The BEAT News January 22, 2014

News Headlines

Elected officials are hearing from Big Junk Food. Make sure they hear from you! Call now to support GMO labeling in Massachusetts.

They’re hearing from the corporate lobbyists.  

Elected officials need to hear more from us.

Deadline to pass out of committee is March 19th.

The fate of proposed GMO labeling legislation in Massachusetts is still uncertain, and an important deadline is fast approaching. Legislators are hearing from corporate lobbyists and insiders who want to keep us in the dark about what we’re eating. We need to make sure our representatives hear the people on this. Please take action now, and please magnify your voice by sharing this action alert with anyone you know who eats food in Massachusetts.

Proposed legislation has until March 18th, 2014 to get out of committee, otherwise its dead and we’ll have to try again for 2016. The bills are stuck in committees, which are hearing opposition from industry groups like the Grocery Manufacturers Association (as well as via one Monsanto-public relations specialist-turned-Massachusetts-Farm-Bureau-director).  Unless the committee members hear from their constituents and their fellow lawmakers in large numbers, especially the committee chairs, Massachusetts could miss the opportunity to help push a regional tipping point toward something that at least 90% of us believe that we need:

Mandatory labeling of genetically engineered ingredients

(which are on the market illegally, by the way).

GMOs are not, in the words of federal regulators, “Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).” In fact, there is no scientific consensus on GMO safety, and we do know that there are serious impacts on the environment. The federal government does not require or perform safety tests on any GMO crops, so we are hoping our state government will help us to opt out of this GMO food experiment.

Please call (or email) your state representative and senator TODAY and declare your right to know what you’re eating. Follow the simple instructions, below.  

How to take action in 3 easy steps!  (more resources and talking points can be found, here)

 

1. Look up your state legislators’ phone number/email (for both your State Representative and State Senator) on this website: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx

Look here to see if they already endorse GMO labeling. Even if they are already in support, they still need to hear from you! If not, remember to tell the rep that you’d really like to see them listed online as a supporter of GMO labeling. Even better,you can offer to send them the link!

(BONUS: If your elected official is on one of the committees considering the GMO labeling bills, then you can have an added impact of encouraging them to “vote it favorably out of committee!” The two committees are listed here and here.)

2.  Make the call! A phone call is one of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard (literally!).  When you call, you’ll likely be talking to one of their staffers. They are very nice, but usually pretty busy, so you can keep it simple:

“Hello, my name is [your name] and I’m from [your town].  I’m calling because I need to know if I’m eating genetically engineered foods. [Tell them briefly why this is important to you.]

Does the [Senator/Representative] support mandatory GMO labeling?”

If they’re not on board yet, or don’t know, you can give them some more reasons why you think GMOs should be labeled and ask for them to please consider the issue.

If they are in support, thank them and ask them to contact the chairs of the Public Health Committee and the Environment/Agriculture Committee:  “Please contact the chairs of the committees* so that it can be voted on this year. Please don’t let the GMO labeling die!”

*list of bills and committees at the bottom

3.  Please let us know how it goes, especially if they’re in support! http://bit.ly/XD4ZpG Also, if you feel more comfortable emailing them, that’s great, too.  But make it original, don’t just cut and paste.  Their email addresses can be found on the same profile pages as their phone numbers:  https://malegislature.gov/people/findmylegislator

For more tips and suggested talking points, please see:

http://marighttoknow.com/home/legislative-support/talking-points-for-contacting-legislators/

More ways to get involved:

To help support GMO labeling in other ways, consider writing a Letter to the Editor, hosting an educational event, or volunteering with MA Right to Know GMOs. Find more action ideas and details at www.marighttoknow.org

You NEED to know that there are serious risks associated with genetically engineered crops:

·         Most people have no idea: GMOs were quietly introduced into our food supply in the 90′s, and the government has never required or performed ANY safety testing. Most processed foods now contain GMO ingredients.

·         GMOs have not been proven safe, and long-term health studies have not been conducted. A growing body of peer-reviewed studies has linked these foods to allergies, infertility, digestive disorders and cancer.

·         Superweeds and superbugs have become resistant to GMO-related pesticides, fueling the chemical treadmill and poisoning farmworkers.

·         More GMOs mean more pesticides: The EPA has recently increased limits on GMO-related pesticide residues in our food.

·         GMO crops easily contaminate non-GMO crops, threatening organic agriculture and your ability to choose non-GMO foods.

·         The free market is supposed to provide consumers with accurate information about products so we can make informed choices.

·         No Cost to Consumers or Food Producers:  Companies change food labels all the time. Studies show no increase in food costs from labeling.

About the bills and committees:

Bills H.808 and H.813 are being considered by The Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.  Chairs: Sen. Marc R. Pacheco (Taunton) Rep. Anne M. Gobi (Spencer)

Bills H.2093, H.2037, & H.1936 are being considered by The Joint Committee on Public Health. Chairs: Sen. John F. Keenan (Quincy) Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez (Jamaica Plain)

For more details on the pending legislation, please visit:

MArighttoknow.org (click the “Legislation” tab)

Thank you for taking action and for passing this alert on to your friends and networks.

Please follow us on  facebook.com/MARightToKnowGMOs

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Make Massachusetts Fossil Fuel Free – Take Action

Join the Better Future Project and many of your friends and neighbors on Saturday February 8th to rally against a proposed new natural gas plant in Salem and turn the tide on fossil fuels in Massachusetts!

Click here to sign up to stand with Salem residents for a Clean Energy Future.

The biggest threat to Massachusetts’ clean energy future is the rapid expansion of natural gas. We cannot afford new fossil fuel infrastructure that commits us to decades of carbon pollution and surpass vital climate tipping points. If a gas plant is built in historic Salem, it could set a precedent for all future energy demand to be met by gas instead of renewables. It would also further burden a community that has already suffered with a coal plant for over sixty years. This plant presents a huge risk to our climate, public health and Massachusetts’ clean energy future.

Register here to stop this plant.

And what’s more, the out-of-state company behind the plant, Footprint Power, has never built a power plant before and if their company goes bankrupt over this project, it is the people of Salem and Massachusetts who will bear the costs. The developers are committed to having the plant constructed on Salem’s beautiful waterfront by 2016. This has encouraged them to try all sorts of tricks to bypass due process, from unconstitutional riders to uncompetitive agreements, and now short-cutting the appeals process that questions whether or not this plant applies with Massachusetts’s climate targets.

Come to Salem to tell footprint we don’t want their dirty energy plant.

Governor Patrick has already proven himself a strong champion of clean energy, and there’s a real chance that he can be convinced to stand strong against the expansion of fossil fuels in Massachusetts. Help us show we’ve got his back.

Action Details:

Saturday February 8th, 2PM

Meet on the Salem Common for a march, art action/banner drop, and rally.

Organized in partnership with the inspiring community leaders at GAASP (Grassroots Action Against Another Salem Powerplant), and with the leadership of the Salem-based North Shore node of 350 Massachusetts

Register here for the action.

It’s time for us to draw the line and ensure that only clean energy infrastructure is built in Massachusetts from this point forward. Join us on February 8th to build a wave of support behind Governor Patrick and help stop fossil fuel industry’s plans to expand natural gas in our Commonwealth.

Sincerely,

Dorian and the rest of the Climate Legacy campaign team at Better Future Project

PS. Want to get more involved? Check out the MA Governor’s Climate Legacy campaign at www.climatelegacy.net to sign up for updates, learn about upcoming events, and help shape our movement for a full clean energy future.

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Food Waste Ban to Support Anaerobic Digestion and Tap into a Hidden Source of Energy

shortened from MassDEP newsletter

In 2014, the Patrick Administration will kick into high gear its plan to tap into the hidden energy value of food waste and organics. The goal is to divert 450,000 tons of food waste a year from landfills and incinerators, and direct that material to composting facilities or anaerobic digesters, which convert food waste into a biogas that can be used for heat and electricity. This plan, which has gained international recognition, will cut greenhouse gases, lower disposal costs and preserve scarce landfill space across Massachusetts.

One major way to achieve this goal is to add food waste and organics to the list of banned materials at landfills and incinerators. This ban, which will apply to large food waste generators, is poised to go into effect in late 2014, and it will send an unmistakable signal to private companies to invest in alternative facilities, such as digesters.

To help harness this untapped energy from organic waste, the Patrick Administration has also made $3 million in low-interest loans available to private companies building anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities. The low-interest loans will be administered by BCD Capital through MassDEP’s Recycling Loan Fund, with monies provided by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

DOER is also making $1 million available in grants for anaerobic digestion to public entities through MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Grant Program. MassDEP and DOER have awarded the first AD grant of $100,000 to the Massachusetts Water Resources Agency (MWRA) for its wastewater treatment plant at Deer Island. The MWRA currently digests sludge in 12 large chambers to help run the plant. A pilot project will introduce food waste into one of the chambers to determine the effects of co-digestion on operations and biogas production.

…

UMass-Amherst, meanwhile, has spurred construction of an anaerobic digester at its facility’s wastewater treatment plant. This plant could handle sludge from the treatment facility, but also take in food waste from the campus and nearby towns, and deliver clean, renewable energy back to campus. The university has completed the feasibility study and is now taking comments on the development study from the surrounding community and the university. Once those tasks have been received and reviewed, a request for proposals will follow.

…

Massachusetts wastewater treatment plants have been using AD since the 1940s to reduce solids that would otherwise go to landfills or incinerators. The process was initially seen as a way to reduce pathogens to make the solids safe for application to the land as a fertilizer. In addition to wastewater treatment plants, AD with combined heat and power has applications on farms, at industrial and food processing facilities, and at stand-alone organics recycling centers.

Pine Island Farm in Sheffield is a family-owned and -operated dairy farm in Berkshire County that sits on 1,300 acres of cropland and houses approximately 1,000 head of Holstein cattle. In November 2011, the farm started using the cow manure as feedstock for its new anaerobic digester with a CHP energy system. Today, the digester has electrical generation capacity of 225 kilowatts, and the farm’s organics-to-energy conversion system generated more than 1.1 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable electricity in its first eight months of operation. The energy produced covers all of the farm’s electricity use, helps heat its water, and runs the digester equipment. This still enables the farm to sell power back to the grid. For Pine Island Farm, AD technology has multiple benefits: it enables a more sustainable practice for manure management that also generates renewable power and it cuts greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, Pine Island Farm uses the liquid digestate, which is a residue of the digestion process, for fertilizer and has reported large gains in crop productivity as a result.

…

For more information about the food waste ban and anaerobic digestion program updates, go to: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/service/energy/anaerobic-digestion/

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Solar Energy News – New Organization, New Kind of Battery, and Public Comment Period

Thank you Berkshire Photovolatic Services for these stories.

There is a new organization for solar owners: the Massachusetts Solar Owners’ Association.  Massachusetts Solar Owners Association (MASOA) believes that solar energy collection installations are desirable and necessary to achieve clean renewable energy independence and that they are a vital component of the solution for climate change. The purpose of the organization is to educate current and future solar owners through unbiased information so as to maximize their investment and to advocate for their interests at the state level.

Very exciting news – a team at Harvard has come up with new battery technology!

The organic mega flow battery promises breakthrough for renewable energy. A team of Harvard scientists and engineers has demonstrated a new type of battery that could fundamentally transform the way electricity is stored on the grid, making power from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar far more economical and reliable.

The novel battery technology is reported in a paper published in Nature on January 9. Under the OPEN 2012 program, the Harvard team received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) to develop the innovative grid-scale battery and plans to work with ARPA-E to catalyze further technological and market breakthroughs over the next several years.

The paper reports a metal-free flow battery that relies on the electrochemistry of naturally abundant, inexpensive, small organic (carbon-based) molecules called quinones, which are similar to molecules that store energy in plants and animals. <READ MORE>

The next public comment meeting on the Massachusetts SRECS II program is January 24th at the statehouse. Comments are due by 5 pm on January 29, 2014.

Flow battery Breakthrough

Exciting news on electricity storage, an economic flow battery will be the result of research at Harvard University reported recently in Nature magazine. Use of organic material for battery technology is a sustainability benchmark which will help consumers and the grid rely on intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Read the full story at

http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2014/01/organic-mega-flow-battery-promises-breakthrough-for-renewable-energy

– See more at: http://www.bpvs.com/news.php?NewsID=146#sthash.Kva09OYV.dpuf

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Project Native 4th Film Festival Announced

For the past three years Project Native has hosted a successful day-long environmental film festival.  This year they are expanding the festival to include an evening screening at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington on Saturday, March 29th in addition to the festival on Sunday, March 30th at the Triplex Cinema.

The festival will kick off Saturday, March 29th at 7pm with a special screening of Revolution, an award-winning film by Rob Stewart, director of Sharkwater.  Startling, beautiful, and provocative, Revolution has already won awards at international film festivals.  Revolution is not just about the environment—it’s a film about hope and inspiration. It is an urgent call-to-action with an uplifting message that tells us it’s possible to alleviate the damage already done. While creating this film, Stewart met with experts in their fields to investigate the important issues affecting our lives. In an effort to uncover the secrets to a safer world, Stewart goes on an adventure filled with action and drama that will leave audiences around the world, at any age, inspired about how they can get involved in the fight to save our planet.

“Our goal is to not only show the problems facing our world, but to also inspire action for positive change,” says Karen Lyness LeBlanc, Education & Outreach Coordinator for Project Native.  Project Native is encouraging middle, high school and college students in the area to attend and bring their friends.  This event is FREE, thanks to support from the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation.  A panel discussion will follow the film.

On Sunday, March 30th Project Native will once again host a full day of environmental films at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington.  As in years past, the day will start at 10:00 am with a film for children and families. “We are thrilled to be showing ‘Flight of the Butterflies’ at our Family Program this year,” says Karen Lyness LeBlanc.  “This summer hundreds of children (and adults) learned about native habitats, butterfly lifecycles and conservation while participating in bug safaris or visiting our native butterfly house.  Now with ‘Flight of the Butterflies in 3D’ they can follow a Monarch Butterfly on its epic migratory adventure.”

For the remainder of the day, a variety of films will be shown on a wide-range of current environmental topics including:  salmon farming, GMO’s, Tarsands, invasive Asian Carp, fracking and industrial hemp.  A complete schedule and film synopses are available at www.projectnative.org.

In an effort to reach a wide and diverse audience the films will be shown free of charge.  This festival would not be possible without the generous support of the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation.

To become a sponsor or non-profit underwriter contact Karen Lyness LeBlanc, 413-274-3433 or kleblanc@projectnative.org

For more information about Project Native visit www.projectnative.org.

Project Native is a non-profit environmental education organization committed to growing native plants, maintaining a native butterfly house and wildlife sanctuary, and promoting stewardship of the local landscape.

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DEP Proposes to Amend the Wetlands Protection Act for Severe Weather Emergency Declarations

Proposed Wetland Regulation Changes pursuant to Chapter 238, section 50, of the Acts of 2012

Public Hearing(s):

February 11, 2014:
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Southeast Regional Office
20 Riverside Drive,
1st Floor Conference Room
Lakeville, MA 02347

February 12, 2014:
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Northeast Regional Office
205B Lowell Street
Conference Rooms A-1007 and B-1008
Wilmington, MA 01887

February 13, 2014:
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Western Regional Office
436 Dwight Street
Conference Room B 42
Springfield, MA 01103

Public Comment Period:
Ends 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2014

Pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A, the MA Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) gives notice of its intent to amend the Wetland Regulations (310 CMR 10.00) promulgated under the Wetlands Protection Act (Act) (M.G.L. c.131, s. 40).  The proposed regulations are below.

Section 50 of Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2012 amended the Wetlands Protection Act to authorize the Commissioner of MassDEP to declare Severe Weather Emergency Declarations, effective August 7, 2012.  Emergency Declarations will be limited to regional or statewide severe weather events.  When issued, Emergency Declarations will allow certain prescribed work to be done without the filing of a Notice of Intent.  Conservation commissions and MassDEP retain all existing authority to issue individual Emergency Certifications authorized by 310 CMR 10.06 if the work is necessary to protect public health or safety and is performed, or is ordered to be performed by an agency of the Commonwealth. The new authority for the Commissioner to issue Emergency Declarations following widespread storm damage is intended to facilitate prompt responses when a comprehensive response is needed to restore power, clear roadways, repair infrastructure, and remove fallen trees.  Emergency Declarations will prescribe mitigating measures required for such work, include any notification or reporting requirements, describe the geographic area of the Declaration’s effect, and limit the Declaration’s effective period, which shall not be longer than 3 months, unless extended by the Commissioner.

Public Comments and Hearings:
Comments on all proposed revisions may be presented orally or in writing on the following hearing dates. Written comments will also be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2014 and may be submitted electronically via email to dep.talks@state.ma.us or by direct mail to:

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Resource Protection – Wetlands Regulatory Comment Box
One Winter Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02108

Public Hearing Notice: Proposed Wetland Regulation Changes 

Proposed Wetland Regulation Changes, Chapter 238, Section 50

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A Compromise We Can’t Afford

from the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club and 17 other environmental, environmental justice, and public health advocacy groups sent a letter to President Obama in which we asked him to stop basing national energy policy on an “all of the above” strategy. If we want to reach the goal of 100 percent clean energy before our climate is catastrophically disrupted, then common sense demands that we prioritize clean energy — and make it official — right now.

The groups applauded the President’s verbal commitment to tackle the climate crisis and to build an economy powered by energy that is clean, safe, secure, and sustainable.

Letter to President Barack Obama, January 16, 2014

Send your own message to the president encouraging him to take action on climate disruption.

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Under Investor Pressure, Utility to Study Emissions

By DIANE CARDWELL , New York Times

FirstEnergy, one of the country’s largest electric companies, has agreed to work toward reducing its carbon emissions in response to pressure from shareholders including New York State and Connecticut pension funds, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said on Tuesday.

The company, which operates in six states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, promised to study and report on what it could do to help meet President Obama’s goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. As a result, Mr. DiNapoli, the State of Connecticut and As You Sow, a shareholder advocacy group, agreed to withdraw a shareholder resolution they had filed for First Energy’s annual meeting this year.

Mr. DiNapoli said the decision could speed the adoption of agreements for environmental planning at other energy companies.

“Many of our energy holdings obviously have been very profitable for us in the short run,” he said. “What we’re trying to ensure is that in the long run that profitability is sustainable. We do see tremendous risk if issues of climate change are not incorporated into corporate strategy.”

The agreement comes as investors are increasingly pressuring corporations into action on climate change.

A movement to get universities, foundations and governments to rid themselves of investments in fossil-fuel companies has had some successes. Three former treasury secretaries and two billionaires — former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Tom Steyer — have started an effort called Risky Business to assess the economic risks posed if climate change is left unaddressed. And the use of shareholder resolutions calling for more focus on areas like climate change and sustainability, energy extraction procedures, energy efficiency and recycling is rising, a report from Ernst & Young said.

<SEE MORE HERE>

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Transparency in Transit Investment

from the Gateway Cities Journal

Last week, MassDOT released its new Capital Investment Plan, which proposes to spend $12.4 billion over the next five years on wide range of road, bridge, and transit improvements. The specific projects demonstrate a commitment to investing across the Commonwealth. There is $260 million to replace the aging I-91 viaduct in Springfield, $254 million for planning and initial improvements for South Coast rail, $42 million to upgrade rail in the Hartford-Pioneer Valley “Knowledge Corridor,” $35 million to restore passenger service on the Housatonic Railroad, [emphasis added] and $31 million for track and signal upgrades for the Cape Flyer.

While calling attention to projects outside of Greater Boston is an important contribution, perhaps the crowning achievement is the transparency this plan provides. For the first time MassDOT has consolidated capital investments for all its divisions in one document. This facilitates an easy comparison of spending levels. We can see that over half (53 percent) of the spending in the plan will be going to the highway division, a quarter (25 percent) to the MBTA, and only 4 percent for non-MBTA rail and transit projects. We can lament that RTA investment is such a small part of the total, but at least we know what RTAs will be getting: $255 million over the next five years, to purchase new RTA buses and paratransit vans for local Councils on Aging, and to make improvements to bus depots and maintenance facilities.

This information is vital because the debate over transportation funding and regional equity will continue to loom large throughout 2014. Governor Patrick will only oversee one year of this plan. There is no guarantee that the next governor will continue these priorities. Transportation Secretary Rich Davey has also said that the plan assumes revenue from the indexing of the state’s gas tax to inflation, which will likely be the subject of a ballot initiative. If that indexing is repealed by voters in November, the plan will have to be redrawn.

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Berkshire Museum Is Looking for Volunteers

This February, Berkshire Museum is bringing back 10 Days of Play, a festival of unstructured discovery and creativity in the Museum. During these 10 days we are looking for volunteers to support our staff in keeping everyone safe and having fun.

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Massachusetts Watershed Coalition

PO Box 577, Leominster, MA 01453      978.534.0379    mwc@commonwaters.org

 

 

Position Description: Outreach & Marketing Manager

 

MA Watershed Coalition (MWC) seeks manager to build network of people who can help communities prevent and reduce polluted runoff.  Manager will work with MWC Executive Director to deliver storm water guidance and assistance for target audiences including:

  • municipal conservation, public works and community development departments
  • local and regional stormwater committees
  • lakes & ponds associations
  • watershed organizations
  • angler & sports groups
  • local businesses & business organizations

Manager will also work with MWC Board & Executive Director to market MWC membership and to recruit business sponsors for community assistance projects.

Manager will utilize varied outreach techniques including:

  • Internet websites
  • Facebook & related social media
  • electronic newsletters & blogs
  • newspapers, cable television & radio
  • stormwater conferences, workshops & special events

 

Qualifications

Proficient in community outreach and membership development.  Education/training in environmental management and water protection.  Self-starter with excellent communications and computer skills.  Experience with applying for corporate and foundation grants a plus.

 

Manager will be independent contractor – 100 hours/month, flexible schedule, no benefits.  Manager can work from home (or other location) using internet and telephone to coordinate their activities with MWC staff, Board and volunteers.  One-year agreement with potential for longer-term position.

 

To apply:

Email cover letter & resume to Ed Himlan, Executive Director, mwc@commonwaters.org

This posting is open until filled or cancelled.

 

Massachusetts Watershed Coalition is a non-profit organization that helps communities to protect and renew the health of streams, lakes and water supplies.  MWC partners with grassroots groups, towns, state and federal agencies to spur direct actions by diverse interests.  Our programs focus on low-impact design, stormwater and sustainable watersheds.  For more information, visit www.commonwaters.org

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