News

Merrimack River Watershed Council, Inc.
600 Suffolk Street, 5th Floor
Lowell, MA 01854

For: Immediate Release                                                                  

Christine Tabak
Executive Director
978 275 0120

The Merrimack River Watershed Council, Inc. (MRWC) is pleased to announce that Ms. Christine Tabak will be taking on the role of promoting and advancing the organization as their new Executive Director. Ms. Tabak enters this important position with extensive academic and professional credentials, including a BS degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Connecticut, an MS degree in Water Resources Engineering from Tufts University, and over a decade of experience in the Environmental Engineering field. The MRWC is confident that the new Executive Director will be successful in her endeavors with the organization.

The MRWC is an organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Merrimack River.  They are looking to combine a scientific approach, analyzing the quality of water in the river, with a grass roots effort within the community, advocating for the protection of this vital resource.

Ms. Tabak explained, “We have learned from past failures that we have a role in the community that only we can serve. While there are many excellent environmental consulting firms in our watershed, we are the only third party advocate of the river, independent of commercial or regulatory interests; we are “The Voice of the Merrimack.” Ms. Tabak has begun working to build a coalition of community groups and foundations to further the mission of the organization, “to protect and promote the wise use of the Merrimack River Watershed.”

Over the past two years, Ms. Tabak has helped reinvigorate the organization with a high level of energy and enthusiasm. She has been aggressively seeking funding from local foundations, businesses, and individual to continue their efforts, which include programs for the community such as an exciting series of Canoe & Kayak trips that run free of charge from late April until mid October. Ms. Tabak has also begun reaching out to businesses, urging them to become responsible members of the community and to reduce the amount of pollution they contribute to the Merrimack.

Ms. Tabak urges everyone to get involved; “The main issue is the lack of knowledge regarding the sources of pollution in the Merrimack River.  While we have some understanding of potential sources, we do not definitely know how much pollution is in the river and from where it is coming.”

The problems with the river affect everyone in the community. The Merrimack is a major water supply, a source of recreation, and a common tie amongst the community. It is important for the environment to be both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable. The MRWC aims to improve quality of life by promoting the proper use of the Merrimack. Ms. Christine Tabak and the MRWC team welcome anyone and everyone to participate in revitalization our river and our community.

For more information on how to get involved visit the organization’s website at www.merrimack.org