Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution waterfront is a hub for oceanography and a major contributor to the regional blue economy. Photo courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The deepwater port at Woods Hole on Cape Cod has hosted research vessels for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) for nearly 100 years.
WHOI has a worldwide reputation for oceanography. Its Iselin Marine Facility, located in the middle of Woods Hole village, is the homeport for WHOI’s ocean-going research vessels and underwater vehicle operations. The facility is also a hub for developing and testing new technologies, and an important contributor to the regional blue economy.
Unfortunately, the facility’s 57-year-old dock is nearing the end of its useful life, while facing threats from rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
Many Permits, Years of Review
WHOI determined several years ago that repairs and maintenance to the existing dock, without major capital improvements, were not economically feasible, so the institute developed plans to replace the facility with a new Complex for Waterfront Access to Exploration and Research (CWATER).
The project will include a redesigned and rebuilt pile-supported dock, bulkhead replacement, dredging, new facilities for robotic vessels and a new building hosting labs and shops focused on water-dependent activities. CWATER will provide WHOI with a more resilient marine facility designed to withstand anticipated sea level rises and severe weather events for the next 80 years.
CWATER will impact several coastal resource areas that are subject to state regulation. Therefore, WHOI was required to submit an environmental notification form to the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for the project under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).
WHOI enjoyed an early success in the permitting process in 2020, when the secretary determined that WHOI could proceed without filing an environmental impact report for CWATER under MEPA.
However, WHOI still needed several permits for CWATER, including a Chapter 91 waterways license and a water quality certificate from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, a wetlands order of conditions from the Falmouth Conservation Commission, authorization from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection and federal consistency review from the Office of Coastal Zone Management.
WHOI was also required to consult with state and federal agencies to minimize the project’s impacts on nearby eelgrass meadows.
Waterfront permitting in Massachusetts is not for the faint of heart.
Community Feedback Built Consensus
After years of public hearings, neighborhood meetings and design changes to accommodate engineering challenges and public and governmental input, WHOI obtained its final permits for CWATER this year.
WHOI notably secured its permits without having to endure litigation or appeals. This success would not be possible without excellent public relations, and local appreciation for WHOI’s mission and reputation.
Part of WHOI’s strategy involved creation of a community advisory committee to provide a mechanism for communication and feedback. WHOI also co-founded Resilient Woods Hole, which helps its Woods Hole neighbors to better understand how infrastructure improvements along Wood Hole’s coast are essential to protecting the village from the effects of climate change.
$100M Pier Project
However, one major challenge remains for CWATER – obtaining financing for a project that is expected to take seven years to complete at a cost of over $100 million.
WHOI is a private nonprofit that is not directly tied to any governmental entities or public universities, so it depends heavily on federal and state grants and philanthropy. WHOI initially obtained a few million dollars in state grants for CWATER, and it also received some private grants for design and permitting. Construction can now begin in earnest.
WHOI had hoped to obtain major funding from the federal government, but those sources were largely eliminated from the federal budget this year.
For now, CWATER is expected to move forward in phases, as funding becomes available. The first phase of the project, scheduled to begin next year, will involve the construction of a robotics vehicle port with funds from the U.S. Navy. Finding reliable sources of funding for later phases remains a challenge.
“CWATER will be an advanced, resilient facility that will provide access to the sea for our scientists, engineers, seafarers and technicians for the rest of this century,” Rob Munier, WHOI’s vice president of marine facilities who has quarterbacked this project since its inception, told me. “It will serve as a classroom for future generations of oceanographers and an incubator for new technologies, ensuring continued leadership in our basic understanding of the ocean and enabling the discovery of solutions to critical problems facing the Earth system – and humanity. The process of delivering CWATER is complex and we have achieved the critical ‘shovel-ready’ milestone. Now it is time to get wet!”
Christopher R. Vaccaro Esq. is a partner at Dalton & Finegold, LLP in Andover. His email address is cvaccaro@dfllp.com.
