Mt. Hope Bay/Taunton River Geographic Response Plan (GRP) Project
Welcome to the Mt. Hope Bay GRP Project webpage. This site will be used to compile information during the development of geographic response plans for the Mt. Hope Bay area of Massachusetts.
This project is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and was facilitated by Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC. The process being used to develop the Mt. Hope Bay GRPs is similar to that used for the North Shore, Boston Harbor, South Shore, Cape and Islands, and Buzzards Bay GRP projects.
This website contains final versions of the GRP maps and tactics, the work group record of meetings, and information about site selection and site surveys.
To learn more about the GRP process, please visit the MassGRP FAQ Page.
Click on the following links to be taken directly to that section of the webpage:
Mt. Hope Bay GRP Region
Site Selection Information
Site Survey Information
Work Group Information
Mt. Hope Bay GRP Meeting Schedule
MT. HOPE BAY/TAUNTON RIVER GRP REGION
Four Massachusetts coastal communities are included in the Mt. Hope Bay Region and will be involved in the MHB GRP project: Dighton, Fall River, Somerset and Swansea.
GRPs are developed for coastal sites based on environmental sensitivity criteria reviewed by the work group and entered into a site selection matrix. The feasibility of protecting the site is also considered in selecting and finalizing sites.
Click on the links below to downloaded the individual GRPs for the Mount Hope Bay region.
- MHB-01 Lower Cole River
- MHB-02 Upper Cole River
- MHB-03 Fox Hill Cove
- MHB-04 Lee River
- MHB-05 Fall River Waterfront
- MHB-06 Breeds/Weavers Cove
- MHB-07 Pierce Beach
- MHB-08 Barnaby's Point
- MHB-09 Assonet River
- MHB-10 Dighton Rock/Grassy Island
- MHB-11 Dighton/Berkley Bridge
- MHB-12 Assonet Bay
MT. HOPE BAY SITE SELECTION INFORMATION
The Mt. Hope Bay/Taunton River GRP Region has been divided into sites for the purpose of GRP development. Twenty candidate sites were initially reviewed during the site selection and prioritization process. Work group members had an opportunity to provide input regarding oil spill protection priorities at candidate sites, and adjustments were made based on work group input. The site selection matrix and site selection key provide information about environmental sensitivities and human use for each site.
Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps
- ESI Index (download PDF)
- ESI Map #53, Mt. Hope Bay (download PDF)
- ESI Map #54, Mt. Hope Bay (download PDF)
- ESI Map #55, Mt. Hope Bay (download PDF)
MT. HOPE BAY SITE SURVEY INFORMATION
As part of the South Shore GRP project, Nuka Research conducted site surveys of the coastline. Below is a table of the site survey schedule. Click on the document link to view survey summaries.
Sites |
Date |
Survey Status |
Site Summaries (Click to download) |
| Lower Taunton River (Sites 7-13) | July 23, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Borden Light Marina Fall River Harbormaster boat |
Complete | Lower Taunton River Survey |
| Lee/Cole Rivers (Sites 1-6) | July 24, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Swansea Town Boat Ramp Swansea Harbormaster boat |
Complete | Lee/Cole River Survey |
| Upper Taunton River (Sites 14-20 | August 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. Somerset FD Somerset FD boat |
Complete | Upper Taunton River Survey |
Vessel support for the North Shore GRP surveys was provided by: Fall River Harbormaster, Swansea PD, and Somerset FD.
MT HOPE BAY GRP WORK GROUP INFORMATION
While the Mt Hope Bay GRP Development Project is currently underway, participation in the Work Group is still open and encouraged. Members of the MHBGRP Work Group represent state and federal agencies, local governments and organizations, stakeholder groups, the oil industry, and spill response professionals. The Work Group is being co-chaired by the following organizations:
- MassDEP Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup
- NOAA Office of Response and Restoration
- U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Southeastern New England
Work Group meetings will be held three to four times over the life of this project. Meeting announcements, agendas, handouts, and meeting minutes will be posted here as they are developed, to provide public access to the Group’s record.
The Work Group process is open to the public and public participation is welcomed and encouraged. For additional information regarding this GRP project, please contact: popovich@nukaresearch.com
MEETING SCHEDULE
Wednesday, December 5, 2012 – Mt. Hope Bay Draft GRP Review Meeting
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Fall River Fire Department Emergency Operations Center
140 Commerce Drive
Fall River, MA 02720
Meeting Materials:
Thursday, September 27, 2012 – Mt. Hope Bay GRP Tactics Sub-Group Meeting
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Fall River Fire Department Emergency Operations Center
140 Commerce Drive
Fall River, MA 02720
Meeting Materials:
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 – Mt. Hope Bay GRP Site Selection Meeting
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Fall River Fire Department Emergency Operations Center
140 Commerce Drive
Fall River, MA 02720
Meeting Materials:
Wednesday, June 6, 2012 – Mt. Hope Bay GRP Kick-Off Meeting
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Fall River Heritage State Park
200 Davol Street
Fall River, MA 02720
Meeting Materials:
-Agenda
-Directions to facility
The kick-off meeting introduced the project to all participants, solicited additional participation in all phases of the project, and disseminated preliminary site sensitivity information for review and input from Work Group members and their constituents.