09/25/2026
COHASSET HARBOR AGREEMENT: WHY IT MATTERS TO RESIDENTS
Who is responsible if wastewater discharges affect shellfish farming in Cohasset Harbor—and could local taxpayers face the costs?
The Cohasset Select Board has issued a statement addressing those concerns about the town’s June 2025 agreement with Scituate. The Board says the agreement does not create new liability for wastewater discharges or obligate Cohasset to financially support Scituate’s aquaculture pilot program.
The agreement sets out the towns’ responsibilities for harbor management, including mooring permits, patrols, water safety and assistance between their marine services.
According to the Board, Cohasset’s only new obligation was to sign a Conditional Area Management Plan, a plan governing shellfishing in designated harbor waters. The Board says its requirement to notify state marine fisheries officials about treatment plant discharges reflects reporting obligations the town already has.
The statement describes several protections for Cohasset. The agreement requires Scituate to:
• Notify aquaculture applicants that Cohasset’s wastewater treatment plant may make discharges allowed by its permits.
• Amend shellfishing regulations to require license holders to “hold Cohasset harmless” for specified damage, including damage from treatment plant discharges.
• Require aquaculture license holders to carry insurance.
These measures are intended to protect Cohasset from claims. The statement does not confirm whether every step needed to implement them has been completed.
The Board also explains that penalties in the shellfish management plan concern harvesting from areas closed to shellfishing—not new penalties against Cohasset for wastewater discharges.
Does this mean the town faces no possible risk? No. The Board acknowledges that lawsuits remain possible and points to protections under state law. Its position is that the agreement itself does not create the liability residents have questioned. Cohasset must still comply with its wastewater permits and environmental requirements.
WHY CITIZENS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION
This issue brings together public health, the condition of our harbor, an essential town service and protection of taxpayer dollars. Decisions about wastewater treatment and shellfish farming can affect people who use the harbor, businesses that depend on it and residents who help fund town operations.
Being informed helps residents understand what each town has promised, what protections are required and who could bear costs if something goes wrong. It also enables residents to ask practical questions: Have the required regulations been adopted? Is the required insurance in place? How are discharge notifications handled?
Understanding these responsibilities gives residents a stronger basis for evaluating officials’ assurances and holding both communities accountable.
This article summarizes the Select Board’s statement, reproduced in the accompanying photograph. Residents with questions about the agreement or harbor management may contact the Town Manager or Select Board Chair.
