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Citizens, NGOs Put Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Trial – Jane Winn of BEAT to testify

Following a recent letter to Congress calling for an investigation and review of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), representatives from across the country will hold a People’s Hearing to testify to FERC’s extensive history of bias and abuse against the environment on December 2nd at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Jane Winn from Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) will be there to speak about FERC’s disregard for Massachusetts’ constitutional protection of conservation land in the case of Kinder Morgan/Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s “CT Expansion” project slated to cut through Otis State Forest. 11/28/16 <more>

Pipeline giant backstabs Sandisfield but faces potentially fatal delays to project

As soon as Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company saw it was going to get its way in court to clear a section of protected state-owned forest for a new natural gas pipeline, the natural gas Goliath broke its promises to the town of Sandisfield, population 915. Meanwhile, some say these continued delays to that forest cutting may eventually thwart Tennessee Gas by threatening its contracts with gas suppliers, and its 13-mile Connecticut Expansion Project gas storage loop. The company had originally said it could deliver gas by November 2016, and is now pushing that date to 2017. But even that might not be possible given protracted legal entanglements and environmental permitting compliance. By Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Edge, 11/28/16 <more>

200+ People Attend “The Road to 100 Percent”

More than 200 people packed into the chapel at Old South Church to hear how Massachusetts can achieve 100 percent renewable energy. The audience included local and state officials, clean energy industry leaders, and academics, alongside ordinary citizens. And dozens more viewed the event remotely via Facebook Live. The panel of experts discussed why 100 percent renewable energy is where we need to get to, and why it’s as feasible as it is necessary. Message from Ben Hillerstein, Environment Mass. <more>

House said to balk at LNG exports, other key reforms 

How North Adams students are becoming Hoosic River Rangers

As part of its ongoing efforts to reinvigorate the city’s main waterway, Hoosic River Revival has partnered with local schools to get students involved and interested. Dubbed the “Hoosic River Ranger Program,” the new jointly crafted curriculum will aim to connect elementary students at North Adams Public Schools with the Hoosic River through interactive tours and activities. “One of our goals is to ensure the community feels they are part of this project,” said Judith Grinnell, president of the nonprofit Hoosic River Revival, which seeks to open up the city’s mostly barricaded main body of water. By Adam Shanks, The Berkshire Eagle, November 27, 2016. <more>

New England Electric Grid Operator May Address Carbon Emissions and Climate Change

In an historic first, ISO-New England may rewrite its market rules for regional electricity sales to account for carbon emissions and climate change. The Independent System Operator-New England (ISO-NE or just ISO) is the entity that runs the New England electricity grid in real time. It also operates the electricity markets that ultimately set the price we pay for electricity in the six New England states. (For background information on what the ISO does and why it is important, see this Primer, especially Chapter 3 on the ISO, Chapter 5 on how the ISO sets electricity prices, and Chapter 6 on the ISO-run Forward Capacity Market.) Historically, the ISO has used only two criteria in operating the New England electricity markets: (1) system reliability (“keeping the lights on”), and (2) least cost (protecting ratepayers). By Jerry Elmer, Conservation Law Foundation, November 29, 2016. <more>

Jobs

Administrative and Event Assistant – Urban Sustainability Directors Network &
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance – Remote position

Streamflow Protection Biologist (Fish &amp; Wildlife Scientist III) – Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department – Montpelier, VT

Hoosic River Revival – Executive Director – North Adams, MA

Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation – Executive Director – Williamstown, MA

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Member Positions

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Operations & Communications Coordinator, full-time staff position, available Sept/Oct


Citizens, NGOs Put Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Trial – Jane Winn of BEAT to testify

Following a recent letter to Congress calling for an investigation and review of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), representatives from across the country will hold a People’s Hearing to testify to FERC’s extensive history of bias and abuse against the environment on December 2nd at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

Jane Winn from Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) will be there to speak about FERC’s disregard for Massachusetts’ constitutional protection of conservation land in the case of Kinder Morgan/Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s “CT Expansion” project slated to cut through Otis State Forest.

“FERC authorized the condemnation of publicly protected conservation land, and preemption of the state process for disposition of that publicly protected conservation land,” says Winn.

In Massachusetts, we have Article 97 of our state constitution that protects conservation lands. Under this provision of our constitution, a change of use of protected public land is not allowed unless 2/3 of  each chamber of our legislature votes to allow the protection to be removed. Even for an easement, this vote is required

In the case of the Connecticut Expansion pipeline, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not require the pipeline company to honor the state’s constitutional process. Instead, FERC punted to the courts the question of the state’s authority to protect land, rather than making compliance with Article 97 a condition of the FERC certificate, as many commenters had requested.

The land in question was acquired just a decade ago at great expense to the taxpayers.

In the first-ever in-person compilation of this scale of FERC’s abuses, witnesses will share stories about their personal experiences, documenting the many instances in which FERC has skirted critical regulations and laws, infringed on states’ rights by approving pipelines before state regulators have fully considered an application, and hired biased consultants. Individuals will recount how FERC ignored requests for transparency, interfering with the public review process and holding “public” hearings behind closed doors.

Witnesses represented at the People’s Hearing include those from Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Water Action, Berks Gas Truth, Beyond Extreme Energy, Earthworks, Food & Water Watch, and the Catskill Mountainkeeper.

These dozens of stories will demonstrate to Congress the need to reform this notoriously opaque agency. Commissioners have only rejected one pipeline project in the past 30 years, allowing many others to continue no matter the environmental and human consequences. The collection will substantiate what is already clear from FERC’s approval record: this unsupervised agency, funded by those it regulates, is unfit to serve.


Pipeline giant backstabs Sandisfield but faces potentially fatal delays to project

By Heather Bellow
The Berkshire Edge
11/28/16

Sandisfield As soon as Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company saw it was going to get its way in court to clear a section of protected state-owned forest for a new natural gas pipeline, the natural gas Goliath broke its promises to the town of Sandisfield, population 915.

Meanwhile, some say these continued delays to that forest cutting may eventually thwart Tennessee Gas by threatening its contracts with gas suppliers, and its 13-mile Connecticut Expansion Project gas storage loop.

The company had originally said it could deliver gas by November 2016, and is now pushing that date to 2017. But even that might not be possible given protracted legal entanglements and environmental permitting compliance.

The company walked away when it was time to sign that contract, however.The Kinder Morgan subsidiary had, earlier this year, negotiated with Sandisfield town officials, drafting a contract that said it would give the town $1 million to fix roads and other town infrastructure damaged by company equipment during the construction period for a segment of its Connecticut Expansion Project pipeline.

Tennessee Gas also said it would reimburse the town $40,000 in legal bills it racked up negotiating with the company.

That didn’t happen, either.

For a town with a population of around 915 and a $3 million annual budget, the construction hit could be a nasty blow.

“The only way the town can get money now is if Kinder Morgan is an honorable corporation,” said a jaded Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, who had spoken to Kinder Morgan attorneys. “They don’t need the town anymore so they’re gonna renege. It’s basically ‘screw you.’ ”

The Sandisfield pipeline segment is set to go into an existing corridor in Otis State Forest, but it requires an expansion that will cut into forest that, about 10 years ago, became protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts constitution after the state purchased it.

The Attorney General’s office put up a fight, but a Berkshire Superior Court judge ruled last summer that eminent domain provisions contained within the Natural Gas Act of 1938 trumps state law, and all that was left to decide was how much Tennessee Gas would have to pay the state for this roughly 3-mile slice of land.

But in trying to make sure Tennessee Gas does everything to minimize ecological damage to the state’s forest and water, several environmental groups in July filed an appeal of the water quality permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. One of those was Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), and BEAT executive director Jane Winn said that, for the first time, she has a fragile optimism that all these delays might actually stop the project.This process is still underway, according to the Attorney General’s office, whose spokesperson said a court hearing to value the land is set for Wednesday, Dec. 21.

“I’m not terribly hopeful, but I’m hopeful and that’s a big change,” she said, adding that she was “really sure” Kinder Morgan would fold under so much resistance to its Northeast Direct pipeline (NED) project that the company terminated last spring.

Winn said BEAT had also tried to negotiate with the Fortune 500 company to see if they would reroute the segment away from the protected land. “They would not counter offer and they were not even nice about it,” she said. “They thought [our offer] was ridiculous, which, in their world, was.”

Winn says the water quality permit is not final until the appeal process is exhausted and, in this case, there won’t be a decision until April. Both Tennessee Gas and BEAT filed in federal court in September over this issue of the appeal process having to go the full distance, she added. “And even after the permits are decided, there are lots of hoops about what they have to do.”

It could take a long time, she said, noting that, in Connecticut, environmental groups are organizing to take a position that there be no new additional natural gas infrastructure, to comply with the Global Warming Solutions Act.

“What does that do to [the gas] contracts?” she added.

And according to the Attorney General’s office, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has not given Tennessee Gas approval to begin tree cutting or any work in Otis State Forest because a federal “dredge fill permit” hasn’t yet been issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands. FERC, however, gave the project an initial green light despite the land being protected by the state constitution.“Winn is doing good job,” Pignatelli said. “The longer the better.” He agreed that the delays might indeed wreak havoc on those gas contracts: “Kinder Morgan may get frustrated.”

Winn will testify on this very point at a hearing on FERC “abuse and bias” this Friday, Dec. 2, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., along with other groups and citizens from across the country.

While Sandisfield Town Manager Alice Boyd could not be reached for comment Monday, Pignatelli said the Attorney General’s office “is trying to do something for the town” as it goes back and forth in the courts with Tennessee Gas.

Kinder Morgan spokesman Richard Wheatley refused to comment about whether the company would compensate the town, but only said that the company continues to pursue the necessary permits.

Pignatelli said he hopes Kinder Morgan will keep its commitments, “be a good corporate citizen, and support the town.”

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200+ People Attend “The Road to 100 Percent”

The following was taken from a message sent by Ben Hellerstein, Environment Massachusetts State Director, following “The Road to 100 Percent” renewable energy forum held on November 14th in Boston.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for clean energy and global warming solutions.

But last Monday, when I spoke in front of a standing-room-only audience at “The Road to 100 Percent,” I felt hopeful.

Hopeful that we can keep Massachusetts moving in the right direction on clean energy. Hopeful that we can make Massachusetts the first state to commit to 100 percent renewables, and set a powerful example for the rest of the nation.

Some highlights from the event last week:

More than 200 people packed into the chapel at Old South Church to hear how Massachusetts can achieve 100 percent renewable energy. Our audience included local and state officials, clean energy industry leaders, and academics, alongside ordinary citizens. And dozens more viewed the event remotely via Facebook Live.

Our panel of experts discussed why 100 percent renewable energy is where we need to get to, and why it’s as feasible as it is necessary.  We heard from:

  • Joan Fitzgerald, a professor at Northeastern University and a nationally recognized expert on urban sustainability initiatives, who shared lessons learned from cities like San Diego and Burlington, Vt., that are leading the way towards 100 percent renewables;
  • Sanjeev Mukerjee, the faculty director of the Northeastern University Center for Renewable Energy Technology, where researchers are developing the next generation of energy storage technology to support a 100 percent renewable energy grid;
  • Jonathan Buonocore from the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard, who discussed research quantifying the number of lives we can save by installing wind and other renewable energy technologies;
  • And Robert Dostis from Green Mountain Power, an electric utility company that is supporting the rapid expansion of solar and wind power across Vermont.

We partnered with a dozen other organizations to make the event a success. Our lead sponsors and cosponsors included Toxics Action Center, Climate Action Now, Clean Water Action, MassSolar, Boston Climate Action Network, Mass Energy Consumers Alliance, Sierra Club Greater Boston Group, Better Future Project, Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Alliance for Climate Education, and Health Care Without Harm.

The room was full of hope. After the event, I heard from several people in the audience who said they felt energized to keep fighting for clean energy and climate solutions. Not only is 100 percent renewables where we need to get to — it’s also an inspiring, hopeful message. I’m confident it will help us build the broad grassroots support we need to keep Massachusetts moving in the right direction on clean energy.

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House said to balk at LNG exports, other key reforms 

House negotiators have signaled they want to punt on a host of popular provisions on the energy conference’s table, including language to speed natural gas exports that is a top priority for Republicans in both chambers.

Top conferees huddled yesterday behind closed doors in the Capitol to assess the state of the first formal energy conference in more than a decade, as the clock ticks on what is expected to be a relatively short lame-duck session.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told reporters afterward that she is waiting to receive a counteroffer from the House after the Senate last month sent a “quite considerable” proposal across the Capitol.

“We’re waiting to get back a proposal, also something more concrete than just words,” Murkowski said. “Because in fairness, some of the communications back, at least at the staff level at the beginning of the week, was not as positive as we would have liked in the sense that it would have removed from consideration some priorities, like the LNG provision that we had in our piece.”

Other items the House has signaled they want dropped include energy efficiency and innovation provisions, critical minerals, pipeline permitting reforms included in the Senate bill, reforms to the Energy Department’s loan guarantee program, hydropower provisions popular with members of both parties, a sportsmen’s package, as well as language commemorating the National Park Centennial.

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How North Adams students are becoming Hoosic River Rangers

By Adam Shanks
The Berkshire Eagle
November 27, 2016

NORTH ADAMS – As part of its ongoing efforts to reinvigorate the city’s main waterway, Hoosic River Revival has partnered with local schools to get students involved and interested.

Dubbed the “Hoosic River Ranger Program,” the new jointly crafted curriculum will aim to connect elementary students at North Adams Public Schools with the Hoosic River through interactive tours and activities.

“One of our goals is to ensure the community feels they are part of this project,” said Judith Grinnell, president of the nonprofit Hoosic River Revival, which seeks to open up the city’s mostly barricaded main body of water.

Grinnell noted the River Ranger Program was inspired by a similar program used by activists attempting to engage the community with efforts to revitalize the waterways of Los Angeles.

This year the Hoosic River Revival brought on an intern, Williams College student Johanna Wasserman, who collaborated with Lindsay Osterhoudt, the district’s K-12 science coordinator to craft curriculum that will educate elementary students on all aspects of the river.

Noella Carlow, coordinator of the district’s 21st Century After School Programs, said she was working on Brayton Elementary School’s “Leader in Me” program – aimed at creating young leaders – when Grinnell reached out to her about implementing the Hoosic River program, and it seemed like a perfect fit.

“‘When she approached me I thought we needed some other vehicle to get the ‘Leader in Me’ going,” Carlow said. “We wanted our students to become passionate, inspired and motivated so they become active members of our community as they move up in grades and eventually become adults.”

Though the partnership between the schools and Hoosic River Revival is still in its early stages, the concept was tested out with students in last summer’s 21st Century programs – and garnered positive reviews.

“It was just absolutely amazing, because the kids were asking questions and were involved [in the lessons],” said Marie McCarron, a fourth-grade teacher at Brayton Elementary School.

McCarron’s students went to the river on a couple of occasions for a little more than two hours, receiving lessons ranging from the history of the Hoosic River and where it comes from to interactive questions about what the students would like the river to become.

“They really learned a lot about what’s in their own backyard,” McCarron said, adding that it also taught the students to “reflect and think about taking care of other things than just themselves,” and to be engaged in the community.

Carlow said she hopes to be able to finalize the curriculum in the coming weeks and have the full program, which would span across multiple grades, be implemented in the spring session of 21st Century programs beginning in February.

“We really do want to get passion and motivation and inspiration in the students, because that’s how they’re going to get excited about learning,” Carlow said.

Grinnell hopes to involve high school students, college students, and adults as “River Rangers” to help educate the community about the Hoosic.

“One of the things that, as a former teacher, I believe strongly is that children learn best when they can touch, feel and smell what they’re being taught,” Grinnell said.

In addition to the school program, Hoosic River Revival has also crafted a brochure, “Hoosic River Family Wildlife Walk,” as an explanatory guide for the half-mile stretch of the river between Joe Wolfe Field and Hunter Foundry Road. The brochure is now available at the North Adams Public Library or at www.hoosicriverrevival.org.

You can help keep Williamstown’s trails in great shape! Williamstown Conservation Commissioner Bob Hatton is looking for volunteer trail workers this fall. Williamstown’s trails are one of its great assets. With most of the leaves on the ground, now is the time for clearing fallen leaves from water drainage ditches.

If you have a favorite trail, or are willing to adopt one of the trails on Williamstown’s conservation land this fall, please contact Bob Hatton at 413-458-3123 to get trail maps and discuss which trails need the most maintenance. Tools are available. Information is also available from the Town Conservation Commission at 413-458-9344.

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New England Electric Grid Operator May Address Carbon Emissions and Climate Change

By Jerry Elmer
Conservation Law Foundation
November 29, 2016.

In an historic first, ISO-New England may rewrite its market rules for regional electricity sales to account for carbon emissions and climate change. CLF is proud to be deeply involved in this remarkable effort.

What Is the ISO?
The Independent System Operator-New England (ISO-NE or just ISO) is the entity that runs the New England electricity grid in real time. It also operates the electricity markets that ultimately set the price we pay for electricity in the six New England states. (For background information on what the ISO does and why it is important, see this Primer, especially Chapter 3 on the ISO, Chapter 5 on how the ISO sets electricity prices, and Chapter 6 on the ISO-run Forward Capacity Market.)

Historically, the ISO has used only two criteria in operating the New England electricity markets: (1) system reliability (“keeping the lights on”), and (2) least cost (protecting ratepayers).

Integrating Markets and Public Policy
Those two criteria may no longer be enough, however. Today, all six New England states have carbon-emission-reduction goals, stemming from public policy concerns about climate change. Although the goals are not mandatory in every state, each state does seek to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. As a result, the New England states have increasingly been mandating or authorizing contracts for renewable energy outside the ISO-run wholesale electricity markets. For example, Deepwater Wind in Block Island Sound, the nation’s first-in-the-water offshore wind project, was built as a result of a 2009 Rhode Island state law mandate. This past summer, the Massachusetts legislature passed a law calling for procurement of 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind power and an additional 1,200 megawatts of other renewables – land-based wind, solar, and/or hydro power.

In spring 2016, the ISO-NE initiated a so-called “IMAPP” process. IMAPP is an acronym that stands for “Integrating Markets and Public Policy.” The purpose of IMAPP is to explore whether these and other out-of-market renewable contracts could be brought into the ISO-run wholesale markets, thus literally integrating the ISO-operated wholesale markets with state public policies on climate and carbon reduction.

If successful, this would be the first time that the ISO-run markets for electricity and capacity would take account of more than system reliability and least cost. More specifically, if IMAPP is successful, the ISO-run markets would also seek to reduce carbon emissions in order to help the six New England states meet their climate goals of 80% reduction of carbon by 2050.

Many stakeholders (including several of the big energy companies) have developed proposals for exactly how the ISO might re-write its rules to account for carbon emissions; nearly all of the proposals presented thus far have addressed either the energy market or the capacity market, but not both. CLF has its own IMAPP proposal that is unique in that it addresses both the energy market and the capacity market. /

READ MORE….

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Jobs

Administrative and Event Assistant
Urban Sustainability Directors Network &
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance

Position Type: Full-time

Position Description: The USDN/CNCA Administrative and Event Assistant plays a crucial role in supporting information exchange among members by delivering member services and providing support to other staff in a virtual team environment.

This position will provide the following administrative support: – Schedule meetings, conference calls, and webinars for members and staff, working with various national and international time zones and logistical challenges. – Assist with logistics for webinars and conference calls. – Assist with logistics for in-person meetings before, during, and after the events. – Format USDN/CNCA documents and presentations with branding and graphics. – Maintain member spreadsheets, website profiles, and tracking documents. – Assist in tracking member activity, including responses to scheduling polls, call attendance, and other participation data. – Track status and execution of subcontracts and partnerships. – Other administrative tasks as assigned.

Requirements: Education: – Associate’s degree required. Bachelor’s degree preferred. – Background in administrative assistance or customer service preferred. – Demonstrated interest in sustainability or local government desirable.

Previous experience: – 2-3 years related experience required. May include internships. – Past experience in detail-oriented position preferred.

Hard and Soft Skills: – Long-term commitment to provide high-level administrative support in a fast-paced environment. – Excellent communication skills to keep multiple team members abreast of progress with ongoing tasks, while in a virtual environment. – Detail-oriented and able to accurately meet and communicate about deadlines. – Organized, analytical, and highly motivated. – Independent (comfortable and efficient working alone) while a good team player (communicating with other team members through frequent electronic correspondence and infrequent in-person interaction). – Skilled in computer technology, including Microsoft Office and Google products. – Experience in managing large data sets preferred. – Proactive, able to identify potential issues and brainstorm solutions. – Results-oriented and committed to learning and continuous improvement. – Mission-driven with a passion for fostering social, economic, or environmental change. – Diplomatic, comfortable interacting frequently with city officials and funders.

Compensation: Competitive for early-career position. Benefits negotiable.

Location: USDN/CNCA has no central office, so the position is strictly work-from-home with weekly web meetings. Ability to travel to Milwaukee or western Massachusetts area desired but not required. Candidates must furnish their own quiet office space, computer, and Microsoft Office suite.

To Apply: Send a cover letter addressing the requirements for the USDN/CNCA Administrative Assistant, resume, and three references to Mia Arter, USDN Program Director, at miaarter@usdn.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

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Streamflow Protection Biologist
(Fish & Wildlife Scientist III)
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

www.vtfishandwildlife.com

Overview: The Fish and Wildlife Department’s mission is to the conservation of fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the people of Vermont. The protection and enhancement of aquatic habitat is essential to the maintenance of healthy aquatic populations and the recreational fisheries that they support. This position provides an excellent opportunity to make a difference in a small state where you will be involved in a variety of dam, streamflow and other aquatic habitat issues.

General Job Description: This position will work to protect and restore aquatic habitat and aquatic biota throughout the State of Vermont. This position requires strong interpersonal, communication, organization and technical skills, and requires close coordination with regional fisheries staff and collaboration with state, federal and non-governmental organizations. This job involves the participation in FERC hydroelectric licensing permit proceedings; coordinating Department positions on a variety of dam and streamflow project proposals; developing aquatic protection policies, protocols and regulations; and maintaining partnerships and conducting outreach and trainings. Applicants should have a strong background in aquatic/fisheries biology and a solid understanding of the principles of hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, aquatic habitat and fish passage. Experience with IFIM and PHABSIM analytical approaches is desirable. The position requires a mix of field, office and outreach activities. Work is performed under the supervision of the Fisheries Program Manager and is stationed in Montpelier VT.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Master’s degree or higher in a natural resources field.

Experience: 2 years in a natural resources field. OR….

Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in natural resources field or biology.

Experience: 4 years in a natural resources field. OR….

2 years as a Fish & Wildlife Scientist II with the State of Vermont.

Special Requirements: N/A

Starting Salary: $ 23.89 per hour (Pay Grade 24), plus benefits.

Closing Date: 12/7/2016

Contact: Apply online: http://humanresources.vermont.gov/ Job#620271

This Fish & Wildlife Scientist III position is open to all State employee and external applicants. If you would like more information about this position, please contact Rich Kirn via email (rich.kirn@vermont.gov). Resumes will not be accepted via e-mail. You must apply online to be considered. The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged.

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Hoosic River Revival – Executive Director

The Hoosic River Revival, based in North Adams, Massachusetts, seeks an Executive Director to lead our river restoration efforts. We are a community-based nonprofit working to contribute to North Adams’ urban renaissance by transforming an unattractive concrete-walled section of the Hoosic River into a beautiful, ecologically-sound and publicly-accessible riverscape. This full-time position provides an opportunity to live in the beautiful New England Berkshires and oversee a project that will benefit local ecosystems and economies. No previous experience with river ecology is required. Our ideal candidate will have strong experience with project management and working closely with a board, as well as navigating government processes. To read the full job description go to http://www.hoosicriverrevival.org/position-opening-executive-director.

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 Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation –
Executive Director

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation (WRLF), a 30-year old land conservation trust and education organization in Williamstown Massachusetts, announces the retirement next year of its long-time executive director, Leslie Reed Evans, and the search for her replacement to lead WRLF during an exciting time in its history.  Leslie’s tenure at WRLF has spanned 23 years of exemplary service to our community. She was hired in late 1993 as interim director and was offered the permanent position in 1995 at a time when the organization was completing several major land conservation projects under her dynamic leadership and was in the midst of its largest yet, the effort to preserve the south Williamstown farm and forest lands owned by Norris Phelps along Oblong Road and extending to the Taconic Ridge. At that time, WRLF had a 14-member Board of Directors, a supporting membership of about 200 families, and an annual budget of $39,000. There were 268 acres of private land under conservation restriction, and 66 acres in WRLF’s direct ownership.

Today, WRLF annually monitors 288 acres of conservation restriction land and has close to 600 acres under its own management, including its 55-acre Sheep Hill headquarters and 380 acres on Pine Cobble, its largest preserve. Its membership has more than doubled and its annual budget has grown nearly tenfold. It has established itself as a key resource in the community and an important contributor to the beauty and quality of life which Williamstown residents and visitors alike enjoy.

During Leslie’s tenure and with the active participation of an engaged, dedicated Board of Directors, WRLF undertook many innovative projects, including managing the Reynolds limited development/conservation project, making land available for the Williamstown’s first Habitat for Humanity home, and establishing Caretaker Farm as a Community Land Trust to make it affordable to a new generation of farmers. Perhaps what Leslie is most proud of and in addition to the land conservation projects she has overseen is the acquisition and preservation of Sheep Hill and its establishment as a community resource for outdoor education and recreation for families, school children and visitors.

The search for a new executive director will begin immediately. The job posting and explanation of the application requirements are described on WRLF’s website, wrlf.org, under “Job Opportunities” on the home page. For further information contact WRLF or call its headquarters at 413-458-2494.

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MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Member Positions

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps was established in 2010 by Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust as a collaboration of regional conservation organizations seeking to engage with more people and do more community conservation projects. The mission of the Massachusetts Land Initiative for Tomorrow (MassLIFT-AmeriCorps) is to strengthen and grow the land conservation movement by developing the next generation of land trust leaders and mobilizing them in every MA community. Our vision is one where the benefits of land conservation reach every community and are meaningful for all people.

This year, 36 MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members will serve at 21 different host sites (including urban conservation and community gardening/food systems non-profits) across Massachusetts as Land Stewardship Coordinator, Regional Conservation Coordinator, Youth Education Coordinator, or Community Engagement Coordinator. Members create and accomplish projects that increase their host site’s capacity, educate people in environmental stewardship, engage people in volunteerism, and include new constituencies. Specific activities vary by host site.

People of color strongly encouraged to apply. AmeriCorps programs provide equal service opportunities. MassLIFT works 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. The program runs 8/29/16 – 7/28/17. More info at masslift.org.

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Operations & Communications Coordinator, full-time staff position, available Sept/Oct

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps was established in 2010 by Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust as a collaboration of regional conservation organizations seeking to engage with more people and do more community conservation projects. The mission of the Massachusetts Land Initiative for Tomorrow (MassLIFT-AmeriCorps) is to strengthen and grow the land conservation movement by developing the next generation of land trust leaders and mobilizing them in every MA community. Our vision is one where the benefits of land conservation reach every community and are meaningful for all people.

The Operations and Communications Coordinator (OCC) supports the MassLIFT-AmeriCorps program vision on a statewide scale. Reporting to the MassLIFT Program Director, the OCC manages member recruitment and onboarding, communications and marketing, and day-to-day administration of program operations.

We’re aiming to fill this position in September/October 2016. MassLIFT-AmeriCorps may spin off as a separate nonprofit between Fall 2016 and Summer 2017, in which case program headquarters would likely move to Lowell, MA. Applicants should be prepared and willing to relocate to be able to work out of a Lowell office. View the complete position description and application instructions at masslift.org.

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