Policy
We work closely with residents and community leaders, local nonprofits, and elected officials in the Boston Metropolitan Region to research and advocate for ways to make our beaches and waterfront more accessible, welcoming, and climate resilient. We work with communities from Nahant to Nantasket to create recommendations for our harbor, then drive policy changes through the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, which Save the Harbor manages for the MA government.
Focus Areas
We work with local advocates and DCR to increase accessibility to resources like beach wheelchairs and mobility mats, install multilingual signage around our region, and increase the safety of our blue spaces.
We attend public meetings to guide waterfront design and submit comment letters to developers to ensure they center community needs for meaningful benefits and Chapter 91 public spaces.
We lead regional discussions and community engagement on working port policy issues.
Equitable Access to the Water
Water Quality
We analyze water quality test results and publish an annual Water Quality Report Card before each beach season.
We organize coalitions to address Environmental Justice issues at public beaches, such as Kings Beach and Tenean Beach.
We regularly lead beach cleanups and help promote clear communication to the public around water quality in our region.
Beach Climate Resiliency
We hosted community coastal climate workshops, engaging over 600 Massachusetts residents from Nahant to Nantasket, to hear about what people value about their beaches and to consider possible adaptation options.
We propose recommendations to city and state agencies that address short- and long-term impacts of sea level rise and erosions.
We research and lead discussions among key community, city, and state stakeholders on beach nourishment and managed retreat.
Policy Process
Identify an Issue. Our network comes to us with ideas on how to make beaches more accessible, welcoming, and diverse.
1
Collect Community Concerns/Feedback. We host community workshops, virtual feedback sessions, and events to help understand access and equity barriers.
2
Make Recommendations. We manage the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) for the MA state government, which allows us to elevate issues directly to policy makers in local and state governments and agencies.
3
Increase Accountability. After recommendations are recorded on the official state record, we hold the state government and its agencies to implementing changes.
4
Reports and Research
The MBC is charged with making findings and recommendations to the Legislature and DCR on ways to improve the metropolitan region's public beaches. Access our past reports and research below.