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Berkshire BioBlitz to Catalog Wildlife

Great Barrington MA – As part of the 50 year celebration of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council this year’s 8th annual Berkshire BioBlitz will be held at Thomas & Palmer Brook in Great Barrington, MA. Starting at noon Saturday September 16 and ending noon on Sunday September 17. This year’s event is hosted by Berkshire Natural Resources Council and co-sponsored by Dr. Augie’s Science Education Programs and Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). Thomas & Palmer Brook is located on Rt. 23 in Great Barrington directly across from the Koi Chinese Restaurant. There will be signs for parking. The Berkshire BioBlitz is an opportunity for biologists, naturalists and environmentalists to work in collaboration with the general public. FROM THE BERKSHIRE EDGE <more> 

Flotilla Action to Protest Kinder Morgan Pipeline

Saturday, September 16th | 11 AM at Lower Spectacle Pond | Cold Spring Rd. | Sandisfield, MA | More than half a million gallons of water from Spectacle Pond will soon be drained by Kinder Morgan to test their fracked gas pipeline. Join us in making a statement of protest and protection! Through our presence we will: Bear witness to the beauty of Spectacle Pond Protest the pond’s despoilment, and Resist the fossil fuel industry’s continued degradation of our precious collective resources for private profit. FROM SUGAR SHACK ALLIANCE <more> 

Trail Building & Stewardship Training Series

Mass Audubon is excited to present its second annual Trail Building and Stewardship Training Series. The workshops are being held for Massachusetts land managers, conservation professional and volunteer trail stewards at a very low cost ($25/day) thanks to a grant from the DCR Recreational Trails Education Program. Participants will learn how to design and construct two bridges for a variety of trail users; design, build and construct short sections of new trail; build stone stair cases and cut and shape stone; and how to safely and effectively use a chainsaw to remove storm damage and cut back leaning trees through Game of Logging Level 3 training. FROM MASS AUDUBON <more> 

Landowners Sue FERC to Stop Eminent Domain for Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast Pipelines

A group of more than 50 landowners from the region whose farms and homes are in the path of the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast fracked gas pipelines held a press conference on Wednesday, September 6th, outside the D.C. offices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to announce their filing of a lawsuit against FERC to end the abuse of eminent domain for private gain for pipelines. The lawsuit, filed this week in Washington D.C. in federal district court, challenges the constitutionality of the eminent domain provisions of the Natural Gas Act, and seek to end the unconstitutional and unconscionable process of taking citizens’ private property via eminent domain for a corporation’s profits — and not for “the public good” as is intended. FROM BOLD ALLIANCE <more> 

WV DEP Vacates Permit for
Mountain Valley Pipeline

Faced with a deadline to defend their permit approval against a federal court challenge, West Virginia regulators moved this week to back off their certification that the Mountain Valley Pipeline would not violate the state’s water quality standards. The state Department of Environmental Protection said in a Thursday letter to the pipeline developers and other state and federal agencies that it “hereby vacates and remands” its water quality certification for the controversial natural gas pipeline. Scott Mandirola, director of the DEP Division of Water and Waste Management, said in the letter that the move would allow DEP “to reevaluate the complete application to determine whether the state’s certification is in compliance” with the federal Clean Water Act. FROM NO FRACKED GAS IN MASS <more> 


Jobs (click here for full job listings)

Regional Recycling Coordinator | City of Pittsfield | Pittsfield, MA 

Conservation Projects Manager | Housatonic Valley Association | Cornwall Bridge, CT

Director of Ecological Restoration | MA Dept. of Fish & Game | Boston, MA

Community Solar Interns | Co-op Power | Florence, MA

Energy Efficiency Intern | Co-op Power | Florence, MA

Community Solar Program Director | Co-op Power | Florence, MA

Energy Efficiency Program Manager | Co-op Power | Florence, MA

Chief Executive Officer | Co-op Power | Florence, MA

2017-18 Position Openings | TerraCorps – Various locations

Various Positions | The Manice Education Center (MEC) | Florida, MA

Volunteer Opportunities | The Trustees | Stockbridge & Cummington, MA

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Berkshire BioBlitz to Catalog Wildlife

Great Barrington MA – As part of the 50 year celebration of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council this year’s 8th annual Berkshire BioBlitz will be held at Thomas & Palmer Brook in Great Barrington, MA. Starting at noon Saturday September 16 and ending noon on Sunday September 17. This year’s event is hosted by Berkshire Natural Resources Council and co-sponsored by Dr. Augie’s Science Education Programs and Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). Thomas & Palmer Brook is located on Rt. 23 in Great Barrington directly across from the Koi Chinese Restaurant. There will be signs for parking.

The Berkshire BioBlitz is an opportunity for biologists, naturalists and environmentalists to work in collaboration with the general public. Our goal is to survey the Thomas & Palmer Brook land within a 24-hour period and to name as many living species we can find. This will give us an overall view of importance of a healthy, active ecosystem in our own community. There will be about 20 specialists on hand to explore, identify and educate, including specialists such as John Wheeler of the Berkshire Mycological Society (fungi), iNaturalist’s Jason Crockwell (insects and mollusks), Charley Eiseman (co-author of Field Guide to Invertebrate Tracks and Signs), as well as renowned local birders Christine and Greg Ward.

There will be a variety of family-friendly, interactive, nature-oriented walks and conversations taking place throughout the day. You can drop in at anytime and spend as much time as you like. The staff of Berkshire Natural Resources Council will be there to lead and answer questions. Berkshire Wildlife Tracker and BEAT Program Manager, Elia Del Molino will lead a mammal tracking workshop and there will be an invasive species identification exhibit. After dark two programs will be taking place: a “Moth-Light” demonstration by Mark Mello of the Lloyd Center for the Environment and an “Owl Prowl.”

We encourage everyone to take advantage of this unique FREE STEM event. berkshirebioblitz.com

Directions to Thomas & Palmer Brook in Great Barrington: Follow on US Rte. 7 south to Great Barrington, turn sharp left to State Rd 23 (Rt 183) 0.4 miles on your left directly across from the Koi Chinese Restaurant.

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Flotilla Action to Protest Kinder Morgan Pipeline

Saturday, September 16th | 11 AM
Lower Spectacle Pond | Cold Spring Rd. | Sandisfield, MA

More than half a million gallons of water from Spectacle Pond will soon be drained by Kinder Morgan to test their fracked gas pipeline. Join us in making a statement of protest and protection!

Through our presence we will:

Bear witness to the beauty of Spectacle Pond Protest the pond’s despoilment, and

Resist the fossil fuel industry’s continued degradation of our precious collective resources for private profit.

11 am launch and circling the pond • 12 pm Gathering and group photo of our action

Bring kayaks, canoes, rowboats. Non-motorized boats/other otations welcome. All participants assume liability for themselves. Bring a personal flotation device (PFD) Decorate yourself, your boat with signs, ags, hats, balloons, etc. Bring your own lunch. A family friendly public action: Protectors unite! Heavy rain cancels the event.

Co-Sponsors: Sugar Shack Alliance and Rising Together Affinity Group General information: Joan Levy: jllevy@comcast.net, 413.256.0175

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Trail Building & Stewardship Training Series

FROM MASS AUDUBON

Mass Audubon is excited to present its second annual Trail Building and Stewardship Training Series.
The workshops are being held for Massachusetts land managers, conservation professional and volunteer trail stewards at a very low cost ($25/day) thanks to a grant from the DCR Recreational Trails Education Program.
Participants will learn how to design and construct two bridges for a variety of trail users; design, build and construct short sections of new trail; build stone stair cases and cut and shape stone; and how to safely and effectively use a chainsaw to remove storm damage and cut back leaning trees through Game of Logging Level 3 training.
This series will be instructed by experts from the Professional Trail Builders Association (PBTA), Northeast Woodland Trainers (NEWT), and Mass Audubon. The following three workshops will be offered:
Trail Building and Stewardship Skills
Friday and Saturday, October 6 & 7, 2017 | At Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton and Northampton, MA
Cutting, Shaping and Building with Stone
Friday and Saturday, October 20 & 21 | At Franklin Land Trust’s Guyette Farm in Plainfield, MA
Game of Logging Level 3 focused on storm damage removal
Friday, November 10, 2017 | At Graves Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Williamsburg, MA

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Landowners Sue FERC to Stop Eminent Domain for Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast Pipelines

Washington, D.C. — A group of more than 50 landowners from the region whose farms and homes are in the path of the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast fracked gas pipelines will hold a press conference on Wednesday outside the D.C. offices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to announce their filing of a lawsuit against FERC to end the abuse of eminent domain for private gain for pipelines.

  • WHAT: Press Conference With Landowners Suing FERC Over Eminent Domain
  • WHO: Landowners attorney Carolyn Elefant; Bold Alliance’s Carolyn Reilly (also a landowner on the proposed MVP route); and landowners on the proposed ACP and MVP routes.
  • WHEN: Wednesday, September 6, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • WHERE: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), 888 1st St NE, Washington D.C.
  • DETAILS: https://www.facebook.com/events/313814515754770/

The lawsuit, filed this week in Washington D.C. in federal district court, challenges the constitutionality of the eminent domain provisions of the Natural Gas Act, and seek to end the unconstitutional and unconscionable process of taking citizens’ private property via eminent domain for a corporation’s profits — and not for “the public good” as is intended.

The lawsuit targets FERC’s encouragement of pipeline companies to negotiate easement agreements with landowners in advance of the agency’s issuance of a “certificate of need,” which results in “irretrievable commitment of resources” to a particular route prior to a formal decision, and absolves the Commission of its responsibility to actually determine whether a proposed project is needed.

“FERC’s policy of encouraging pre-certificate easement negotiations between impacted landowners and the pipeline impermissibly biases the outcome of the certificate approval process, because FERC views pipeline proposals more favorably when the company has acquired most of the easements by negotiation,” the lawsuit states. “In so doing, FERC emboldens private companies to abuse eminent domain rights by duping landowners into signing an easement agreement by threatening them with eminent domain powers that the company does not have, or by until by refusing to agree to any protective measures in advance of construction until the landowner agrees to sign an easement, often for constitutionally inadequate compensation.”

The lawsuit also specifically challenge FERC’s issuance of “conditioned certificates” — which authorize a taking of property rights that are not, and may never be, necessary to construct the proposed project; and “blanket certificates” — which inappropriately grant a private company eminent domain power coextensive with that of the state, and strip future aggrieved landowners of their rights to formal administrative procedures.

Under the current regulatory regime, landowners are left without a forum to challenge eminent domain abuses. Meanwhile, virtually anything goes — with certificates conferring eminent domain issued by FERC to pipelines that do not serve a public use, but instead, facilitate gas for export or create opportunities for pipelines to monopolize the market for input to gas and electricity to be distributed in markets controlled by the pipeline’s affiliates.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Bold Alliance, and individual landowners on the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipeline routes in West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Defendants include FERC and its individual commissioners, and Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC and Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC.

More background on the Bold Appalachia Landowner Alliance:
http://boldalliance.org/appalachia

View the full text of landowners’ lawsuit online:
https://www.scribd.com/document/358189480/Landowners-vs-FERC

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WV DEP Vacates Permit for
Mountain Valley Pipeline

FROM NO FRACKED GAS IN MASS
Original source: West Virginia Gazette | By Ken Ward

Faced with a deadline to defend their permit approval against a federal court challenge, West Virginia regulators moved this week to back off their certification that the Mountain Valley Pipeline would not violate the state’s water quality standards.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said in a Thursday letter to the pipeline developers and other state and federal agencies that it “hereby vacates and remands” its water quality certification for the controversial natural gas pipeline.

Scott Mandirola, director of the DEP Division of Water and Waste Management, said in the letter that the move would allow DEP “to reevaluate the complete application to determine whether the state’s certification is in compliance” with the federal Clean Water Act.

“We’ve been asking DEP to take a closer look at the more than 600 streams affected by this massive project from the beginning, so DEP’s letter is a positive step,” said Angie Rosser, executive director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline would run about 300 miles from Northwestern West Virginia to Southern Virginia. It is a joint project of EQT Midstream Partners LP; NextEra US Gas Assets LLC; WGL Midstream; and Vega Midstream MVP LLC. The pipeline originates in Wetzel County and goes though Harrison, Doddridge, Lewis, Braxton, Webster, Nicholas, Greenbrier, Fayette, Summers, and Monroe counties before entering Virginia.

Earlier this year, DEP Secretary Austin Caperton refused a request by citizen groups for a hearing on their administrative appeal of his agency’s approval of the water quality permit for the MVP project. Caperton did not explain his reasons for that decision.

The Sierra Club, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition and other groups then filed a court challenge against Caperton and the DEP. The state agency is due to file a response by next Thursday to the brief filed with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the citizen groups by lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates.

Among other things, the citizen groups specifically challenged the DEP for not fully reviewing the potential for the MVP project to degrade streams.

More than 15 years ago, the DEP had sought to exempt projects that receive certain types of permits — such as the Clean Water Act general dredge-and-fill permit that MVP obtained from the federal Army Corps of Engineers — from needing to be fully reviewed under the state’s water quality anti-degradation rule. But in a 2003 decision, U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin threw out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of that part of the DEP’s water quality rules.

Citizen group lawyers noted that ruling by Goodwin in their brief to the 4th Circuit and commented that water quality standards that haven’t been approved by EPA “are not operative,” meaning that DEP could not use the rule Goodwin threw out to avoid anti-degradation review of MVP.

The MVP project is among a collection of pipelines that are proposed or under construction across the region that are meant to take advantage of the Marcellus Shale gas boom, but are drawing opposition from local citizens and from national environmental groups.

When it initially approved the pipeline’s 401 certification, the DEP issued a news release about the action and pointed members of the media to the MVP developer’s website for “information about the potential economic benefit” of the project.

In that press release, DEP described MVP as a project that would “transport West Virginia’s abundant natural gas to meet the growing need for power generation in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.” The release also said that stream and wetland mitigation required of MVP under the permit would “put West Virginians to work improving streams and wetlands throughout the state.”

Jake Glance, DEP’s communications director, said in an email late Friday that during the agency’s review of the legal challenge at the 4th Circuit, DEP officials determined that “the information used to issue” the water quality certification “needs to be further evaluated and possibly enhanced.”

Glance said that DEP acted “out of an abundance of caution” and “to ensure that all aspects of the potential environmental impact” of the pipeline are considered. Glance also said that DEP had suspended a second permit for MVP that had been issued under the agency’s program for stormwater pollution associated with oil and gas construction activities. He said that action was also “to allow for proper consideration and response to all comments received.”

“The fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline is dirty, dangerous and needlessly endangers West Virginia’s waterways, wilderness and communities and should be rejected,” said Justin Raines, gas committee chairman for the West Virginia Sierra Club. “This project never should have been approved in the first place and we hope this pipeline now receives the scrutiny it deserves.”

MVP officials did not respond before press deadlines to a request for comment.

It was not immediately clear what impact the DEP decision would have on the state agency’s mandate to meet a one-year deadline to review and act on a water quality certification like MVP’s or — by not acting one way or the other — waiving the state’s authority to do so.

» Read original article

*NOTE: This is a different scenario than other recent developments regarding 401 Water Quality Certificates for pipelines in other states.  401 permits in New York and New Jersey have been denied for the Constitution, Northern Access and PennEast pipelines (as well as NY’s  Valley Lateral Pipeline). This is the first case we know of where a permit, originally granted, has been vacated. All of these cases show that states DO have some control over pipeline issues, usually regarded as federal-only decisions.


Jobs


Regional Recycling Coordinator
City of Pittsfield | Pittsfield, MA

The Municipal Assistance Coordinator for the Western District (WE) provides technical assistance to municipalities to increase recycling, composting, waste reduction, household hazardous waste diversion and regional cooperation.  The City of Pittsfield has been awarded a Host Community grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to fund this position.

The Coordinator will act under the supervision of the MassDEP and will serve 100 municipalities in a district known as “Western”.  The district extends from Ware to Richmond.  For a map and list of communities in the district, please visit: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/macmap.htm

This is an independent contractor position.  The position is funded at 36 hours per week, with an annual ceiling of 1,800 hours.  Annual compensation is commensurate with experience, starting at not less than $55,000.  An additional $5,000 annual reimbursement is provided for self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare). Use of personal vehicle is required.  Vehicle mileage, tolls and parking =will be reimbursed.  Limited funding for in-state professional conferences is also provided.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  Friday, September 8, 2017 @ 4:00PM
Full listing and application details here.


Conservation Projects Manager
Housatonic Valley Association | Cornwall Bridge, CT

The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented environmental professional to join our Watershed Conservation Team. The successful candidate will support all aspects of HVA’s conservation projects, which include (but aren’t limited to) environmental monitoring, regional road-stream crossing assessment and replacement planning, watershed management planning, stream corridor restoration, stormwater management through Green Infrastructure development, and environmental education. This position is based out of HVA’s Connecticut office.

This is only a part of the job description. To view the full descriptions and to apply, click here.


Director of Ecological Restoration
MA Department of Fish & Game | Boston, MA

The Division of Ecological Restoration is charged with restoring and protecting the health and integrity of the Commonwealth’s rivers, wetlands, and watersheds for the benefit of people and the environment. This mission is critical to the success of the Department of Fish and Game that manages, protects, and restores the natural resources of the Commonwealth.

The Division of Ecological Restoration works with community-based partners to restore aquatic ecosystems. The Division’s ecological restoration work brings clean water, recreation opportunities, and other ecosystem services to the citizens of Massachusetts.

The Director leads the Division of Ecological Restoration, one of three Divisions (and one Office) of the Department of Fish and Game. The Director is responsible for all functions and program performance ensuring that the Deputy Director is properly managing the day-today operations of the Division and the assistant director is administering annual budgets properly. The Director develops and makes sure the annual and five-year strategic plan goals are implemented and sets procedures and program priorities for the Deputy Director and Assistant Director to faithfully administer. The Director oversees development of the operational and capital budgets and manages a diverse staff.

This is only a small part of the job description. Click here to read the full description and to apply. 


Various Positions at Co-op Power

Co-op Power in Florence, MA, is hiring for:

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Energy Efficiency Program Manager
  • Community Solar Program Director
  • Energy Efficiency Intern
  • Community Solar Interns

Full details and how to apply here.

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2017-18 Position Openings with TerraCorps – Various locations

TerraCorps, formerly MassLIFT-AmeriCorps, is an innovative national service program helping communities conserve and secure land for the health and well-being of people and nature. This year we are looking for 36 members to serve in full-time, 11 month positions. Members will carry out capacity building projects; educate or train individuals; recruit, train, manage, and support community volunteers engaged in land-based activities; and identify new individuals and groups to participate in education, recreation, or service opportunities centered around land access and conservation.

Members serve as: Land Stewardship Coordinators, Regional Conservation Coordinators, Youth Education Coordinators, or Community Engagement Coordinators.

These 1,700 hour AmeriCorps positions receive a living allowance, education award, and additional AmeriCorps benefits. The 2017-2018 program will run from 8/28/17 – 7/27/18.

Application specifics, position descriptions, and information about organizations hosting TerraCorps members can be found at here.

Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled.

AmeriCorps programs provide equal service opportunities. TerraCorps will recruit and select persons in all positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to any particular status. We encourage applications from individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations for interviews and service upon request. TerraCorps is a grant program of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

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 Various Positions
The Manice Education Center (MEC) | Florida, MA

The Manice Education Center (MEC) is intentionally located in a unique outdoor setting within the heart of the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. MEC operates several distinctly different seasonal programs that are experientially focused in high-quality environmental education, wilderness camping, and leadership training.

Summer Outdoor educators will lead wilderness expeditions for campers & can expect to guide an average of 6 backpacking and/or canoeing trips, ranging from 2 to 5 days in length.  Expedition locations inlude the Appalachian Trail, Long Trail, Savoy Mountain State Forest, Taconic Trail, Battenkill River, Deerfield River, & Connecticut River. Educators receive training in backpacking and wilderness navigation, participate in a 2 day professional canoe clinic, & can earn free certifications in Wildernes First Aid and/or Waterfront Lifeguarding.

APPLY TODAY – SEND US A COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO EMPLOYMENT@CHRISTODORA.ORG 

For more details please visit our Jobs page (click here).

Please share this opportunity with your friends and colleagues! If you have any questions about employment in Christodora programs, please contact Matthew Scholl, Programs Director at 413.663.8463 or email us at employment@christodora.org

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Volunteer Opportunities with The Trustees

“Time travel” with The Trustees, and take our visitors on the voyage with you! Become a National Historic Landmark Greeter at Mission House (Stockbridge) or Tour Guide at the William Cullen Bryant Homestead (Cummington) and share the stories and magic of these special places. No experience necessary. Training provided. Fridays through Sundays. Flexible. Fun. Social. Rewarding.

Visit www.thetrustees.org/volunteer or contact tbeasley@thetrustees.org or413.532.1631 ext. 3119 for more information.

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