Welcome!

The Department of Health and Environment was established in 1926 to provide regional efficiencies throughout the 15 towns of Barnstable County, while supporting the autonomy of local boards of health. The Department provides a diversity of services that promote public health and environmental protection, from emergency planning, to monitoring of water, land, and air, to disease prevention, inspectional services, COVID-19 pandemic response, and even the practical application of providing loans for septic system repair and replacement. The physical and mental well-being of Barnstable County’s residents, alongside protection of our sensitive ecosystems, are our top priorities.


News

Barnstable County Leaders Receive Special Congressional Recognition to Honor Public Service

On Friday, June 7th, Barnstable County Administrator Beth Albert and Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment Director Sean O’Brien were awarded Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition by Senator Edward […]

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Barnstable County’s Beach Monitoring Program is Underway for the 2024 Season

The week of June 3, 2024 marked the first full week of bacteriological monitoring on Cape Cod’s bathing beaches. Each year, Barnstable County hires and trains six seasonal samplers to […]

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Board of Commissioners Urges Senator Warren to Oppose Funding for the Proposed Machine Gun Range Planned for Construction on Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve

June 5, 2024 (BARNSTABLE, MA) – Today the Board of Regional Commissioners voted to send a letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren urging her to ensure that the Massachusetts Army National […]

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Sean O’Brien, Director of the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, Announces Retirement after 38 Years of Public Service

Barnstable County announces the retirement of Sean O’Brien, Director of the Department of Health and Environment, on July 1, 2024, after nearly 38 years of dedicated service in public health. […]

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Barnstable County’s Emergency Preparedness Director Chip Reilly Urges Residents to Be Ready as Atlantic Hurricane Season Approaches

Atlantic hurricane season officially begins this coming Saturday, June 1 and ends November 30, 2024. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorologists are predicting 17–25 named storms and 8–13 hurricanes, […]

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Scientific American and WBUR Co-Produce Three Part Series Exploring Nitrogen Pollution from Urine on Cape Cod

Cape Cod once again finds itself making headlines in the environmental science community, as Scientific American and WBUR publish the first two episodes in their three-part series on Scientific American’s […]

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