In the News:
- Entomologist Tracking Spread of Lyme Disease in Region
- CET Offers Free Guides on Recycling and Reducing Waste
- PROPOSED NEW REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: 310 CMR 50.00, Toxics Use Reduction (Phase 2)
- Exotic Species Alert from the NH Department of Environmental Services
- A letter from Ken Pruitt on proposed changes to the regulations governing adjudicatory hearings
- Environmental Grants Deadlines Approaching
- MA Environment Committee Hearing Schedule
Entomologist tracking spread of Lyme disease in region (from UMass, Amherst's In the Loop:News for Faculty and Staff )
While most people try to avoid the deer ticks that carry Lyme disease, medical entomologist Stephen M. Rich is collecting as many ticks as possible in an effort to track the spread of the disease in New England.
Rich studies tick populations at numerous sites in Massachusetts under an ongoing grant from the National Institutes of Health. Locations range from Cape Cod and the Islands to the Berkshires. He was surprised to find a thriving population of deer ticks halfway up Mount Greylock, one of the coldest areas in the state.
“Deer ticks used to be limited primarily to a 15 mile zone along the coast of New England,” says Rich. “Now they are moving much farther inland as they seemingly adapt to the cold.” This migration accounts for much of the observed increase in Lyme disease cases.
Rich has also received a $40,000 contract to conduct a Lyme disease survey from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services that will begin in July 2007. “This is the first survey of its kind in New Hampshire and comes on the heels of growing concern about the incidence of Lyme disease in that state,” says Rich, assistant professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences.
A comprehensive survey of deer tick populations is something Rich would like to see happen in Massachusetts. “Through my NIH grant, I have been collecting ticks throughout the Commonwealth, but the goals of this project are based on specific research objectives and not public health surveillance or risk assessment,” says Rich.
According to Rich, Lyme disease is a zoonosis, which means it exists in wild populations. People and their pets are just unfortunate bystanders in the disease transmission cycle. “Epidemiological studies of Lyme disease in people may not reflect true risk,” says Rich. “Studying ticks is a better indicator of the risk of exposure for a given area.”
Ticks are collected using a white linen cloth attached to a wooden dowel that is dragged through the vegetation of the wooded areas they favor. Collected ticks are brought back to Rich’s laboratory and tested for the presence of the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, a microscopic, coil-shaped bacteria that causes Lyme disease. “Infection rates in the adult deer tick population are roughly the same across the state, 50 percent on average with a range of 30 to 75 percent,” says Rich.
Rich uses sophisticated laboratory techniques to determine which variant of the bacteria the ticks are carrying. According to Rich, there are at least 17 types of Lyme disease spirochetes, but only four of them are believed to cause disease. “Showing the distribution of the various types can provide more accurate risk information and focus attention on areas with the worst types,” says Rich, who is developing an affordable blood test that will tell human patients whether they have been exposed to infectious or noninfectious Lyme disease.
According to Rich, other pathogens have also been detected in deer ticks, which can carry hundreds of types of bacteria including Anaplasma andBabesia. Testing of the New Hampshire ticks will include these pathogens, which are present in 10 and 25 percent of adult deer ticks respectively. While there are no human blood tests for Anaplasma and Babesia, they are treated with the same antibiotics used for Lyme disease.
“We may find that tick-borne diseases are caused by many factors, with bacteria like Anaplasma, Babesia and Borrelia working alone or paired with any number of other bacteria to cause complex disease,” says Rich.
Rich is also testing ticks collected as part of a grade-school educational program run by Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. The program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control, collects ticks from yards in communities on the North Shore for analysis.
The Rich laboratory also tests ticks submitted by Massachusetts residents for the presence of Lyme disease on a fee-for-service basis. “We started this service in fall 2006 and the response has been overwhelming,” says Rich. “It underscores how people are really anxious to know more about the threats lurking in their backyards.”
More Information
Stephen Rich's laboratory website
CET offers free guides on recycling and reducing waste
The Center for Ecological Technology (CET) has published two free guides for individuals and communities looking to reduce waste, save money and reduce their environmental impact.
The first is a step-by-step guide for communities and organizations looking to set up recycling at their next event. The Event Recycling Guide outlines the steps required for a successful recycling effort—from selecting and recruiting a hauler before the event to exactly how and where to place recycling receptacles during the event, to what to do with leftover food after the event.
CET recommends that communities set up recycling at events because it will result in reduced litter, as well as reduce overall waste, conserve resources, save energy and possibly reduce collection and disposal costs. Also, communities may realize a small monetary return by redeeming bottle and can deposits.
The other publication, Resources for Reuse, offers advice to individuals and businesses looking to reduce the amount of waste they generate. The free handout gives guidance on how to reuse and repurpose everything from books, clothes and couches to kitchen countertops. It outlines simple ways everyone can reduce waste, and tips on what to do with all the things you no longer want or need.
Both publications are free and available as .pdf downloads on the Publications page of CET’s website (www.cetonline.org) or call 413.445.4556 ext. 17 for more information or to have a copy mailed. Funding for both of these publications came from USDA, Rural Development.
PROPOSED NEW REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: 310 CMR 50.00, Toxics Use Reduction (Phase 2)
Brief Explanation and Rationale for Proposed Changes:
TURA was originally enacted in 1989 and requires certain facilities to report their use of toxic chemicals and examine ways to decrease their use of toxic chemicals and wastes generated, with the goal of protecting public health, the environment, and workers, while helping businesses to become more competitive. The highly successful TURA program has helped Massachusetts businesses reduce toxics use by 41% and toxic byproducts by 65%, thereby also reducing chemical transportation risks, workplace hazards, and toxics in products, while helping Massachusetts businesses remain competitive in a global marketplace increasingly aware of toxics issues.
While TURA's primary goal was met several years ago, program stakeholders agreed that additional opportunities for environmental benefits exist and that the program should be updated and improved in light of the experience gained from TURA over its 15-year history. On July 28, 2006, "An Act Amending the Toxics Use Reduction Act was signed into law, representing the first major overhaul of the statute since it was enacted.
The 2006 TURA amendments build on the program's success by focusing attention on reducing the use of higher hazard chemicals, encouraging businesses to increase environmental performance through environmental management systems and resource conservation plans, and streamlining reporting and planning requirements. These proposed regulation changes represent the second phase of MassDEP's implementation of the 2006 TURA amendments, including changing toxics use reduction planning requirements, providing new options for resource conservation planning and for environmental management systems as alternatives to toxics use reduction planning, and changing certification requirements for toxics use reduction planners.
MassDEP promulgated regulations for Phase 1 of the TURA amendments, addressing toxics use reporting changes, in June 2007. (Visit http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/laws/regulati.htm to view the Final TURA Phase 1 regulations.)
Web Link to View Draft Regulations:
http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm
Public Hearing Information:
Public hearings will be conducted on the following dates at the following locations to receive comments on the proposed amendments. Testimony may be presented orally or in writing at the hearings.
Monday, August 6, 2007, 4:00 pm
MassDEP, Concord Conference Room
627 Main Street, Worcester (entrance on Madison Street)
Wednesday, August 8, 2007, 3:00 pm
Springfield State Office Building, Room B42
436 Dwight Street, Springfield
Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 9:00 am
MassDEP 2nd Floor Conference Room
One Winter Street, Boston
Following the hearings, written testimony will be accepted until Monday, August 27, 2007. Written testimony should be submitted via email to julia.wolfe@state.ma.us or via mail to: Julia Wolfe, MassDEP, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108. Copies of the proposed regulations are available on the MassDEP web site at http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm or may be obtained by calling Julia Wolfe at 617-292-5987.
For special accommodations for these events or to obtain this information in alternative format, you may contact Donald Gomes, MassDEP ADA coordinator, at 617-556-1057, TDD Service 1-800-298-2207, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108.
Exotic Species Alert from the NH Department of Environmental Services
There have been some recent concerns in various parts of the US, Canada, and New Zealand about a diatom species called didymo (also known commonly as ‘rock snot’….and no, I’m not fooling). You may have heard of this one already, but it is on the move, and it is easily spread by even just once cell of the alga breaking off and drifting downstream in infested reaches. It is also very easily spread by waders, fishing gear, and other gear that touches the bottoms of streams in infested areas. Pristine reaches of rivers are being affected by this alga.
As this algal species is spreading quickly, I wanted to forward this to you so that you can alert your river network folks about this invasive species. Please forward any reports of this species in the region, or the state, to my attention. If found, we will implement a rapid response strategy to evaluate the status of the infestation, and determine if any remediation actions are feasible.
Please note that I do not currently have any records of this species in NH, but as it is approaching the northeastern region, I wanted others to be on the lookout for it.
EPA has an excellent website on Didymo that can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/region8/water/didymosphenia/ . It may be a good idea to refer folks to this, and perhaps include an article on it in any newsletters/publications you are working on in the near future to get the word out.
Feel free to forward this message on to others that may be interested. It only affects freshwater streams, including even those low in nutrients, like many of more pristine reaches.
Amy P. Smagula
Limnologist/Exotic Species Program Coordinator
NH Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
Phone: 603-271-2248
Fax: 603-271-7894
E-mail: asmagula@des.state.nh.us
www.des.state.nh.us/wmb/exoticspecies/
Since that email from Amy Smagula from NHDES was first sent around, there have been a few confirmed IDs of Didymo in the Connecticut River watershed. You may have seen the article in Sunday's Globe written by the Associated Press. There is one location on the main stem of the Connecticut River near Bloomfield VT (see http://www.crjc.org/bulletins.htm) and two locations on the White River in VT (http://www.whiteriverpartnership.org/index.php/news/didymo-found-in-white-river). So far, I don't know of any in MA. Trout Unlimited has sent around an alert to all chapters in the northeast, and maybe with increased awareness more will be identified, who knows.
Andrea Donlon, River Steward
CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL, INC.
15 Bank Row
Greenfield, MA 01301
phone: (413) 772-2020 ext. 205
fax: (413) 772-2090
email: adonlon@ctriver.org
Become a member today! www.ctriver.org
A letter from Ken Pruitt on proposed changes to the regulations governing adjudicatory hearings
Dear Conservation Commissioners, staff, and other MACC members: The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has drafted proposed changes to the regulations governing adjudicatory hearings (310 CMR 1.00 & 310 CMR 10.00). They are available online at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm. The proposed regulations will significantly change the wetlands adjudicatory appeal process and will move it from the Division of Administrative Law Appeals to DEP. MACC fought hard and successfully to retain adjudicatory appeals and to retain the rights of local Conservation Commissions to file them. At this time, MACC does support much of the proposed regulatory changes, which are intended to resolve adjudicatory appeals in a more reasonable timeframe. However, MACC opposes the elimination of adjudicatory appeal rights for abutters who are not “aggrieved,” and for 10 citizen groups. MACC believes there is an important continuing role for these abutters and citizen groups, even if they are not “aggrieved” as that term is meant legally, and our experience is that not every such party is unprepared and merely being dilatory. Those wishing to comment on this or any other part of the proposed regulations can do so at a hearing on August 8, by e-mail, or by regular mail (see below). A public hearing on the proposed regulations will be held on Wednesday, August 8 at 9:00 am at the Department of Environmental Protection, 627 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608. Comments can be submitted until August 13th electronically to MacDara.fallon@state.ma.us or by mail to MacDara Fallon, DEP Office of General Counsel, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108. It is anticipated that the final regulations will be promulgated later this year. MACC will provide its membership with further information as it becomes available. Ken Pruitt Executive Director, MACC www.maccweb.org 10 Juniper Road Belmont, MA 02478 USA
NPS RIVERS, TRAILS & CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS
National Park Service Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program
Deadline: August 1
If you’re working on restoring a river, building a trail, or making an urban park flourish, they would love to talk with you about ways you might be able to work together. Could your project benefit from 1-2 years’ staff time and technical assistance from a National Park Service specialist? They want to help you succeed.
Call today to determine if your project is a good fit.
Information & to Download a program application
<http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/rtca/>
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION GRANTS
FY08 Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program
Application Deadline: 3 p.m. Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, in coordination with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, is pleased to issue the FY08 Request for Responses for the 2008 Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program.
This grant program provides funding to public water systems and municipalities for land acquisitions that protect public drinking water supplies and drinking water quality. The direct recipient of a grant must be a municipality or public water system authorized by the Commonwealth to provide water to the public. Eligible land acquisitions include land located in existing drinking water supply areas. Land may be acquired through purchase of fee simple title, purchase of a conservation restriction, or purchase of a combination of fee simple title and conservation restriction(s). The maximum grant award for a single project is $500,000. The maximum reimbursement amount available is 50% of the total project cost. This Request for Responses is being issued in anticipation of the availability of funding. Final grant awards are continent upon funding. There is no guarantee that monies will be awarded. Multiple contracts may be awarded by MassDEP.
Qualified applications will be selected on a competitive basis. We look forward to receiving your applications. Applications must be submitted no later than Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.
The complete Drinking Water Supply Protection Request for Responses (RFR) is now available on the Comm-PASS website: https://www.comm-pass.com/ Directions for negotiating the site are included below.
Questions? Contact Christy Edwards (EOEEA) via email at Christy.edwards@state.ma.us
FY08 Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Comm-PASS Instructions:
1.) On the Comm-PASS home page (http://www.comm-pass.com/) select the “Solicitations” tab at the top-left of the page.
2.) Select “Search for a Solicitation”.
3.) In the "Search by Specific Criteria" section enter “BRP 2007-03” in the Document Number field.
4.) This search will yield one result. Click on the sentence on the top of the page that says: "There are 1 Solicitation(s) found that match your search criteria".
5.) Select the spectacle icon on the far right-hand column to view all information available for this grant program.
6.) Click on the tab that says "Specifications" to view the grant Request for Response. Answers to questions and amendments to the original RFR (if necessary) will also be posted here. Click on the spectacle icon to view and print any document posted in this section.
Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture 2007-2008 Hearing Schedule.
This schedule is subject to change. For questions please contact the Committee at (617) 722-2210
All hearings in State House Hearing Room A-1 unless otherwise noted
Pesticides & Hazardous Waste – September 10, 2007 – 1:00 PM
Fish and Game – September 17, 2007 – 1:00 PM
Policies – September 24, 2007 – 1:00 PM
Dept. of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) – October 1, 2007 – 1:00 PM
Sewers, Title V, Wetlands – October 15, 2007 – 1:00 PM
Miscellaneous – October 22, 2007 – 1:00 PM