Kennedy, Kerry, Delahunt Introduce Bill to Extend Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission to 2018

Press Release

KENNEDY, KERRY, DELAHUNT INTRODUCE BILL TO EXTEND CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE ADVISORY COMMISSION TO 2018

Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry and Representative William D. Delahunt today introduced legislation to extend the authorization of the long-standing Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission to 2018.

The Commission is composed of local, state, and federal representatives who advise the National Park Service on development proposals to ensure the preservation of the unique values of Cape Cod National Seashore. The Commission's authorization will expire on September 26 unless legislation is enacted to extend it.

"The Commission has been indispensable on issues relating to uses of the land and waters within the Seashore's boundary. It's a national model for guaranteeing that all levels of government have a voice in these decisions, and Senator Kennedy is hopeful Congress will approve this legislation quickly so that the Commission can continue its important work," said Melissa Wagoner, spokeswoman for Senator Kennedy.

"The Cape Cod National Seashore is one of Massachusetts' treasures, and the Advisory Commission is its first line of defense. We need to pass this bill without delay to ensure that that Commission can continue to save the Cape's natural beauty from development and protect it for future generations," said Senator Kerry.

Representative Delahunt said, "The Advisory Commission gives state and local officials an opportunity to speak with one voice on the important issues affecting the Seashore. We have learned that protecting the environment of Cape Cod defies political boundaries -- it requires the full cooperation and involvement of all levels of government."

The Commission was created as part of the original Cape Cod National Seashore law approved by Congress in 1961 and signed into law by President Kennedy, who had filed legislation to authorize the Seashore when he served in the Senate.

The ten-member Commission is composed of appointees by each of the six Cape towns abutting the Seashore: Chatham, Eastham, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet; one appointee by Barnstable County; two appointees of the Governor of Massachusetts; and one appointee by the Department of Interior.

The Commission has been reauthorized several times since 1961. Its most recent authorization, sponsored by Representative Delahunt in 1998, provided a ten-year extension to 2008. The legislation introduced today extends the Commission's authorization to 2018.

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