Lake Quinsigamond Commission Closes Wake Boat Hearing, Promises Careful Study Before Any Action

SHREWSBURY -- June 24, 2026, Lake Quinsigamond Commission holds formal public hearing on wake boat use, takes no regulatory action. Chair Bill Nelson convened the hearing June 24, drawing more than a dozen speakers split between property owners citing accelerating shoreline erosion and dock damage from large wakes, and boaters and an industry representative arguing for education over prohibition. Charles Potrovich, chairman of the board at Eaglehead Cove, said 54 property owners face the financial burden of replacing a rapidly eroding seawall, while John Alessandro of the Water Sports Industry Association, appearing via Zoom, promoted a 200-foot setback standard backed by what he called peer-reviewed science. Nelson noted that Massachusetts, like Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, has recently referred wake boat legislation to environmental agencies for further study, with State Senator Ryan Fatman's bill SD 3462 superseded by Bill 3099. The commission voted unanimously to close the hearing and signaled it will not announce restrictions at its next meeting. The body also honored retiring Commissioner Peter Collins, who served 17 years, with citations from the Massachusetts House and Senate.