Jobs
Volunteer Ambassadors Needed at Notchview – Windsor, MA
Visitor Services Internship – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Northeast Regional Office – Hadley, MA
2017 SCA MA Forests & Parks AmeriCorps Position – DCR-Wompatuck – Hingham, MA
Trail Team Massachusetts Corps – SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps – Hawley, MA
Plant Conservation Volunteer – New England Wild Flower Society – Western Mass
Hoosic River Revival – Executive Director – North Adams, MA
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation – Executive Director – Williamstown, MA
(Ceremonial Stone Landscapes in pipeline path)
» Update: January 3, 2017
(Settlement with TGP for CT Expansion route)
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Rally & Hearing on Otis State Forest Settlement
Monday, February 6
1 pm Rally around Park Square, Pittsfield
2pm Hearing in Berkshire Superior Court, Pittsfield
On December 29, 2016 the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office announced that, on behalf of the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), they reached a settlement with Kinder Morgan for the pipeline Right of Way through Otis State Forest in Sandisfield.
A hearing on this settlement will take place on February 6, 2017 at 2:00 pm at Berkshire Superior Court, 76 East Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
1:00 pm – Stand-Out in Opposition to the OSF Settlement
Sidewalks around Park Square area
(See maps for acceptable protest locations and parking)
Native American Sites in
CT Expansion pipeline path in peril
Much like the path for the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota, the Connecticut Expansion pipeline route, already approved by FERC, has been found to contain traditional cultural features sacred to Native Americans in the region. 73 features of ceremonial stone landscape were identified this fall after a survey on behalf of several Tribes. The pipeline construction plan by Tennessee Gas (div. of Kinder Morgan), a full third of these sites would be destroyed.
The Nolumbeka Project, a nonprofit that works with local native tribes, filed a letter with FERC on January 12 in support of the Narragansett Indian Tribe’s efforts to have ceremonial stone landscape features along the CT Expansion route in Sandisfield protected.
After submitting his own letter of concern to FERC, a tribal historical preservation officer, Doug Harris, recently put out a call for help in the Berkshire Edge:
“There are not enough Indians to fight this fight; the local communities have to be informed about the issue and have to be able to…protect these ancient sites.”
With so many people who have been standing up to protect Otis State Forest, the “local community” is large! Please follow the Nolumbeka example and file a comment with FERC (CP14-529) calling for a resolution to the section 106 tribal consultation process that is fully respectful of all tribes with a historical, cultural, and religious connection to this land.
Keystone Project Accepting Applications
EPA Analysis Shows Decreased Toxic Chemical Releases in Massachusetts in 2015
Ten-year trend shows major reductions of emissions in New England
EPA’s most recent Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data is now available for the reporting year of 2015. In Massachusetts, the reporting data show that overall releases of pollutants to the environment decreased since the previous reporting year (2014). Further, the analysis shows a decrease of nearly 56 percent for reported chemical releases in Massachusetts from 2005 to 2015.
During 2015, the latest year for which data are available, approximately 15.1 million pounds of chemicals were released in the six New England states, a reduction of about 1.3 million pounds (decreased by 8.3 percent) from 2014 (the previous reporting year). During this period, total air emissions in New England were reduced by 9.4 percent.
Between 2005 and 2015, New England facilities reduced their total on- & off-site disposals and other releases by 50.1 percent. During this span of 10 years, New England facilities reduced their air emissions by 70.9 percent – exceeding the national air trend of a 50 percent reduction.
In Massachusetts, 404 facilities reported in 2015 approximately 3.4 million pounds (a decrease of 180,144 pounds, or 5 percent). Since 2005, reporting facilities in Massachusetts have reduced their releases from 7.6 million pounds to 3.4 million pounds (55 percent reduction).
TRI information is a key part of EPA’s efforts to provide greater access to environmental information and get information to the public as quickly as possible. TRI reporting provides Americans with vital information about their communities by publishing information on toxic chemical disposals and releases into the air, land and water, as well as information on waste management and pollution prevention activities in neighborhoods across the country. Data from the Toxic Release Inventory is an important tool for citizens to know what chemicals are used in their communities, and what companies are doing to prevent pollution.
“The trends that show steady declines of chemicals being released into New England’s air, water and land show without any doubt that we can have a strong and growing economy while enjoying a clean, healthy and protected environment,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “It’s also a testament to American ingenuity and know-how, to see our companies and citizens respond to the call to reduce harmful emissions while continuing to prosper.”
Each year, EPA makes publicly available TRI data reported by industries throughout the United States regarding chemical releases to air, water and land by power plants, manufacturers and other facilities which employ ten or more workers, and which exceed thresholds for chemicals. Reporting includes information on chemicals released at a company’s facility, as well as those transported to disposal facilities off site. TRI data do not reflect the relative toxicity of the chemicals emitted or potential exposure to people living in a community with reported releases.
Reporting under TRI does not indicate illegal discharges of pollutants to the environment. EPA works closely with states to provide regulatory oversight of facilities that generate pollution to the nation’s air, land and water. Effective review and permitting programs work to ensure that the public and the environment are not subjected to unhealthful levels of pollution, even as agencies work to further reduce emissions of chemicals to the environment. Enforcement efforts by EPA and states ensure that facilities that violate their environmental permits are subject to penalties and corrective action. Yearly releases by individual facilities can vary due to factors such as power outages, production variability, lulls in the business cycle, etc., that do not reflect a facility’s pollution prevention program(s).
The top ten chemicals released to the environment on- and off-site during 2014 in Massachusetts were:
Chemical Total On- and Off-site Disposal or Other Releases
ZINC COMPOUNDS 868,881
TOLUENE 289,302
NITRATE COMPOUNDS 258,717
CERTAIN GLYCOL ETHERS 226,412
N-BUTYL ALCOHOL 194,828
AMMONIA 132,136
LEAD 101,953
CHROMIUM 100,973
HYDROCHLORIC ACID (1995 AND AFTER “ACID AEROSOLS” ONLY) 97,465
N-METHYL-2-PYRROLIDONE 88,054
The ten facilities that reported the largest quantity of on- and off-site environmental releases in Massachusetts under TRI for 2015 were:
Facility Total On- and Off-site Disposal or Other Releases Location
SOLUTIA INC., SPRINGFIELD 702,791
CROWN BEVERAGE PACKAGING, LAWRENCE 373,730
INEOS MELAMINES, SPRINGFIELD 204,914
IDEAL TAPE CO., LOWELL 164,718
SUPERCON INC., SHREWSBURY 143,501
MYSTIC STATION, CHARLESTOWN 93,933
ACUSHNET CO BALL PLANT III, NEW BEDFORD 90,448
DUNCAN GROUP, EVERETT 80,413
WOLLASTON ALLOYS, BRAINTREE 78,698
GVS NA, WESTBOROUGH 72,637
TRI data are submitted annually to EPA, states, and tribes by facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), facilities must report their toxic chemical releases for the prior year to EPA by July 1 of each year. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also requires facilities to submit information on pollution prevention and other waste management activities related to TRI chemicals. Nationwide, nearly 22,000 facilities submitted TRI data for calendar year 2015.
EPA will hold training workshops to assist facility managers to understand and comply with TRI reporting requirements during the spring of 2017 in each of the six New England states.
More information:
Toxic Release Inventory: https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program
Volunteer Ambassadors Needed at Notchview Reservation – Windsor, MA
Volunteers Needed: Help us Help Others enjoy the winter wonders of Notchview. Indoor Visitor Center & Outdoor trail opps. Assist for 2 hrs. on your ski days or join one day/wk. Fun. Social. Family opps. Free ski lesson. Notchview Reservation, 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA 01226. www.thetrustees.org/volunteer or 413.532.1631 ext. 3119
Visitor Services Internship – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Northeast Regional Office, Hadley, MA
The individual will serve as a visitor services and communications intern for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Northeast Regional Office. This will include assisting Service staff with a variety of projects related to public use of national wildlife refuges such as environmental education, environmental interpretation, hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, volunteers, Friends and community partnerships, the Urban Refuge Initiative, and connecting people with nature. On the job training will be provided and there is the potential opportunity for further training regionally or nationally. For more information & to apply, click here.
2017 SCA MA FORESTS & PARKS AMERICORPS POSITION DCR-WOMPATUCK – Hingham, MA
This position is part of the Student Conservation Association Massachusetts Forests & Parks AmeriCorps program. MA Parks is seeking 6 Preservation & Stewardship Crew Members to serve at the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)’s Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, MA. For more information and to apply, click here.
Trail Team Massachusetts Corps – SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps – Hawley, MA
SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps is a residential program based in the Kenneth Dubuque State Forest in Hawley, MA, an 8,000 acre forest located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
During conservation service season, members get to travel the state of Massachusetts working and camping on public lands for 10 days at a time.
The SCA Massachusetts Corps is a partnership between SCA, AmeriCorps, The Massachusetts Service Alliance, and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps members serve the lands and people of Massachusetts for five months through the completion of high priority conservation service projects on public lands. SCA Massachusetts Trail Team members will begin their service in March 2017, joining 18 other SCA Massachusetts AmeriCorps members who will have been serving since October 2016.
The majority of the position is dedicated to hands-on, outdoor conservation projects ranging from trail construction and maintenance to habitat restoration and invasive plant species removal. Leadership development is an important component of the program. Each member will serve as a crew leader for at least one 10 day field project. A typical field project or “hitch” will consist of collaborating as part of a five or six-person crew for 10 days at a time, returning to Kenneth Dubuque State Forest for a three or four day break between hitches. A portion of the position is spent earning certifications and attending trainings such as Wilderness First Responder, leadership, chainsaw, rigging, carpentry, and general trail maintenance and construction. Members will also spend time developing teaching skills through presenting environmental education based lessons and engaging volunteers in service activities. Community based living is a large component of this program. The living conditions are simple, rustic, and community focused. The corps is made up of 18 – 25 year olds with diverse backgrounds from around the country.
For more information, click HERE.
Plant Conservation Volunteer – New England Wild Flower Society
New England Wild Flower Society is seeking enthusiastic people who have a commitment to plant conservation and protecting natural habitats to participate in their Plant Conservation Volunteer Program. Plant Conservation Volunteers (PCVs) puts the skills of citizens to work collecting information on rare plants and their habitats across all six New England states. The majority of the work focuses on rare plant monitoring, but there are also opportunities to assist with invasive species removal, habitat management projects and botanical surveys that benefit rare plants. The Society also offers free field trips and some learning opportunities to PCVs. It’s an excellent opportunity to develop your botanical skills and put them to work, learn more about the flora of New England, meet others with similar interests, and help preserve your state’s natural heritage.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Attend the annual 1-day training session held on a weekend in March/April for each of the New England states to review surveying protocols and PCV guidelines. The schedule is on our website for training sessions.
- Review available surveys and choose ones for your abilities and/or surveys that will excel the New England Plant Conservation Program.
- Complete at least one rare plant survey including research on plant/accessing location, coordinating with other volunteers to survey, conducting the survey and completing and submitting field forms digitally through a secure website.
- Conduct possible seed collections on rare plants following specific protocols.
- Represent the PCV program and conduct work in a professional manner.
- Keep ALL data on rare plant populations confidential.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Good candidates are motivated, independent workers; have some skill in plant identification, good observation skills and are adventurous.
- Ability to collect and organize scientific data and filing field forms in a timely manner.
- Some computer proficiency is required for communication and submitting field forms.
- The physical ability to hike in uneven terrain and varying weather conditions.
- The ability to work independently or with a team of other volunteers.
- Ability to travel some distance to survey sites and endure possible long days in the field.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply visit our website and fill out the electronic application by February 1st, 2017:
http://newenglandwild.org/conserve/saving-imperiled-plants/plant-conservation.html/
Interested applicants with botanical knowledge and are outside of Eastern Massachusetts are encouraged to apply. All who are interested must apply and be accepted into the program before attending a training session due to the sensitive nature of rare plant data and data security agreements we have with each state’s Natural Heritage.
Applications are reviewed during the winter (January – February) to be considered for that field season year. To be considered for the 2017 season, please submit your application via the online application by February 1st, 2017.
QUESTIONS? Contact: Laney Widener, Botanical Coordinator, New England Wild Flower Society, 508-877-7630 ext. 3204, lwidener@newenglandwild.org
If you would like a botanical adventure, join the PCV program. This is a great way to meet new friends, explore a wide range of habitats while contributing to the knowledge of our flora. I joined the PCV program the first year it was in Maine and love it as a way to help our environment. ~ B. G.
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.
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.