There are 19 specific performance standards that apply to the northern training area of Camp Edwards. These specific performance standards pertain to resource management areas such as rare species and habitat management, hazardous materials, solid waste, and pest and fire management, with an emphasis on habitat and groundwater protection. The goal is to ensure the protection of the groundwater and habitat during conduct of compatible military training and civilian use activities, such as hunting.
The Annual State of the Reservation Report
The Environmental Management Commission receives a State of the Reservation Report that provides an assessment of the results of the Massachusetts Army National Guard's environmental management programs in the Reserve as it relates to the Environmental Performance Standards. The Report also provides background information on base infrastructure and the natural and cultural resources found in the Reserve.
Reports
- Training Year 2023
- Training Year 2022
- Training Year 2021
- Training Year 2020
- Training Year 2019
- Training Year 2018
More information is available by contacting the EMC's environmental officer at 617-694-2644.