On a warm afternoon in late October, one hundred public officials, citizens and organization representatives from throughout southeastern Massachusetts gathered on board the Mayflower II to sign and support the New Mayflower Compact.

Led by Congressman William Delahunt, officials from cities and towns across the region signed on to this voluntary regional growth management agreement. They agreed to: "voluntarily join together to implement a growth management program that preserves the interests of each town and city yet profits from unified regional actions. This program will be organized by the Regional Planning Agencies, acting together through local representation. The undersigned endorse this approach to growth management and commit to working collaboratively....." Thirty-nine cities and towns have agreed to endorse the Compact. Forty additional signatures were added to support the communities' efforts .

Secretary Bob Durand of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs praised the initiative and announced a grant for Vision 2020 of $125,000. State Senator Marc Pacheco represented the Southeastern Massachusetts Legislative Caucus. Donald L. Connors, Chair of the Vision 2020 Task Force was the Master of Ceremonies.

The strong response to the Compact is an affirmation of a consensus that the region's inevitable growth can be accommodated with good planning. Our natural resources can be preserved while we strengthen our economy.

The New Mayflower Compact is an initiative of the Vision 2020 Task Force created in 1998 by the three regional planning agencies serving southeastern Massachusetts (SRPEDD, OCPC and MAPC). A total of 39 communities have signed the compact to date.