NLWC News
Summer Development Internship at Nantucket Land & Water Council
February 6, 2025
Location: Nantucket Island
Hours: 25-35 hours per week
Compensation: $22 per hour
Are you passionate about environmental conservation? Join the Nantucket Land & Water Council (NLWC) this summer and be a part of protecting and preserving the natural beauty of Nantucket Island!
As a summer development intern at NLWC, you’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in nonprofit development and event coordination while supporting critical initiatives for the island’s land and water preservation efforts.
Internship Highlights
- Flexible Timeframe: Start and end dates are flexible within late May to early September.
- Hands-On Learning: Assist in a wide range of development tasks, including:
- Prospect Research: Help identify and engage potential supporters and partners.
- Mailings & Data Entry: Contribute to the administrative efforts that keep our programs running smoothly.
- Event Support: Play a role in the planning and execution of fundraising, cultivation, and educational events.
- Fundraising Assistance: Support the team in raising essential funds to further the Council’s mission.
Why NLWC
- Gain invaluable experience in environmental nonprofit work.
- Work on projects that directly impact the preservation of Nantucket’s natural resources.
- Be part of a supportive, passionate team dedicated to making a difference.
Requirements
- Strong interest in nonprofit work, environmental conservation, and community engagement.
- Detail-oriented, organized, and willing to take initiative.
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel and/or Google Docs and Sheets
Desired (but not required) Skills
- Experience in graphic design, Canva or Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign)
- Familiar with database entry, ideally Raiser’s Edge
Please Note
- This position does not provide housing, but NLWC will use its contacts to assist with the housing search on Nantucket Island.
How to Apply
Send your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience to
search@nantucketlandwater.org. The deadline for applying is March 31, 2024. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early!
Join us this summer in our mission to protect Nantucket’s precious land and water resources. We look forward to hearing from you!
The NLWC is pleased to announce the launch of our PFAS Well Testing Reimbursement Program , an initiative aimed at reducing financial barriers to drinking water testing and improving accessibility to informed drinking water decisions. Made possible by the Nantucket Land & Water Council’s Water Fund, with generous support from ReMain Nantucket and the Madaket Conservation Association . PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of widely used synthetic chemicals found in many everyday products. Often referred to as "forever chemicals" because of their persistence in the environment, PFAS can enter groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies . Long-term exposure to certain PFAS has been linked to a range of adverse health effects. For Nantucket residents who rely on private wells, testing is the only way to know whether PFAS are present in their drinking water . The Town of Nantucket Health and Human Services Department offers PFAS well testing through Barnstable County Laboratory, with test kits available at 131 Pleasant Street.
On August 31st, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a letter rebuking the efforts of Siasconset Beach Preservation Fund (SBPF) to expand the geotube project on Sconset Beach . Nantucket Land & Water Council (NLWC) along with over a dozen Nantucket residents, including members of the Nantucket Coastal Conservancy (collectively “Appellants”), appealed the Conservation Commission’s March 2025 approval of an Order of Conditions for the geotube expansion. Now seventeen months later, DEP’s letter dated August 31, 2026, casts grave doubt on whether the expansion project will be approved by the state agency . T his setback follows the denial of a license for the project at Town Meeting last spring.
To the Editor, This letter is about the water situation on the island. As the Nantucket Waterkeeper, I measure the water levels in our aquifer every month (a half-century tradition of the Nantucket Land & Water Council) at ten wells across the island from ’Sconset to Madaket. These wells are simply metal or pvc pipes installed just far enough below the surface to reach and measure the ups and downs of our aquifer. This data is used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Mass Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It's also available to the public on USGS’s website- The exact well used to determine if we’re in a drought or not is well #228 . You’ll notice that it continues to trend downward. With the exception of two very shallow wells in Madaket which have shown some recovery from recent rain, the other seven wells across the island continue to trend downward.
