License Plates Fund BEAT's Effort to Make Roads More Environmentally Friendly
BEAT received a financial boost for our work to ensure that every major road repair is an opportunity to help connect wildlife habitat and ecosystems. BEAT received $21,819 from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust.
According to Trust Director Dorrie Pizzella, the Trust will provide over $500,000 in grants to more than 30 organizations this year, thanks to motorists who choose to purchase one of the Trusts’ three special license plates: the Right Whale & Roseate Terns, the Leaping Brook Trout, or the Blackstone Valley Mill. “You purchase a plate from the Registry of Motor Vehicles and half the registry fee is donated to the Trust to fund water-focused environmental education and protection programs,” said Pizzella.
“Every major road repair is an opportunity to make that road more friendly to wildlife,” says Jane Winn, Executive Director of BEAT. “We are grateful to the Trust for supporting our work.”
Our transportation network has fragmented wildlife habitat resulting in hot spots of road kill – from deer and bear to turtles and frogs. In many places, the culverts that carry water under our roads won’t even allow fish to swim upstream. BEAT will be trying to identify roads that may undergo major repair in the coming years, survey the existing bridges and culverts to see if they adequately allow fish and wildlife to cross under the road, and map the problem crossings. BEAT hopes to identify places in need of better culverts early enough that they can be incorporated without adding significant expense – or early enough that different funds may be accessed to provide for better crossings.
When you purchase a new car or renew your registration with the Registry of Motor Vehicles, you can help preserve environmental education, conservation, or public awareness efforts. The plates cost $76, which includes a $40 tax deductible donation to the Trust. There is a renewal fee of $81 every two years. Visit your local Registry or order a plate online at www.mass.gov/rmv; or log onto www.MassEnvironmentalTrust.org where you can learn more about the Trust, the programs it supports, and the specialty license plate offerings.
PCB Cleanup Underway - or not - next to Dorothy Amos Park
January 2009
Work could not proceed because the water was too high in the river. Both Onota Lake and Pontoosuc lake were being drawn down. BEAT has asked to be notified when work recommences.October 2008
Work has begun on the long-awaited cleanup of PCBs from the river sediments and bank soils adjacent to Dorothy Amos Park on West Street in Pittsfield. Although we are really frustrated that it took ten years from the time GE remediated Dorothy Amos Park to the time they are starting to remediate in the river next to the Park, BEAT is really glad that the park remained open all summer.
For more information and pictures, see our West Branch page.
November 2008 - Massachusetts Wildlife Trackers Conference
BEAT co-sponsored the Massachusetts Wildlife Trackers Conference, November 1, 2008, at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, MA. The incredibly successful event drew more than 90 people and a good time was had by all. See the Mass. Wildlife Trackers website for more information. We look forward to doing this again next year. If you would like to be on the mailing list to receive notice of next year's conference, please email Jane and ask to be on the MWTC mailing list.