Massachusetts
Mass. residents are clamoring for more beach access. The state says it’s listening.
The state’s recreational and environmental agency says it has a new top objective: Expand access to coastal and inland beaches.
It comes in the wake of a recently released government survey that shows Massachusetts residents are clamoring for more water access.
“We heard from people loud and clear that having that connection to water is so important,” Stephanie Cooper, undersecretary of environment with the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, told GBH News earlier this month. “With climate change where we’re having hotter temperatures, it becomes that much more important to have a place to cool off.”
Massachusetts’ new statewide outdoor recreation plan, released in March, included a survey of more than 5,000 residents and a roadmap for the commonwealth’s priorities. Beaches topped the list of outdoor recreational areas residents want more of across most racial groups, beating out nature preserves and hiking trails.
But the state’s objective could be difficult, given that a small fraction of Massachusetts’ coastline is currently accessible to the public and municipalities often limit access for those who don’t live in shore communities.
Cooper and some lawmakers are not yet specifying a plan to hit their new objective. And any expansions could be costly.
Cooper pointed to about $6 million annually in federal grants for land and water conservation acquisitions, money that can also be distributed to local communities for expanding recreational properties. The state’s new recreation plan is required by the U.S. National Park Service every five years for Massachusetts to be eligible for federal conservation funding.
That funding climbed significantly since 2021 under the Biden administration, up more than 73% over the previous three years’ average annual funding. There could be more state money coming, too, from a new environmental bond bill. And Cooper says she hoping for new federal grants and opportunities to team up with land trust nonprofits in the next year to acquire more coastal properties.
But restrictive laws have long made Massachusetts beaches some of the country’s most inaccessible. Geordie Vining, for one, welcomes the state’s new priority: he was the director of coastal access planning for the state between 1994 and 2000.
He’s still skeptical about the commonwealth making any real headway.
“Public coastal access is really important,” said Vining, now a planner for the coastal city of Newburyport. But, he said, “Challenges basically remain the same: The incredibly high cost of coastal property — eye-popping costs — and resistance from private property owners who own that expensive coastal property.”
The last time the state conducted an inventory of coastal access was more than 30 years ago. That report estimated that just 12% of the state’s roughly 1,400-mile coastline is open to all members of the public.
That low figure is due to a centuries-old law that dictates homeowners own the beach down to the low-tide line, along with a longstanding system of coastal towns barring or limiting nonresidents through strict parking regulations and fines. Racist housing practices also played a role as historic deeds in some beach communities expressly banned selling homes to anyone but white Christians.
The GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting covered those issues in a 2022 series, “Barriers at the Beach.”
The state currently owns and manages 15 saltwater ocean beaches and 31 fresh water inland beaches, according to the recreational study. Massachusetts also hosts several federally owned coastal properties, including The Cape Cod National Seashore and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on the North Shore.
Adding to those holdings would require a lot of spending, given the value of waterfront real estate.
That would be on top of millions of dollars the state now spends every year on coastal resilience to protect existing sandy beaches at risk of disappearing under high tides, money that goes toward seawalls or re-nourishing the sand. Severe storm surges and erosion caused by climate change, Vining and Cooper agreed, have upended coastal policies and budgets.
And even public access doesn’t necessarily mean access for all. Some of the state’s coastal resiliency funding goes to coastal towns that also sharply restrict nonresidents access or charge high fees for parking.
Courtesy of the town of Marshfield’s Planning Department
Marshfield, for example, received $1.2 million from the state last fall to help renourish critically eroded shoreline along Bay Avenue Beach but allots a small number of parking spaces for nonresidents at its beaches.
Scituate won a nearly $2 million grant last fall to replenish 26,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel at North Scituate Beach. But the coastal town sells just a few hundred beach stickers to nonresidents for $350 each — passes that are not valid on weekends or on holidays.
In Ipswich, Select Board members two weeks ago tightened beach access in their North Shore coastal town, voting to ban nonresidents from beach parking through the summer season and increase parking fines around that beach from $30 to $50.
“This will prevent non-residents from parking in the neighborhoods and walking down to beach,” Ipswich Police Chief Paul Nikas wrote in an April memo to the Select Board.
But such restrictions are frustrating for lawmakers who want to see beaches more accessible to all of the commonwealth’s residents.
“Massachusetts has the most restrictive ocean-access laws in the country,” said state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, a Woods Hole Democrat, who has filed several bills to reform beach ownership statutes and local regulations that exclude nonresidents.
He has pushed back against these local practices, proposing legislation to tie public spending on coastal projects to fully open beaches. His bill would ban communities that get public funds for their beaches from charging excessive parking fees or allowing access only to residents or renters in that community.
At a hearing on the bill last fall, beachgoers shared their frustration with legislators about their feelings of injustice at the expense of getting onto coastal beaches in Massachusetts. Alex Vai of Sudbury, who volunteers with the beach access nonprofit Surfrider, was among them.
“Parking, congestion, crowding — all of these are issues that arise because people are being funneled into the 12% of Massachusetts coastline that is public,” he said.
What residents get out of beach access is “completely undervalued,” said Setha Low, a psychology and anthropology professor at the City University of New York who is editing a new book about environmental injustice at beaches.
“I don’t think that there is any public space that brings as much joy and pleasure and a sense of belonging as beaches,” said Low. “We need to be looking to our states and our cities and the federal government to try to get us more beach access.”
While officials duke it out over access, some organizations on the ground are doing what they can to give residents the benefits beaches can provide.
One grassroots project is helping dozens of neurodivergent and medically fragile youth in the state access two state-owned beaches on the weekends. The state awarded a $10,000 grant to the project run by a Rhode Island–based nonprofit called Gnome Surf.
Christopher Burrell
GBH News
Another project, Kayak and Sail Lynn, teaches local high schoolers to build boats and paddle kayaks. Run by a teacher at Lynn English High School, the program connects teenagers with a local coastline many have hardly touched.
Cole Kiiza, a 17-year-old junior at the high school, said that before joining this club last year, he rarely went to the beach.
“I’ve been to the beach maybe twice, but we had to drive all the way to Rockport and Gloucester, and it’s really far away,” he said. “After this, I got on the water a lot. We had multiple kayak expeditions. I got to take a dip in the water after we landed on Point of Pines. Peaceful, serene. It was honestly so beautiful.”
BROOKFIELD – The Brookfield community gathered for a candlelight vigil Friday night, marking two years since the disappearance of 35-year-old Brittany Tee on January 10, 2023.
The community packed the Brookfield Congregational Church, surrounding the family and vowing to keep looking for Brittany.
Since that January 10th day, her family has been carrying an unrelenting weight on their hearts, not knowing where she is.
“Where is she? What happened to her?”
“They say time heals all wounds, but I disagree, not when your family member disappears out of nowhere without a trace,” said Brittany’s sister Bethany Tee. “Time is making that wound bigger. There is no healing, no closure, just daily heaviness in your heart and constant thoughts of worry. Where is she? What happened to her? Is she safe? Are we doing enough?”
The 35-year-old was last seen leaving the Main Street house she shared with her boyfriend that Tuesday evening. Despite efforts to reach her, she was never seen again.
A nearby river and woods have been searched extensively with no results.
DA attends vigil
Worcester Country District Attorney Joseph Early joined the vigil to assure the community investigators are still working the case.
“It doesn’t always happen as quickly as we would like, and that’s the tough part, that’s tough, the anxiety, the wonder,” said DA Early. “But I can tell you this, everything they do they do it better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Two years later, they hold onto every hope, hug, kind word and prayer, refusing to give up on finding Brittany.
“We are not giving up; we will never give up. We love and miss you Brit and we’ll bring you home,” said Bethany Tee.
The night she was last seen, Brittany wore a black winter coat, a hoodie, jeans, and work boots.
An anonymous tip line has been set up at (508) 453-7589. People are encouraged to call if they know anything or something comes to mind.
Massachusetts
EZDriveMA text message scam resurfaces. Here’s what Massachusetts drivers should do if you get one.
BOSTON – A texting scam targeting drivers in Massachusetts has resurfaced. It claims that drivers owe money for unpaid E-ZPass tolls through EZDriveMA.
The scam first appeared back in June and recently surged again during the holidays, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
EZDriveMA scam – how it works
The scammers target drivers using “smishing” where they send a text or email saying they are part of the tolling agency. They claim that a driver has an unpaid toll and that they should settle their bill using a link provided before late fees occur.
“They’re really playing to your psyche, asking you to make sure you avoid these charges and try to do the right thing. And unfortunately, it really gets people roped in,” MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBZ-TV Friday.
MassDOT urges customers to never click links sent by unknown numbers or emails. They emphasized that they will never send a bill or any information through a text message.
Gulliver says the scam targets people with phone numbers near tolling authorities. The scammers do not have any specific information about their targets but hope to get personal and financial information through the link. He said that he personally received one of the messages.
Dartmouth Police issued a warning to residents about the scam making the rounds again, saying that an officer personally received one of the messages.
What to do if you receive a scam text message
If you think you have received a scam text message, officials say you should not click on any links, do not respond to the message, and do not give out any personal information. They advise people to ignore the message completely and delete it before interacting with it.
If you are concerned about a message, you can validate the authenticity of it by going directly to the toll website or calling the toll authority at 877-627-7745.
If you have already clicked on a link, MassDOT recommends taking precautions to secure your financial and personal information and disputing any unknown charges through your bank.
“First thing you should do, don’t call us. Call your bank or your credit card. If you have already given them some information, make sure you put a hold on whatever account you have, work with their fraud unit to make sure that you’re not exposing yourself to anything more,” Gulliver said.
If you believe you have received one of these scam text messages, you can file a complaint with the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICC).
Past E-ZPass scam
This type of “smishing” scam surged in Massachusetts in 2024. The scam similarly included an invoice advising people to settle an overdue EZDriveMa bill using a provided link.
A retired FBI agent said the scam was successful because it collected cash in small amounts and that people may not have been aware that they had passed through a toll.
Massachusetts
Thursday’s six biggest high school takeaways, including a Gatorade award and a new all-time leading scorer in Saugus – The Boston Globe
While Newton North claimed its third straight Division 1 championship in the fall, on Thursday Sasha Selivan became the first Tiger to be named Gatorade Massachusetts Volleyball Player of the Year.
“Sasha is in a league of her own as far as Massachusetts’ setters go,” said Bishop Feehan coach Heidi Bruschi. “No one else I’ve seen comes close.”
The 5-foot-9-inch sophomore led the Tigers to a 24-1 record with 673 assists, 133 digs, and 115 kills. In the Division 1 final, a 3-0 win over Brookline, she recorded 26 assists and four aces. Selivan is ranked as the nationals’ No. 128 player in the Class of 2027, according to PrepVolleyball, and was the Division 1 tournament MVP and a Division 1 All-State selection.
She maintains an A average in the classroom and volunteers locally as a youth volleyball coach and mentor.
2. DiBiasio keeps scoring for Saugus
While Saugus assistant coach Norma Waggett watched, junior Peyton DiBiasio broke her coach’s all-time program scoring record by netting 27 points to surpass the mark of 1,100 Waggett set in 2013. Saugus lost, 51-40, to Minuteman to fall to 5-2.
3. On to college
In Danvers, St. John’s Prep announced 18 college commitments across eight sports:
Football
Merrick Barlow (Newburyport) to Naval Academy
Graham Roberts (Swampscott) to Harvard
Baseball
Will Shaheen (Portsmouth, N.H.) to Harvard
Nic Lembo (Danvers) to High Point
Lacrosse
Charlie Angell (Winchester) to Pennsylvania
Ryan DeLucia (Winchester) to Georgetown
Luke Kelly (Marblehead) to Michigan
Cameron McCarthy (Marblehead) to Loyola Maryland
JP Sullivan (Swampscott) to Saint Anselm
Jack Weissenburger (Marblehead) to Harvard
Sam Wilmot (Topsfield) to Richmond
Golf
Tripp Hollister (Sudbury) to Bryant
Cross-country
Daniel Padley (South Hamilton) to Holy Cross
Swimming and diving
Kye McClory (Lynnfield) to Holy Cross
Greg Santosus (Marblehead) to Virginia Military Institute
Tennis
Luke Prokopis (Lynnfield) to Holy Cross
Jack Prokopis (Lynnfield) to Holy Cross
Track and field
Noah Kabel (Swampscott) to Sacred Heart
4. Western Mass shuffle
Lots of league movement in Western Mass, particularly in football and girls’ soccer. Check out the reporting from Jesse Koldokin at the Eagle Tribune and Gage Nutter at MassLive.
Here’s the Cliff’s notes version: Chicopee Comprehensive and Holyoke will leave the AA League and be replaced by West Springfield and East Longmeadow. The Tri-County loses Springfield International and gains Belchertown.
In the Suburban South, Wahconah is joined by Pittsfield, Putnam, and Chicopee Comprehensive. The Suburban North will feature Taconic and South Hadley, plus Hoosac Valley, Lee, Easthampton, and Holyoke.
The Intercounty South sees Chicopee, Ludlow, Springfield International, and Northampton join Commerce and Frontier. The Intercounty North remained unchanged.
In girls’ soccer, the Berkshire League’s Grieve division will be Drury, Wahconah, Pittsfield, Lenox, Monument Valley and Mount Greylock. McCann and Hoosac Valley move to the Pioneer South and Taconic, Lee, and Mt. Everett move to the Tri-County North.
5. Thursday’s leaderboard
The top scoring performance of the night came in a defeat as Jacob Klass dropped 35 points for Beverly in a 77-73 loss to Gloucester that saw Nick Deleon score 26 for the Fishermen.
Minuteman’s Muji Vader nabbed 11 steals and added 24 points in a 63-19 win over KIPP Academy, sophomore Divine Egbuta led Lynn Classical with 26 points in a 58-46 win over Somerville, and Notre Dame (Hingham) junior Elle Orlando packed the box score with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 steals in a 72-35 win over Ursuline.
On the ice, Newburyport’s Olivia Wilson netted a hat trick in a 7-3 win over Stoneham/Wilmington and Justin Thibert delivered three goals for Shawsheen in a 9-1 win against Nashoba Tech/Greater Lowell.
Freshman netminder Suki ten Brinke saved all 18 shots she faced to record her first shutout of the season in Lincoln-Sudbury’s 3-0 win over Westford, and Central Catholic junior Sydney Foster made 21 saves in her first shutout of the season, a 7-0 defeat of Wayland.
6. Linked up
Before we bid adieu, a few things we’ve written recently, starting with Trevor Hass’s story on Bishop Feehan honoring the late local hoops legend Mike Babul by wearing black wristbands featuring his initials during a win over Bishop Fenwick.
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
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