Edgartown Fined for Unauthorized Dredging

On Monday, Edgartown selectmen agreed to pay a fine of $8,160 for the unauthorized and unpermitted dredging with the town-owned dredge around a private dock in Katama bay to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, reported the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Town counsel Ron Rappaport recommended that the town selectmen vote to accept the agreement that also called for, “Stephen and Susan Barnes, who own the property, to pay for reseeding the area with shellfish and make a minor amendment to the already completed post-dredging survey.” Rappaport called the agreement fair and in the public interest.

According to the Times, “The state originally calculated the fine at $16,320, but reduced the amount by half because of the town's cooperation and the measures taken to prevent any other unauthorized dredging.” as chairman of the dredge advisory committee after he admitted to authorizing the dredge without notifying selectmen or members of the dredge committee.