Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE Announce the Great Bay-Piscataqua WATERKEEPER

Long-Time Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Manager Peter Wellenberger Named Waterkeeper

CONTACT:
Ben Carmichael, CLF: (617) 850-1743
Peter Wellenberger, CLF: (603) 498-3545

Concord, NH February 1, 2012 – The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), together with the WATERKEEPER Alliance, today launched the Great Bay-Piscataqua WATERKEEPER, a new program devoted to protecting the Great Bay estuary, one of New England’s most precious natural resources and a water resource facing mounting threats. The program, led by Peter Wellenberger, a 20 year veteran of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, is the state’s first WATERKEEPER.

Website:  www.clf.org/great-bay-waterkeeper

“We’re thrilled to have Peter as our Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper.  He brings a depth of experience with Great Bay that will be critical to building a stronger public voice to ensure a healthy future, and clean water, for the estuary,” says Tom Irwin, VP & CLF New Hampshire Director. “With all the challenges facing Great Bay, the Piscataqua River and the estuary as a whole, we’re very pleased to be launching this program and to have Peter at the helm.”

Spanning the New Hampshire and Maine border, the Great Bay estuary is a natural treasure in the heart of New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. The estuary is home to numerous fish and bird species and provides spectacular fishing, boating and hiking opportunities. While its ecological and recreational value is immeasurable, its future is uncertain.

“The problems facing the estuary have been ignored for too long,” says Peter Wellenberger, Great Bay-Piscataqua WATERKEEPER. “It would be a tragedy for this cherished resource to suffer the same fate as the Chesapeake Bay. The estuary is severely stressed and now is the time to act to implement solutions that will lead to cleaner water and a healthy environment.”

The Great Bay-Piscataqua WATERKEEPER will focus on solving these problems by building a strong local voice for the Great Bay estuary, advancing needed policies and innovative solutions, being the “eyes and ears” for the Great Bay estuary, and ensuring that the estuary benefits from the full protections of the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws.

This new program builds upon the significant progress CLF has made in recent years in tackling threats to the Great Bay estuary, including the nitrogen and stormwater pollution that is threatening water quality and habitat health. Successes include advocacy leading the EPA to require Portsmouth’s Peirce Island sewage treatment plant to be upgraded to reduce pollution; securing greater protections for the Great Bay estuary under the Clean Water Act; working with the UNH Stormwater Center to implement innovative stormwater management measures at a major commercial development in Greenland; successfully advocating for new permitting processes to reduce nitrogen pollution from sewage treatment plants; and helping to end illegal, toxic stormwater discharges from the scrap metal operation located at the Market Street Terminal in Portsmouth.

Background on the Great Bay Estuary:

The Great Bay estuary is one of New England’s most precious natural resources. Providing a nursery for fish species, food and habitat for a wide variety of birds, and countless recreational opportunities, the estuary is the centerpiece of the natural and cultural heritage of New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. Unfortunately, the long-term health of the estuary is in jeopardy. As a result of multiple stressors – primarily related to population growth and sprawl development – the health of the estuary is in jeopardy. Indicators of Great Bay’s declining health include dramatic increases in nutrients pollution, significant losses of eelgrass – the cornerstone of the estuary’s ecosystem and critical habitat for fish and other marine life – and massive declines in oysters. There is concern among scientists that the Great Bay estuary is approaching a tipping point which, once crossed, will make its recovery incredibly challenging and costly.

For more background on the Great Bay estuary, visit:  www.clf.org/great-bay-waterkeeper

About Peter Wellenberger:

For the past twenty-two years, Peter was the manager of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, where he worked within New Hampshire state government, and with federal-agencies and non-profit partners, to advance estuarine research and monitoring, habitat restoration, public education and outreach, and training of coastal decision-makers.

During his tenure at the Reserve, Peter grew the program from a staff of one to ten, helped secure over $55 million in federal funds for land acquisition; established a watershed-wide friends group (the Great Bay Stewards), and increased the size of the Reserve from 7,000 to 20,000 acres. Peter has served on multiple commissions and associations, and is the recipient of numerous awards. He lives in Newmarket with his wife and has two children.

For Peter’s full bio, visit: www.clf.org/profiles/peter-wellenberger/

 

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

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