Thursday, 4:30 PM
Environmental secretary pledges action on beaches
By Globe Staff
The state's top environmental official pledged today to take seriously a new report that recommends major improvements to 14 public beaches stretching from Lynn to Hull.
The Metropolitan Beaches Commission, created by the Legislature last year, called for spending $3.3 million more a year on staff and equipment to clean and maintain the 15 miles of coastline, buying about 20 new trucks and beach-cleaning machines for $1.4 million, and appointed a state beach czar to oversee the work.
"The beaches of the Commonwealth are a vital resource for our citizens and for visitors to the state," Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said in a statement issued in response to the report. "Hundreds of thousands of people enjoy these facilities every summer. We have a responsibility to achieve excellence in the care of these resources.
"As we work to refocus the efforts of the Department of Conservation and Recreation on its core mission of parks, beaches, and forests, we will take the findings of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission very much to heart," he added. "We look forward to working with the commission members as we strive to make the Commonwealth’s beaches the jewels they ought to be."
