As part of the Massachusetts Chapter, the Sierra Club's Cape Cod & Islands Group represents members and supporters in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month to discuss local issues and ongoing campaigns and host "Third Tuesday Talks" featuring experts, officials, and advocates. These meetings, held via Zoom, are open to all.
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Comments on Cape & Islands Issues
“Third Tuesday Talk” Resources
News from the Group
Comments on Cape & Islands Issues
Cape Cod Bridges Program DEIS, 1/5/26
Cape Cod Bridges Program DEIR, 10/24/25
Geotube Expansion at Nantucket’s Sconset Bluff, 10/14/25
Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan, 9/24/25
Cape Cod Canal Pipeline Replacement & Expansion, 5/27/25
Cape Cod Canal Pipeline Relocation & Expansion, 3/6/26
Cape Cod Freshwater Strategy, 3/17/25
Sierra Cape Cod "Third Tuesday Talk” Resources
April 21, 2026: "Legislative Update: Saving MassSave & Other 2026 Priorities" Briana Kane, Cape Light Compact, and Eva Morgan, Sierra Club MA (Presentation)
March 17, 2026: "Protecting the Rights of Nature: From Concept to Success" featuring Will Falk, Co-Coordinator of Community Resistance & Resilience for the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (Presentation)
February 17, 2026: "Saving the Night: Reducing Light Pollution on the Cape & Islands" featuring James Lowenthal, Mary Elizabeth Moses Professor of Astronomy at Smith College & president of DarkSky International’s Massachusetts Chapter (presentation); Gail Walker, Founder and president of Nantucket Lights (presentation)
January 15, 2026: “Policy & Power: New Nuclear in Massachusetts? A Sierra Club Conversation with the Energy & Environmental Affairs” featuring Melissa Lavinson, Executive Director of the Office of Energy Transformation, and Weezie Nuara, Deputy Secretary for Federal & Regional Energy Affairs
November 18, 2025: "Battery Storage for Greening & Reinforcing the Grid” featuring Nathan Raike, manager of state and local affairs, RENEW Northeast (presentation)
October 21, 2025: "New Canal Bridges & the Cape’s 21st Century Transportation System” (presentation) featuring Ron Bergstrom, Barnstable County Commissioner; Michael Herman, Orleans Select Board member; State Rep. Hadley Luddy, 4th Barnstable District; Clay Schofield, transportation engineer/planner; and Steve Tupper, deputy director, Cape Cod Commission
August 19, 2025: "Advocacy Workshop: Help Protect Cape Cod's Future by Commenting on the Regional Policy Plan” (no video; presentation)
July 15, 2025: “Wildfire Risk, Safety & Preparedness on the Cape & Islands,” featuring Josh Nigro, District 1 Fire Warden for Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (slides); and Brian Fies, author of A Fire Story (presentation)
June 17, 2025: "Beyond Gas: Cape Cod Canal Pipeline Relocation & Expansion" (map) featuring Jess Nahigian, Sierra Club MA deputy director (presentation); Sam Dynowski, Sierra Club CT director (presentation); and Martha Klein, Sierra Club CT lead “Beyond Gas” volunteer and founding member of No Pipeline Expansion-Northeast (NOPE-NE).
May 20, 2025: "Falmouth's Wastewater Outfall to Nantucket Sound: Discharge Plans & Issues” featuring Amy Lowell, Falmouth wastewater superintendent, and Steve Rafferty, chair of Falmouth’s Water Quality Management Committee (presentation); and Jeff Rosen, member of the Deer Island Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel (presentation).
April 15, 2025: "Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan: Can the Growth Policy Achieve the Future Vision?” featuring discussion with former State Senator Rob O’Leary; Mark Robinson, executive director of Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts; and Janet Milkman, executive director of Barnstable Land Trust (presentation).
March 18, 2025: "Climate Change & Mental Health: Building Resilience" featuring Dr. James McKowen, clinical psychologist and professor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (presentation).
February 18, 2025: "Marine Debris, Plastic Foam Collection & Pollution Prevention” featuring Laura Ludwig, director of the Marine Debris & Plastics Program at the Center for Coastal Studies
January 21, 2025: "Cape Cod Bridges Megaproject: Environmental & Equity Considerations" featuring Luisa Paiewonsky, executive director of MassDOT’s Office of Megaproject Delivery (presentation slides)
News from the Group
Presentation: Pleasant Bay and Wellfleet Watershed Management Plans: Analysis and Comparison by 2022 Sierra Cape Cod Intern Kate Connolly
Fox 25, Undated, "Machine Gun Rally"
WCAI NPR, October 13, 2020 "Environmentalists Rally Against Proposed Machine Gun Range"
Cape Cod Times, October 12, 2020 "Residents gather in Sandwich to protest proposed machine gun range"
Cape Cod Times, October 12, 2020 "Photo Gallery: Residents rally against proposed machine gun range"
The Enterprise, October 12, 2020 "Demonstrators In Sandwich Protest Proposed Machine Gun Range"
Cape Cod Times, October 12, 2020 "Sandwich rally planned to protest machine gun range"
The Sandwich Enterprise, October 11, 2020 "Sierra Club Of Cape Cod To Rally Against Machine Gun Firing Range"
Cape Cod Times, April 23, 2017 "Climate forum gave students real inspiration"
The Sandwich Enterprise, March 21, 2018 "Environmental Groups Decry NRG’s New Unit 3"