The BEAT News January 5, 2011

STOP the DUMPS-Meeting to Consider Other Ways to Deal with GEs PCBs
GENERAL ELECTRIC WANTS TO DUMP THEIR TOXIC PCBS IN THE
SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES

Is there a better way than PCB hazardous waste dumps throughout Berkshire County?
The Housatonic River Initiative invites the public to meet Chris Young, CEO of Biotech Restorations and Michael Hodges, CEO of Genesis Fluid Solutions, and to hear about alternatives to GE’s propaganda.

When: Wednesday, January 19th, 7 P.M.
Where: Lenox Community Center

Chris Young CEO of Biotech Restorations

BioTech Restorations (BTR) and GeoSolve, Inc.® have successfully bio-remediated three properties to unrestricted use in California using their Factor. BTR Factor is a California EPA approved bio-remedial technology
http://www.geosolve-inc.com/biotech.html

and

Michael Hodges, CEO of Genesis Fluid Solutions

Genesis Rapid Dewatering System (RDS) removes sediments and contaminants from all types of waterways quickly, less expensively, and on a smaller footprint                    http://www.genesisfluidsolutions.com/

When: Wednesday, January 19th, 7 P.M.
Where: Lenox Community Center
–
Tim Gray
Housatonic Riverkeeper
Executive Director – Housatonic River Initiative
P.O. Box 321
Lenoxdale,Massachsetts 01242
413-446-2520
housatonicriver.org
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Jack Murray Appointed Acting Commissioner at DCR

New Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Rick Sullivan, announced the appointment of Jack Murray as Acting Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation effective today.  “Jack has provided solid leadership and passion for DCR’s core mission as Deputy Commissioner of Operations during the past three and a half years. His deep understanding of the DCR’s people, programs, and properties will serve the agency – and the Administration as a whole – well as I assume my new role as EEA Secretary.” wrote Secretary Sullivan.

Jack Murray was the new position of deputy commissioner for park operations, a position that did not exist before Governor Patrick’s administration. Before coming to DCR, Jack Murray was a former official in the Clinton White House and the US Transportation Department, had also managed Hurricane Katrina relief efforts for the US Public Health Service in Louisiana and Mississippi.
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Poor Air Quality was Predicted in Connecticut and in Valley Areas of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont

(Boston, Mass. – Dec. 30, 2010) – Poor air quality due to fine particle pollution was predicted for Friday, Dec. 31, in the following areas of New England: all of Connecticut; the Connecticut River Valley, including Springfield, as well as other valley locations in Mass.; populated valley locations in southwestern N.H., such as Keene; and valley locations, such as Rutland, in Vermont.

When air quality is poor, EPA and the medical community suggest that people limit their strenuous outdoor activity.

Stagnant conditions in the atmosphere trap pollution from sources such as cars, trucks, and wood burning, near the ground.  The greatest air quality impact will be on populous mountain valley locations. Poor air quality is expected to continue into Saturday until a cold frontal passage increases wind speeds and improves air quality.

The current fine particle standard is 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours.  Air quality alerts are issued when fine particle concentrations are expected to exceed this standard.  At such times, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

When air quality is forecast to be unhealthy, EPA asks the public to take action. The public can help reduce pollution by taking steps including: using public transportation, car pooling and/or combining trips; avoiding idling of cars and trucks; following EPA Burnwise practices for cleaner indoor wood burning; and avoiding outdoor burning.

More information:
–  Real-time air quality data and forecasts (http://www.epa.gov/ne/aqi/index.html )
–  Free air quality alerts via email (http://www.enviroflash.info/ )
– EPA recommendations for cleaner wood burning (http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/)
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Massachusetts Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 25 percent by 2020

BOSTON – December 29, 2010 – Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles today set the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limit for 2020 required by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008 at 25 percent below 1990 levels, the maximum authorized by the Act, saying that measures already in place will get Massachusetts much of the way toward that goal. A targeted portfolio of additional policies, chosen because they promise overall cost savings, will allow the Bay State to reach the most ambitious target for GHG reduction of any state in the country, Secretary Bowles said.

“Massachusetts has already taken great strides in energy innovation, sparking a clean energy revolution in the Commonwealth and getting us two-thirds of the way toward 25 percent lower emissions by 2020,” said Secretary Bowles. “I am confident we will meet the 25 percent limit I set today with a portfolio of policies that build on reforms made to date, launch practical new initiatives on a pilot basis, and generate cost savings and jobs.”

“The clean energy plan released today lays out an ambitious but practical framework to continue – and accelerate – the Commonwealth’s transition to clean energy,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs-designate Rick Sullivan. “I look forward to maintaining this momentum as our state distinguishes itself as the national leader on clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.”

The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), signed by Governor Deval Patrick in August 2008, mandates the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, and requires the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs to set a legally enforceable GHG emissions limit for 2020 of between 10 percent and 25 percent below 1990 levels by January 1, 2011, and to issue a plan for achieving those reductions while growing the clean energy economy. Secretary Bowles set the limit today at the statutory maximum of 25 percent and released the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020, which contains a portfolio of policies designed to meet the limit.

In his formal determination of the 2020 emissions limit, Secretary Bowles noted that “established state policies to promote energy conservation and cleaner energy sources are expected to produce GHG reductions of 18 percent below 1990 levels by 2020,” and that the remaining question before him in making the determination was “where in the remaining statutory range of 18 to 25 percent reduction it is practical and appropriate to set the 2020 limit. Central to that question is what additional actions of policy, regulation, and legislation could be pursued that would achieve additional emissions reduction by 2020 and beyond.” Though he considered “a wide range of measures,” Secretary Bowles included in the implementation plan for 2020 “only those additional measures that provide significant energy cost savings and create clean energy jobs,” but those he found sufficient to support the maximum emissions reduction requirement of 25 percent.

“This limit, together with the portfolio of GHG mitigation measures presented in the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020, is a substantial step forward in the Commonwealth’s ongoing efforts to grow our clean energy economy, reduce energy costs, become energy independent and minimize climate change impacts to the citizens, environmental resources, and economy of Massachusetts,” wrote Secretary Bowles.

The 136-page Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 contains a “portfolio” of established and new measures that reduce energy waste, save money, and stimulate the adoption of clean energy technologies, thereby creating jobs at the same time that they reduce GHG emissions. It is estimated that 42,000 to 48,000 jobs would result from full implementation of the plan in 2020, both jobs that fill every niche in the clean energy supply chain – electricians, installers, researchers, architects, manufacturers, plumbers, energy auditors, technicians, and scientists – and jobs throughout the economy as lower fossil-fuel energy expenses lead to more spending on in-state goods and services.

Existing policies include the Green Communities Act requirement of capturing all cost-effective energy efficiency, which has given Massachusetts the most far-reaching energy efficiency program in the country, projected to yield $6 billion in customer savings from $2 billion of investment over three years. Continuation of these energy efficiency efforts, plus additional building-related measures such as deep-energy improvements in buildings; advanced, flexible building energy codes; and a new energy rating and labeling system that will be the equivalent of miles-per-gallon auto fuel efficiency ratings for buildings, beginning as a pilot program in western Massachusetts will reduce GHG emissions statewide nearly 10 percent by 2020.

In electricity supply, established programs like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Renewable Portfolio Standard will be supplemented by efforts to obtain additional clean energy imports such as Canadian hydropower and a proposed Clean Energy Performance Standard, which would require electricity suppliers to favor lower- and no-emissions sources in the mix of electricity delivered to their customers, will reduce emissions 7.7 percent by 2020. In transportation, MassDOT’s recently announced GreenDOT sustainability program and other efforts to limit growth in driving, federal fuel efficiency standards, lower-carbon fuels, and potential incentives for clean cars to be studied and piloted are expected to produce 7.6 percent GHG reductions. And in non-energy related sources of emissions, new and expanded programs will address leaking refrigerants that are more powerful greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide, for additional reductions of 2 percent.

“This is wonderful news,” said Senator Marc Pacheco, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “This target is not only good for the environment, but is also good for our public health and security, and will put us on the path to revolutionizing our economy by spurring job growth and sparking innovation in renewable energy and green technologies. This emissions reductions target demonstrates the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to fully implementing the intent of the Global Warming Solutions Act.  As the author of this legislation, I always knew it was possible to implement such strong measures and I applaud Secretary Bowles and the rest of the Administration for taking this bold step toward combating climate change.”

“I commend Secretary Bowles and the Advisory Committee’s hard work and dedication to set the Commonwealth on track for reducing emissions and fostering development of clean energy,” said Representative Frank Smizik, Chairman of the House Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “It is imperative for the strength of our economy, our national security, and our health to address the harmful impacts of greenhouse gases and climate change. I look forward to working with the Administration to continue to push the envelope with new innovations and strong standards, so that the Commonwealth can continue to be a national leader and achieve the ultimate goal of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible”

Secretary Bowles’s determination, and the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020, were both informed by a series of eight public hearings held around the state and by input from the Climate Protection and Green Economy Advisory Committee, a body created by the Global Warming Solutions Act that includes representatives of the following sectors: commercial, industrial and manufacturing; transportation; low-income consumers; energy generation and distribution; environmental protection; energy efficiency and renewable energy; local government; and academic institutions.

“It has been a privilege to collaborate with such a representative group of stakeholders in determining ways to build a clean energy economy,” said co-chair Susan Avery, President and Director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. “I look forward to continuing this effort and helping to support the important goals of this ambitious plan.”

“The Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 is a big step forward towards moving Massachusetts towards a Green Economy,” said co-chair Martin Madaus, former CEO of Millipore Corp. “This comprehensive plan is the result of about two years of outstanding work by many experts and has received thorough input from all stakeholders through the Climate Protection and Green Economy Advisory Committee.”
“The vision presented in this report is both bold and well-grounded in the facts and opportunities we face,” said Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) President John Kassel. “It will serve the citizens and economy of Massachusetts, and New England, well.  It took a lot of courage to put this out there.  It will take even more courage, and determination, to make it happen.  We at CLF look forward to helping it become a reality.”

“These strong and realistic goals for GHG reductions in the Commonwealth are welcomed by the rapidly growing Massachusetts clean energy industry,” said Peter Rothstein, President of the New England Clean Energy Council.  “The GHG reductions achieved in the last few years, and the combination of clear policies and new private sector innovations and investments are laying a path to cost-effectively meet these environmental goals while providing sustainable, economic growth.”

“This Clean Energy and Climate Plan is the latest example of Governor Patrick’s commitment to growing clean energy jobs in Massachusetts,” said Marty Aikens of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103. “It is a practical roadmap that shows that measures to decrease emissions can lead to thousands of new jobs.”

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E.P.A. Limit on Gases to Pose Risk to Obama and Congress
From Earth Equity News newsletter – originally By JOHN M. BRODER, Published: December 30, 2010

Many of the stories posted in Earth Equity News weekly comprehensive newsletter summary are sent in by our readers to tstokes@kyotoandbeyond.org. Opinions presented in our selections do not necessarily represent positions taken by CCC. Earth Equity News is compiled by Tom Stokes, Sally Underwood-Miller and Daniel Lippman. 

If you would like to also receive the weekday edition of EE News, which features a dozen recent stories, please return this email with “weekday” written in the subject line. 

If you would like to receive the short weekly edition of EE News, please return this email with “short only” or “short as well” written in the subject line.

WASHINGTON — With the federal government set to regulate climate-altering gases from factories and power plants for the first time, the Obama administration and the new Congress are headed for a clash that carries substantial risks for both sides.

While only the first phase of regulation takes effect on Sunday, the administration is on notice that if it moves too far and too fast in trying to curtail the ubiquitous gases that are heating the planet it risks a Congressional backlash that could set back the effort for years.

But the newly muscular Republicans in Congress could also stumble by moving too aggressively to handcuff the Environmental Protection Agency, provoking a popular outcry that they are endangering public health in the service of their well-heeled patrons in industry.

“These are hand grenades, and the pins have been pulled,” said William K. Reilly, administrator of the environmental agency under the first President George Bush.
He said that the agency was wedged between a hostile Congress and the mandates of the law, with little room to maneuver. But he also said that anti-E.P.A. zealots in Congress should realize that the agency was acting on laws that Congress itself passed, many of them by overwhelming bipartisan margins. <more>
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Obama Seeks to Trim Government’s Energy Bill.
From Earth Equity News newsletter – origianly By Marianne Lavelle, National Geographic, 12/23/10.

“Sure, you’ve heard about Big Government. But have you seen its energy bill? With $25 billion in annual power and fuel costs, the U.S. government is the largest single energy consumer in the nation’s economy, and among the largest in the world. Of course, the 500,000 buildings the government leases or owns include not only office space, but supercomputers, hospitals, and aviation safety radar facilities. And the 600,000 vehicles that Uncle Sam has to tank up include those conveying troops engaged in active combat.

“For years, it has been clear that there’s a big opportunity in the sheer size of this energy footprint… The Obama administration now is seeking to ramp up that effort dramatically — with the help of an unprecedented $4.5 billion in stimulus funds to be spent by next September entirely for federal green building and renovation projects. By executive order, the federal government is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2020.” 
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Keys to Tomorrow’s Cars
From Earth Equity News newsletter – originally By Juan Forero, WashPost, 12/18/10

“It’s the lightest of all metals, skitters wildly on water and can unexpectedly explode. To mine it commercially requires an elaborate process involving drilling, evaporation tanks and chemical processing. But if President Obama is to fulfill his goal of putting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015, a once-obscure metal crucial for the batteries in those cars, lithium, will probably be mined by the tens of thousands of tons in the high Andes. Its boosters say lithium will one day rival petroleum in value, and that has prompted a race to secure mining rights across this craggy, bone-dry mountain range where vast salt flats contain some of the world’s largest deposits… Nissan has said that by 2020, one in 10 cars worldwide may use lithium batteries.”
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Seeing red: Next installment in BPA-paper saga
By Janet Raloff – Science News Web edition: Monday, November 8th, 2010

A year ago, I began reporting that a Massachusetts chemist had for years been turning up bisphenol A — a hormone-mimicking chemical — lacing the heat-sensitive coatings on local cash-register receipts. This BPA was used as an integral part of the paper’s color-change chemistry. As additional research teams confirmed his data, consumers (including me) began to ask: How can we identify which thermal papers include BPA? But there had been no means to distinguish between them. Until now.

Telltale red flecks will mark North American thermal-receipt paper that is BPA-free

Wisconsin-based Appleton Paper produces more than half of the thermal receipt paper sold in North America. In the first week in November, it began incorporating tiny biodegradable red rayon fibers in its stock. Resembling tiny eyelashes, they’re visible only on the paper’s back, uncoated side.

Explains Kent Willetts, the firm’s vice president of strategic development, since Appleton is the only company to make — or sell — BPA-free thermal-receipt paper in North America, these fibers offer consumers a way to identify at a glance which papers won’t shed BPA onto our hands and clothes.

His company eliminated BPA from its thermal-receipts paper four years ago when a blizzard of toxicology studies began pointing to potential health threats posed by the chemical.

The marking system took three months to develop and a substantial investment, he notes. “But it’s the right thing to do.”

Because thermal coatings that rely on BPA are such a rich and ubiquitous source of the chemical, several research teams have concluded cash-register and ATM receipts likely constitute the leading source of exposure for most Americans. And a new French government study has just confirmed what most of us didn’t want to hear: that BPA’s tiny molecules easily pass through skin, where they can enter the bloodstream.xxxx

The French data appear to also explain why a new survey of pregnant U.S. women found cashiers had the highest amounts of BPA in their bodies (as evidenced by the concentrations excreted in their urine). <more>
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A new source of dioxins: Clean hands
By Janet Raloff – Science News Web edition: Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

The dirty side of clean – Virtually all liquid hand soaps today contain an antimicrobial additive that, once washed into the environment, can spawn dioxins.

Manufacturers have been adding the germ fighter triclosan to soaps, hand washes, and a range of other products for years. But here’s a dirty little secret: Once it washes down the drain, that triclosan can spawn dioxins.

Dioxins come in 75 different flavors, distinguished by how many chlorine atoms dangle from each and where those atoms have attached (their locations indicated by the numbers in the front part of a dioxin’s name). The most toxic is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, or TCDD. Some related kin bearing four to eight chlorines are also toxic, just less so.

Triclosan’s dioxin progeny belong to this infamous family, but aren’t the ones that have typically tainted the environment. And, before you ask: No one knows how toxic triclosan’s dioxins are. Few investigations have been conducted because chemists considered them arcane and too rare to pose a threat.

Patented in 1964, triclosan quickly found use in medical supplies. By 1987, manufacturers were adding it to liquid hand soaps for the consumer market. Within a little more than a dozen years, three-quarters of all such liquid hand soaps would contain the chemical. And as these soaps were used, triclosan washed down residential drains along with chlorinated tap water, forming super-chlorinated triclosan. <more>
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Good News for Land Donations
from Mass Audubon’s Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup

EEA has announced that they are in the process of writing new regulations to implement the Massachusetts Conservation Tax Credit Program, which will authorize tax credits for certain qualified donations of land to conservation agencies. This was a priority bill for Mass Audubon and many of our environmental partner groups. EEA will be seeking public comment on these regulations and holding a public hearing shortly after the beginning of the New Year.

Details are available on the EEA website.

And in related late breaking news from the legislature’s 6-hour session last Thursday, an amendment to legislation supplementing the state’s FY11 accounts makes the Tax Credit Program a refundable credit. This means landowners would get the full credit amount they are due in the year a donation is approved by a combination of reductions to their state taxes and refund checks. We encourage the Governor to sign the bill.
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Berkshire Botanical Garden College Internship

The Berkshire Botanical Garden is a not-for-profit public garden established in 1934.  Located on 15 rural acres, the Garden consists of 17 display gardens, a woodland preserve, several specialty collections and three greenhouses.

The college internship program is designed to offer hands-on experience at a botanical garden for persons aspiring to a career in horticulture, public gardening and landscape architecture or design.  Interns work with horticulture staff and volunteers in all phases of public garden maintenance and development.  This includes planting, weeding, watering, mulching, pruning, and interacting with visitors.  Students may also become involved in special projects such as accession records, garden inventories, plant signage, or flower arranging. Intern training sessions, public educational programs, and staff field trips are offered to help broaden the students’ horticultural horizon.

Summer internships are 12 weeks, 40 hours per week.  The Internships usually start at the end of May. The program includes housing and a stipend of $7/hr.

REQUIREMENTS
Previous gardening experience and course work in horticulture, public gardening or landscape design are required.  Junior and senior undergraduate students applying for college credit are preferred.  Students must be responsible, self-motivated and capable of the strenuous nature of gardening. Please submit an application.

Applications are due by March 1, 2011
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Scientists Find Way To Reduce Bat Deaths At Wind Turbines

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2009) — Scientists at the University of Calgary have found a way to reduce bat deaths from wind turbines by up to 60 percent without significantly reducing the energy generated from the wind farm. The research, recently published in the Journal of Wildlife Management, demonstrates that slowing turbine blades to near motionless in low-wind periods significantly reduces bat mortality.

“Biologically, this makes sense as bats are more likely to fly when wind speeds are relatively low. When it’s really windy, which is when the turbines are reaping the most energy, bats don’t like to fly. There is a potential for biology and economics to mesh nicely,” says U of C biology professor Robert Barclay, who co-authored the paper with PhD student Erin Baerwald of the U of C as well as with Jason Edworthy and Matt Holder of TransAlta Corporation. <more>
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2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference
from Good Jobs, Green Jobs

You can join some of the most prominent voices in the labor and environmental movements — as well as elected and business leaders — at the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference, which will take place February 8-10 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Conference brings together thousands of union members, environmentalists, business and community leaders for the leading forum for sharing ideas and strategies on how to build a green economy that creates good jobs, reduces global warming, and secures America’s economic and environmental future.

At the Conference, we are highlighting the good, green jobs that are being created across the country. Please help us today by sending in your photos and videos that demonstrate good jobs in the green economy.

Visit www.greenjobsconference.org/greenjobsmediaproject to submit your photos and videos by January 19, 2011. All submitted materials will be considered and may be used by the Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference. Please limit videos to 3 minutes.

So, register today for the 2011 Conference and make sure to book your hotel room.

MACC Applauds Renewal of Conservation Tax Incentive
from EMACC Timely News – an e-newsletter of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners

In December 2010, Congress renewed the enhanced tax incentive for private landowners who donate a conservation easement, known under Massachusetts law as a conservation restriction. The incentive will continue to help commissions work with willing landowners in your communities to permanently protect critical natural areas and historic resources through December 31, 2011.

This incentive applies to a landowner’s federal income tax by raising the deduction a donor can take for donating a voluntary conservation agreement from 30% of their income in any year to 50%; allows farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income; and increases the number of years over which a donor can take deductions from 6 to 16 years.

The enhanced federal tax incentive for donated conservation easements has increased the pace of land conservation since the law first passed in 2006. In the past four years, there has been nearly a 40 percent increase in acreage protected using easements amounting to more than a million acres of land across the United States.

In addition to the federal incentive, the state’s new conservation income tax credit will go into effect in January 2011. In combination, these two incentives will go a long way.

The new Massachusetts law allows landowners who voluntarily donate qualifying conservation land to a city or town to receive a tax credit. The state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) must first determine that a property proposed for donation meets public interest standards for natural resource protection. Eligible lands include those that protect drinking water supplies, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, and those that boost the tourism, agricultural and forest product industries. The incentive further requires that gifts of land are permanently protected. The tax credit is valued at 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the land, and each tax payer is limited to $50,000 per gift; the credit cannot exceed the donor’s annual state income tax liability, but may be carried forward for 10 consecutive years. The federal tax deduction and state income tax credit may be used together as part of one donation of land. When combined with other local, state and federal funding tools, such as state bond and grant funding, local communities across Massachusetts will be able to increase the protection of natural resources.

MACC will work with EOEEA to make sure the new conservation tax at the state level is implemented fairly across the state; we will also support efforts to make the enhanced federal tax deduction a permanent part of the US Tax Code.

For a more comprehensive analysis of the federal tax incentive, please see the Financial Incentive for Conservation Easements article in the MACC May/June 2010 Newsletter.
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DCR Landscape Designation comment period extended to Friday, January 21st
Due to the holiday season (and a major winter storm), and a desire to elicit as much public input into the DCR Landscape Designation process as we can, the agency has decided to extend the written public comment period by one week – the deadline for written comments on the DCR Landscape Designation process is now Friday, January 21st.

Written comments can be sent to either:
Designation.comments@state.ma.us

or to

DCR
Landscape Designation Comments
251 Causeway St, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114

As a reminder – the draft Selection Criteria and Management Guidelines report are still available on the DCR website – if you misplaced your copy, or would like to share the link with others who may not have been able to attend one of our workshops, this report can be found at:

DRAFT%20Management%20Guidelines%2011%2015%2010

Finally, notes taken by the breakout groups during the public workshops held on the Landscape Designations can be found at:
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/forestryfvppast.htm
(Please note – 5 of the 7 meetings are currently posted – notes from the final 2 meetings should be posted by the end of this week.)

Jessica A. Rowcroft
Resource Management Planner
Department of Conservation & Recreation
251 Causeway St, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114
ph:  617.626.1380
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Notice to Adopt a Conversion Method for Stormwater Treatment
NOTICE from MassDEP

– November 1, 2010 –
As part of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Wetlands Program’s ongoing efforts to reduce stormwater pollution, notice is hereby provided that MassDEP will adopt a computational method in 90 days for purposes of sizing manufactured proprietary stormwater treatment practices. This method is designed to convert the Water Quality Volume (WQV), required for stormwater treatment, to the equivalent peak water quality flow (WQF) rate. This computational method will be incorporated into the Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook and will be required for Notices of Intent submitted after February 1, 2011. No amendments to the Wetlands Protection regulations are proposed.

The Wetland regulations at 310 CMR 10.05(6)(k)(4)(b) require structural stormwater management practices to be sized to capture the required WQV determined in accordance with the Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook. The full WQV must be captured to treat runoff to remove 80% of the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) load. If the required WQV is not captured, additional, untreated stormwater will bypass the system and carry pollutants directly into wetlands. The computational method to be adopted will ensure the WQV is properly converted to the equivalent peak flow rate. This method will ensure that the WQV is adequately treated.

This standard method to convert the regulatory stormwater volume to a peak flow rate is the result of the recommendation of the Proprietary Best Management Practices Subcommittee of the Stormwater Management Advisory Committee which includes stormwater treatment product manufacturers. The Subcommittee reviewed multiple techniques to determine the most appropriate method to calculate the peak flow rate volume equivalent to the required WQV. In addition, the Subcommittee relied on a series of studies by researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to select and support the computational method adopted.

Development and publication of this method is intended to provide a consistent, fair, independent, and equitable approach for municipalities and the regulated community to ensure that proprietary stormwater treatment systems are designed to meet the Stormwater Standards and provide sufficient environmental protection.
The new method will be incorporated into MassDEP’s Stormwater Handbook and does not require amendments to existing regulations.

Printer-friendly version of this Notice: MS Word 53 KB
Formula for conversion: MS Word 642 KB
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Williamstown land preservation projects completed

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation (WRLF) announces the preservation of 117 of farmland and 12 acres of Hemlock Brook watershed land in Williamstown.

The WRLF worked with the Galusha family to facilitate the preservation of 117 acres of their farm, Fairfields Dairy,  through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program, a purchase of development rights program created almost 30 years ago to preserve the state’s most productive farmland.

The Galusha family has been farmers in Williamstown for many generations.  Their farm is the largest dairy operation in Williamstown and has an unusual percentage of soils classified as Prime Farmland and State Important for this area of Northern Berkshire , making it a strong candidate for protection through the APR program.

The farmland is located along Green River Road , one of Williamstown’s most scenic roads, and Blair Road , has frontage along the Green River, and contributes significantly to the rural character of South Williamstown .
Leslie Reed-Evans, Executive Director of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, states:  “The WRLF is most grateful to the Galusha family for working to preserve their land, to the Commonwealth for its strong support of land preservation through programs such as the APR, and to the Williamstown community for their support of the Community Preservation grant to help make this project possible.”   The Fairfields Dairy preservation project was a high-priority one for the WRLF as part of their farmland protection program and their efforts to promote a viable local agricultural economy.

Richard Lamb and Holly Taylor donated 12 acres of land off Sweetbrook Road and adjacent to town-owned Margaret Lindley Park to the WRLF on December 29, 2010.  Through this gift they are ensuring permanent public access to and preserving a significant section of Hemlock Brook.   The land expands an area of open space that includes Town and privately owned conservation lands.

The property offers significant potential for expanding the Margaret Lindley Trail system, providing the public with the opportunity to enjoy an area not often visited.  Large hemlock trees line the brook, a tributary of the Hoosic River .  Protecting the clear mountain streams that feed the Hoosic has been a priority for the WRLF, which also owns 35 acres along the brook upstream, near the former Williams College Berlin Mountain ski area.

“The WRLF is most grateful to Richard and Holly for adding this scenic and important conservation property to the inventory of publicly accessible lands in Williamstown” says Reed-Evans.  Work to improve the existing informal trails and an official dedication will take place in the summer of 2011.

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is a non-profit, member-supported land conservation trust committed to preserving the rural New England character of Williamstown and the surrounding area, celebrating its 25th year in 2011.  Its headquarters are located at Sheep Hill, a conservation property and former small family farm.  The WRLF hosts educational programs and events at Sheep Hill and other properties throughout the year.  For more information visit www.wrlf.org. 
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WestSide Farm Project Seeks Land Donations
January 1, 2011

PITTSFIELD – Area non-profit organization WestSide Farm Project is seeking parcels of land in Pittsfield to convert into community organic vegetable gardens. In 2010, the organization operated three community gardens in the Westside neighborhood allowing hundreds of low-income individuals to add abundant quantities (over 3000 pounds!) of organically-grown fresh produce to their diets.

WestSide Farm Project is looking for vacant lots starting at about 2,000 square feet, with good exposure to sunlight. We can use demolition sites, lots that need trees and shrubs removed, odd-shaped lots that might not be suitable for building…as long as there’s plenty of sun and it’s not on a steep grade, it might work for us.

It is never a waste of time to evaluate a potential garden space. We encourage anyone who might be interested in donating land to contact us. Unless there’s a building on the space, or the property is on a steep hillside, we wouldn’t rule it out without a visit.

In addition to providing multiple benefits to the community, there can be significant tax benefits for the donors themselves.

WestSide Farm Project is eager to open new gardens in virtually any area in Pittsfield.  We accept land transfers, easements, leases, and licenses.

Any landowners considering property donations to WestSide Farm Project should contact Thom Pecoraro at 413-329-1400.
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WestSide Farm Project is a program of Wyomanock Center, Inc. http://wyocenter.org


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FARMER WANTED

Wyomanock Farm is a small sustainable farm located in eastern Rensselaer County of New York. In 2010, Wyomanock Farm was founded by members of the community who were intent on finding healthy, chemically-free, locally grown products. Wyomanock Farm’s sister organization Wyomanock Center operates WestSide Farm Project, an urban community garden program in neighboring Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In 2010, WestSide Farm Project grew over 3000 pounds of vegetables.

In 2011, there will be opportunities to contribute to a wide variety of on-farm activities, potentially including educational programs. The farmer will bring skills necessary to planning and developing small farms.  We seek a dependable, good-natured farmer with an interest in organic farming and education; good communication skills, and an ability to take initiative and multi-task. Knowledge of permaculture a plus.

The farmer will be expected to work hard 5 1/2 days per week in exchange for room & board and a modest stipend and vegetables when bountiful. Potential for profit sharing opportunity.

Open application period from January 1st – March 1, 2010; however, the position will remain open until filled.
Please contact Thom Pecoraro at thom@designwithearth.com for more info.
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WestSide Farm Project is a program of Wyomanock Center, Inc. http://wyocenter.org
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Massachusetts Winter Microloan Deadline: Jan 28, 2011

The Carrot Project is pleased to announce that the Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund for New England Farmers and the MassDevelopment/Strolling of the Heifers Small Farm Loan Program serving residents of Massachusetts will be accepting prequalified applications for our Winter deadline through January 28, 2011 for loans of $15,000 or less.  There is an additional deadline in March of 2011.

For more information, please go to www.thecarrotproject.org/farm_financing or contact Dorothy Suput at 617-666-9637 or at dsuput@thecarrotproject.org.
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BERKSHIRE CHEFS BRING “WHOLE BERKSHIRE HOG” TO NYC’s JAMES BEARD HOUSE
Dinner Highlights Culinary Culture of Berkshires

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Stockbridge, Mass (December 29, 2010) On February 4, 2011, the James Beard Foundation presents The Whole Berkshire Hog, an evening showcasing the culinary talents and farm-to-table efforts of several of the most innovative chefs of the Berkshire region. The foods prepared will be raised, grown and foraged in the Berkshire region.

The Berkshire region is known for its rolling hills and fertile valleys; there are over 66,000 acres of farmland in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. This is the second event by a group of like-minded Berkshire chefs to present the multifaceted culinary artisanship of the region in a venue with the mission “to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America’s culinary heritage and diversity.” The Berkshire area boasts a distinctive culinary movement characterized by a group of sophisticated chefs whose culinary styles are informed by the ever-changing bounty of New England’s seasons and the spirit of collaboration that pervades this close-knit group of farmers, producers and chefs. The unique culinary culture of the Berkshires is informed by an historical farming culture of dairy, orchards and raising animals on pasture (pasture is the county’s biggest “crop,” contributing to the year-round sustainability of the region’s farms). There is a distinctive body of work being produced by Berkshire chefs through the crafts of charcuterie and butchery.

Organized by Brian J. Alberg, Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, the Beard House event will present the cuisine of six chefs working in the verdant Berkshire region today. This event marks Alberg’s eighth appearance at the Beard House. Alberg has been instrumental in galvanizing a Berkshire culinary movement – as a chef supporting local farms, as a farmer raising his own heritage breed pigs (Berkshire, Tamworth and Old Spot) at his Bacon on the Side Farm, as a mentor for youth interested in culinary arts, and as a member of Berkshire Grown’s Board of Directors. According to Alberg, “this food pays homage to the farmer, producer and grower, as well as the animal itself. This is my way of giving thanks and showing respect to those who provide our food and drink by preparing their harvests and products with love, care and skill. The whole animal is used as not to minimize the importance of any part of it and it is joined and complimented by the bounty that our region offers.”

Dinner Showcases Talents of Six Berkshire Chefs and the Products of Berkshire Farms & Culinary Artisans
The Whole Berkshire Hog reception and dinner is a collaboration among a variety of Berkshire chefs, farmers and producers.  The participating chefs are: Chef Brian Alberg of The Red Lion Inn (Stockbridge, MA); Chef Nicholas Moulton of Mezze Bistro/Mezze Restaurant Group (Williamstown, MA); Chef/Owner Lester Blumenthal of Route 7 Grill (Great Barrington, MA); Chef Chris Amendola, Allium/Mezze Restaurant Group (Great Barrington, MA); Sous Chef Matthew Duley of The Red Lion Inn (Stockbridge, MA), and Chef/Owner Dan Smith of John Andrews (South Egremont, MA). Red Lion Inn Sommelier Dan Thomas selected the wines that accompany the dinner’s reception and six courses.

The evening begins at 7:00PM with a reception in the Beard House’s charming Greenhouse Gallery as guests enjoy the following assortment of hors d’oeuvres: French-style Bratwurst Corn Dogs with Ioka Maple Mustard (Brian Alberg), Smoked Tomato & Bacon Bloody Mary (Matthew Duley), Grilled Chorizo with Overmeade Farm Potato Galette (Lester Blumenthal), Pork Rinds & Beer Powder (Chris Amendola), Pig Tail Torchon with Sauce Gribiche (Nicholas Moulton).

The dinner courses consist of the following: Porchetta di Testa with Pickled Vegetables, Peperoncini & Micro Arugula (Nicholas Moulton); Smoked Taft Farm Sweet Corn Bisque with Barrington Ale Braised Pork Shoulder, Crispy Fried Buttermilk Onions & Cilantro Oil (Lester Blumenthal); 48-Hour Sous Vide Spare Ribs with House-made Mustard Kimchi & Carolina BBQ Fluid Gel (Chris Amendola); Grilled Maple-cured Pork Loin, Bayley Hazen Blue Buttered Hominy & Balsamic Braised Kale (Brian Alberg); Slow-roasted Pork Belly, Poached Farm Egg, Dressed Winter Arugula & Cheddar Toast (Matthew Duley), and Mayan Chocolate Cake, Coffee Ice Cream and Candied Bacon Caramel (Dan Smith).

The chefs sourced menu ingredients from a number of Berkshire region farms and artisans including: Bacon on the Side, Ancramdale, NY; Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Sheffield, MA; Equinox Farm, Sheffield, MA; Ioka Valley Farm, Hancock, MA; Overmeade Farm, Lenox, MA; Jasper Hill Farm, Greensboro, VT; Joshua’s Egg Farm, Sandisfield, MA; Shelburne Farm, Shelburne, VT; Mighty Food Farm, Pownal, VT; Peace Valley Farm, Williamstown, MA and Taft Farm, Great Barrington, MA. The dinner takes place at 7:00PM at the James Beard House located at 167 West 12th Street. The price is $130 per person for James Beard Foundation members and $170 per person for the general public. For reservations, please call 212.627.2308.

Destination Boasts Powerful “Buy Local” Movement
Small-town living, and its insular nature, along with a longstanding concern for the environment typical of people who work closely in it, has fostered a culture of sustainability that permeates life in the Berkshires. The region’s fertile valleys nurture over eighty independently owned farms that provide produce, meat, poultry, charcuterie, artisan cheeses and more. In particular, Brian Alberg’s buying practices have a direct impact on the community as he sources a large percentage of The Red Lion Inn’s menu ingredients through the Berkshire Grown (www.berkshiregrown.org) network of farmers – contributing over $400,000 annually to the local economy. There is no better embodiment of the community’s commitment to the “buy local” movement than BerkShares (www.BerkShares.org), the region’s legal currency that is only accepted by local businesses (including The Red Lion Inn) – over two million BerkShares have been circulated since the currency’s introduction in 2006.
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Plastic-Foam Container Ban in San Clemente
from Care2 Causes

The City Council of San Clemente took a big step toward banning plastic-foam containers, a popular disposable packaging choice for restaurants and fast food joints.

The new law was introduced with a 5-0 City Council vote, and if passed, will represent significant progress “toward reducing the most common kind of trash found on beaches and in the marine environment” (OC Register).

Currently, plastic-foam packaging is the cheapest container for dispensing food. Although the ban is likely to increase take-out food prices by several cents, it wasn’t enough of a deterrent to keep Council members from voting it through.

The measure “could come up for a final vote Jan. 4, 2011 and take effect July 1, 2011. The delay is to give restaurants time to use up their stocks of plastic foam foodware and time to arrange for alternative products” (OC Register).

Unlike other states, cities and counties in California have been fearless when it comes to instating unprecedented bans on wasteful packaging.

San Francisco, San Jose, Malibu, Palo Alto, Fairfax, and LA County passed bans on plastic shopping bags, and 50 California cities have already banned plastic-foam containers.

Alternative to-go products made with aluminum, paper, recyclable plastics, plant fiber and bioplastics, are available and already being utilized by some San Clemente businesses.
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