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BIOLOGICAL REPORT 31 



nonpoint sources of nutrients (via groundwater trans- 

 port) to the bay. In fact, only New Bedford and 

 Fairhaven support significant public sewer systems, 

 with most of the homes in the rural areas and much 

 of the major towns of Falmouth, Bourne, and 

 Wareham depending on private, on-site treatment 

 (see Chapter 6). 



Residential nutrient loading is magnified because 

 many summer communities that were originally built 

 close to bay waters and developed at high densities 

 have been or are now being converted to year- 

 round residences. Regulations frequently permitted 

 this type of intense development with limited leach- 

 ing field area (one-fifth of that required for year- 

 round occupation) under the rationale that summer- 

 time water tables were lower, allowing for increased 

 filtration of contaminants, and that the leaching fields 

 would "cleanse themselves" during the balance of 

 the year when not in use. Considering that nitrogen 

 (a major potential contaminant to coastal waters) is 

 not significantly altered in groundwater transport, 

 the concurrent increase in nutrient loading as these 

 summer homes are converted to full-time occupancy 

 may substantially increase the potential for eutrophi- 

 cation in the bay's shallower coves and embayments 

 without an obvious increase in housing stock. 



The desirability of an area for residential devel- 

 opment is dependent to a significant extent on aes- 

 thetics. Although most of Buzzards Bay and its as- 

 sociated coves and harbors are still relatively clean, 

 increased frequency of eutrophic events and in- 

 creased closures caused by coliform bacteria are 

 becoming a factor. The towns surrounding Buzzards 

 Bay face ever-increasing challenges to maintain the 

 delicate balance between increased revenues from 

 growing development versus the potentially signifi- 

 cant economic impacts of overdevelopment. 



Manufacturing. Traditional manufacturing in- 

 dustries around Buzzards Bay include textiles, print- 

 ing, building materials, primary metals, and paper, 

 as well as marine-related industries such as boat 

 building and repair. In recent years manufacture of 

 advanced oceanographic instrumentation, partially 

 related to the proximity to Woods Hole research 

 institutions, has become an expanding industry. With 



8.3% of the area's total manufacturing jobs, instru- 

 ment production is the third largest employer in the 

 region, replacing older industries such as rubber, 

 plastics, and primary and fabricated metals. 



Although experiencing a decline. New Bedford 

 remains the region's major manufacturing center, 

 with 80% of the total related employment. 

 Historic manufacturing practices severely impacted 

 the environmental health of New Bedford Harbor, 

 specifically the so-called "inner harbor," which had 

 significant textile and metal-related industries. The 

 production of electrical equipment and machinery, 

 the second-largest manufacturing sector in New 

 Bedford, has historically been a major polluter spe- 

 cifically to New Bedford Harbor. With new envi- 

 ronmental regulations in the late 1 970 's, the two 

 major electronics firms using PCB's were required 

 to replace them with other materials. Because of 

 their persistence in the environment, however, 

 PCB's discharged into the Acushnet River and New 

 Bedford Harbor still remain at levels well in excess 

 of EPA guidelines in the water column (parts per 

 billion vs. EPA standards of 1 part per trillion). Sedi- 

 ment contamination with PCB's has resulted in the 

 closure of thousands of hectares to the harvest of 

 shellfish and lobsters since 1 979. Although PCB's 

 have been replaced in the manufacturing industry, 

 municipal wastewater continues to contain signifi- 

 cant levels. Metal wastes from fabrication and pri- 

 mary metal industries contribute wastewater con- 

 taminated with heavy metals, acids, and other ma- 

 terials. Separation of metals "in-house" and land- 

 based disposal of contaminated sludges have less- 

 ened the impact of these discharges on Buzzards 

 Bay waters. Although Federal guidelines and dis- 

 charge restrictions have reduced industrial waste 

 inputs into Buzzards Bay, contaminants still con- 

 tinue to enter through the city's sewerage system. 

 Because of the dominance of New Bedford as an 

 industrial center, the environmental impact by in- 

 dustrial pollution to Buzzards Bay is largely con- 

 fined to the Acushnet River and New Bedford In- 

 ner and Outer harbors. 



Tourism. Tourism provides a major economic 

 resource to Buzzards Bay communities, especially 



