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ACTION ALERT – Save the Endangered Species Act TODAY! 

from Mass Audubon
The Massachusetts Legislature is considering revisions to the state Endangered Species Act (MESA) which would result in an effective repeal of endangered species protections in the Commonwealth.

On June 14, the Joint Committee on Environment approved Senate Bill 1854, An Act relative to land takings (filed by Senator Gale Candaras).  The bill has been sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.  The redraft will:

Place impossible and unprecedented requirements on the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (DFW) to be completed in 7 months, effectively undoing current protections for the 435 species of native animals and plants at risk in Massachusetts.

Inject uncertainty, delays and conflict in the project review process, leading to potential fines and lawsuits against landowners and developers.

Up-end long-standing appeal procedures and case law putting DFW on different footing than every other agency in the Commonwealth.

This unfunded agency mandate would create an unworkable system leaving endangered species unprotected. To learn more, read the letter in opposition signed by 72 conservation and sportsmen’s organizations, which includes a bill summary and FAQ.  Here is the most recent SB1854 text.

PLEASE ACT NOW!

We urge you to contact your state representative and senator – by phone, email or mail – today.  Ask them to protect endangered species and oppose SB1854, An Act relative to land takings and ask them to communicate their position to leadership. In the House, that’s Speaker DeLeo and Chairman of House Ways and Means Brian Dempsey and in the Senate, that’s Senate President Murray and Chairman of Senate Ways and Means Stephen Brewer.

Find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here: www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator

We expect the bill to be sent to the House Committee on Ways and Means this week and the bill may get a new number. We will keep you posted.

Thank you for stepping up to protect endangered species!

 

BEAT Note: Many local organizations including BEAT have signed on to the opposition letter .

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Help Needed to get Constitutional Amendment on the Ballot

With this morning’s news that the Supreme Court has rejected Montana’s challenge to the Citizens United decision, our efforts for a Constitutional amendment become that more critical.  The next big initiative is to get a Constitutional amendment resolution on the November ballot in as many Mass. legislative districts as possible.  We must ensure that voters have the opportunity to make their voices heard in November! 

If you’re not already involved in this ballot effort, your help is urgently needed.  Petition signatures must be submitted to town clerks for certification by July 3, and we need all hands on deck during this final push to meet the deadline!  Many more signatures are needed in your senate district; can you contribute a few hours to help get this on the ballot?

In case you’re not already familiar with the ballot initiative, here’s some info.  Technically, it’s a public policy advisory question: non-binding, and put on the ballot in individual state rep and state senate districts rather than as a statwide ballot question (the signature-gathering requirements are much more manageable this way).  Common Cause Massachusetts and Move to Amend are spearheading the statewide effort, with members of other organizations pitching in; we’re aiming to get the question on the ballot in at least half the state’s districts, and we really want to see Western MA (which was so active in the local resolution movement) well represented. Here’s the text of the proposed ballot question:

Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of a resolution calling upon Congress to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution affirming that (1) corporations are not entitled to the constitutional rights of human beings, and (2) both Congress and the States may place limits on political contributions and political spending?

If you’d like to see this on YOUR November ballot, we need your help to put it there!  Can you contribute a few hours during this final week’s push to get the signatures needed?  Going to places where people gather, like farmer’s markets, flea markets, civic events, or meetings, are especially good places to get signatures. And getting others to join you makes it more fun, and quicker.  (Please also note that if the town clerk in your community only works part-time and is not open on the statewide deadline, Tuesday July 3, your deadline becomes the last day the town clerk is open before that date.)

You can find more information about the Western Massachusetts ballot effort at www.2012ballot.org.  Your senate district also has a district coordinator for the effort, an email address – 2012ballot@gmail.com – and a mailing address: P. O. Box 222, Northampton, MA 01060.)  The website includes a lot of information about the process, and materials you’d need to get started, including downloadable copies of the petition forms. There’s also a list of Western MA communities and the names of the newly redrawn 2012 state senate districts which are used for the ballot question.  Your community is included in Senator Downing’s new “Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden” district, which is the name of the district which goes at the top of the petition.

I’d also recommend that you get in touch with the ballot initiative’s coordinator for your district for info before filling out the forms: he’s Davio Danielson (davio@ninemtn.com, 413-320-2395).

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House Bill 1004, the Green Workforce Development Act

initiating a solar contractor classification and license requirement in Massachusetts is still under consideration with an extended reporting deadline set for June 28, 2012.

More than ever it’s important to call and email your local representatives, committee members and the bill sponsors listed to the right.

Please contact the governors’ office too.

This extension for this bill is good news. As legislators have become more educated, they understand its’ the rational approach to incorporate solar into the Massachusetts Building Code and Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

It builds on the existing Construction Supervisor License Laws for CSL Licensees and follows the same recent model of adding a specialty CSL license assuring competency in general and proficiency in the specialized trade.

It really helps to make your support known the next few days.

Can you convince ten others to leave a voice mail or send an email?

Simply say you know about the issues and support Representative Benson’s bill H 1004 for passage this session.

The contact information for Speaker Robert DeLeo is:
Phone: 617-722-2500
Fax: 617-722-2008
Email: Robert.DeLeo@mahouse.gov

The contact information for Chairman Brian Dempsey is:
Phone: 617-722-2990
Fax: 617-722-2215
Email: Brian.Dempsey@mahouse.gov


To find your State Representative go to:

http://www.wheredoivotema.com
To find the contact information for your State (District) Representative go to: www.malegislature.gov/People/Search

Committee members and the bill sponsors are listed to the right. Please contact them and the governors’ office too….

You might mention support of Senate Bill 2214 as well; this is important legislation for clean energy this session and has many of the same sponsors as House Bill 1004

S2214, An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth
THANKS SO MUCH and best regards!

Chris

http://www.masolarlaws.com

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It’s that time of year again!

Be Warned About the Dangers and Problems of Giant Hogweed!

Please pass along the following resources. Giant Hogweed has been identified in Berkshire County in Alford, Blandford, Becket, Chester, Lee, West Stockbridge, Monterey, Huntington-just to name a few!

Please report sightings to: The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR).
The MDAR Hogweed report form is at: http://massnrc.org/pests/hogweedreport.aspx

Check out New York State’s website on GH: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.html

Including Health Hazards: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/72556.html

Berkshire Conservation District will have printed materials from the above websites available in hard copy upon request. Please call (413) 443-1776 x 102 to request a copy or stop by the office at the Conte Federal Building at 78 Center St. Pittsfield.

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How much of the grid can be renewable?

June 18, 2012

by Steven Weissman, Legal Planet

How far can we go in converting our power supply to renewable sources?  On June 15th, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory provided a partial answer when it released a “Renewable Energy Futures Study.”  The team undertaking this analysis was comprised of experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as from various national labs, including the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The report finds that we have the ability today to operate the grid reliably even if 80% of the power in the year 2050 came from a mix of renewable sources. And we could achieve the 80% level with renewable energy technology that is already on the shelf. The report further concludes:

The flexibility, needed to keep supply and demand in balance with high levels of renewable generation, can come from relying on “flexible conventional generation, grid storage, new transmission, more responsive loads, and changes in power system operations,” and

“The abundance and diversity of U.S. renewable energy resources can support multiple combinations of renewable technologies that result in deep reductions in electric sector                greenhouse gas emissions and water use.”

Although the report is full of detail and nuance, and there are more questions to answer, this study complements other recent analyses by concluding that we already have the technical capability to rely almost exclusively on renewable energy to produce the electric power we need. We can do it, but will we?  <MORE>

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Orion Magazine Hosts McKibben, Kolbert, and Strand Atop Mount Greylock, July 8

Join three acclaimed authors for a roundtable discussion and enjoy the one-hundred-mile view

 

Come celebrate the release of Thirty-Year Plan, a new book from Orion, with Elizabeth Kolbert, Ginger Strand, and Bill McKibben, July 8, at 6 p.m. The three writers will participate in a discussion moderated by Orion’s Editor Jennifer Sahn about what we need to build a better future.

 

The event is free and the setting is Bascom Lodge at the summit of Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. Dinner will follow the discussion at 7 p.m. (not included, reservations required, call 413/743-1591). Find more information and directions at www.bascomlodge.net.

 

Ponder some of the big questions of our day with Orion, an award-winning, thirty-year old, nonprofit publication based in Great Barrington.

 

Questions? 413/528-4422.

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 Orion’s annual wiffleball fun-raiser is 2 weeks away!

Happens at Route 7 Grill/Green Drinks in G.B., we are looking for teams of 3-5 who want to compete for the green cause of their choice. July 5th! If you’re in town and not traveling for the holiday, get some friends together! Teams pay $25 each, and the winner of the single elimination tourney gets the whole pot for the (hopefully local, green) cause of their choice. Send Erik an email w/ your team info: <ehoffner@orionmagazine.org>.

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Song Deadline Extended for Tropical Storm Irene Songs

 

The Connecticut River Watershed Council, a conservation group based in Greenfield, MA, has announced that it is extending the deadline for song submissions to July, 15, 2012 for its Tropical Storm Irene benefit concert. Original songs, inspired by Irene’s flooding, will be featured in a “Goodnight Irene” concert to be held at Memorial Hall at Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA at 7pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, the first anniversary of the storm.

 

This will be the 4th in a series of “Living Along the River” concerts produced for CRWC by Greenfield songwriters Pat and Tex LaMountain.

 

According to Pat, who is CRWC’s Finance Director, “Our communities are still reeling and recovering from the effects of the devastation, and our wounds are still on the mend.  There are stories to be told, and crafting them into a song is a fine way to bring them forward and hopefully help us all make peace with the personal and economic consequences of the flooding”.

 

Songs are coming in from Western Massachusetts, Central and Southern Vermont, and even one from a “valley native” living in Maryland. “We are giving writers a bit more time to let the inspiration grab hold and to fine tune their efforts… songs take time to evolve,” adds Tex.     One local writer commented that he was finding it difficult to approach the subject with his “usual sense of humor”.    One of our favorite lines so far is “I’d like to trust the rain again.”

 

We are fortunate to be presenting these songs at Deerfield’s “large auditorium” and extend our welcome to residents of the watershed and beyond. Proceeds from the concert will help underwrite CRWC’s annual Source to Sea Cleanup, to be held on Saturday, September 29, 2012.

 

If you know of a story that could be told, and need help weaving it into a song, we may be able to help.

To learn more go to www.ctriver.org.

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Sappi Fine Paper North America Seeks Entries for Ideas That Matter Design Grant Program

Sappi Fine Paper North America has announced a call for entries for Ideas that Matter, an annual grant program that provides monetary support to produce the creative ideas of designers working for social good. Sappi established the Ideas that Matter program to recognize and support designers who donate their time and talent to create communications materials for a wide range of charitable activities.

Since the program’s debut in 1999, Sappi has awarded more than $12 million in grants to designers who are performing pro-bono work for nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded to projects that enhance lives and positively impact society across a wide range of issues, reflecting the concerns and needs of communities that designers live in and care about most.

Individual designers, design firms, agencies, in-house corporate design departments, design instructors, individual design students, and design student groups performing pro bono work for a nonprofit organization are eligible to apply.

Project concepts and design entries are evaluated on creativity, potential effectiveness, and the practicality of the implementation plan. Applications must include the mission statement of the benefiting nonprofit organization and proof of its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt (or Canadian equivalent) status.

Grant awards will range from $5,000 to $50,000 per project and may be used to cover implementation and out-of-pocket costs.

For complete program information and the entry form, visit the Sappi Web site.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Additional info about this grant opportunity

More than a decade ago Sappi Fine Paper North America— the maker of McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo — established the Ideas that Matter grant program to recognize and support designers who generously donate their time and talent to a wide range of charitable activities. Even today, Ideas that Matter remains the only grant program of its kind in the industry. Since 1999, Ideas that Matter has funded over 500 nonprofit projects, contributing $12 million worldwide to causes that enhance our lives, our communities and our planet. Sappi believes that the creative ideas of designers can have an impact beyond the aesthetic and that those ideas can be a powerful force for social good. Working together with our customers, we aim to make a difference.

Deadline

Application deadline is July 20, 2012. Grants will be announced in September 2012. Ideas must be fully implemented within six months of receiving awards.

Application needs

Your application must include the following:

  • Mission statement of the benefiting non-profit organization
  • Written description of the proposed project, including a list of elements within it
  • Brief description of the project’s objectives
  • Visual presentation of your proposed idea
  • Project timeline and proposed budget
  • Summary information about the applicant
  • Your resumé
  • Samples of your previous work

For both the visual presentation and samples of previous work, please do not send CDs or a website URL as judges will not have access to computers and will have no way to review your work.

Where to send entries

Send your completed application form and requested supplementary materials to:

Ideas that Matter
Sappi Fine Paper North America
89 Cumberland Street
Westbrook, Maine 04092

Who may apply

Ideas that Matter is open to individual designers, design firms, agencies, in-house corporate design departments, design instructors, and individual design students and design student groups.

What kinds of projects may be submitted

All communication projects that support the needs of the nonprofit and meet the conditions and requirements of the program will be considered. At least a portion of the project should be printed. Additional elements may include a variety of communication mediums such as outdoor signage, t-shirts, banner advertising, print advertising, websites, html campaigns, or other media.

What budget items may be submitted

Grant awards, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per project, may be used for implementation and out-of-pocket costs, including photography, illustration, paper, printing, mailing and related expenses. Your grant cannot be applied toward the designer’s time, hardware or overhead elements, such as computers or rent.

Selection process

Applications are reviewed by an independent committee comprised of leaders in the design industry. Evaluation of project concepts and design will be based on creativity, potential effectiveness and practical plan for implementation. All requested information and materials can be submitted on the official entry forms or reformatted in a separate presentation. If your entry is reformatted, please make sure to include all information in the order in which it is requested. The decisions of the judges are final.

Conditions & restrictions

  • All grant monies must be used within six months of receipt.
  • No charity may cite Sappi or Ideas that Matter as a supplier of a grant without prior written permission from Sappi.
  • Sappi employees and family members and agencies conducting business with the company are ineligible.
  • Grant recipients who find they are unable to execute the chosen program may enlist the help of the non-profit organization to complete it.
  • Submitted concepts not awarded a grant will remain the intellectual property of the applicant. However, Sappi has the right to retain copies of and reproduce the submissions as part of its promotion of the Ideas that Matter grant program.
  • Sappi reserves the right to reproduce and promote the funded campaigns as case histories.
  • Grants are not paid out as a lump sum, but as they are implemented. As expenses are incurred, either the designer or the nonprofit must submit a request for payment on official letterhead, along with the supporting invoice(s).
  • Applicants who want their materials returned must include a written request with their submitted proposal.

Publication rights

Sappi reserves the right to publish and promote the completed work made possible by the Ideas that Matter grant. Grant recipients may also be asked to participate in Sappi educational seminars and conferences, or to share their programs with others in the graphic arts community. Sappi reserves the right to reproduce any design submissions, along with pertinent case histories, in materials produced to promote and support the Ideas that Matter program.

For more information

Call 800-882-4332 or visit www.na.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA.

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Do you know a teen who is looking for something to do this summer?

We have openings for 13 and 14 year olds to attend:

Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center’s Teen Expeditions

August 13 through August 17
9am – 3pm

Teens will choose a different adventure each day and venture out for kayaking, canoeing, archery, hiking, navigating with GPS and compass, fire building, campfire cooking and other survival skills.
Teens will develop leadership and team building skills while they practice and sharpen their outdoor living skills. With enough interest, we will also offer one overnight during the week.

Scholarships available for both boys and girls. (applications at www.dykenpond.org)

Registration forms can be found on our website at www.dykenpond.org
Registration fee: $175 per week; $155 members

Limited openings still available for 6 through 12 years olds as well.

July 23 – July 27                6 – 8 year olds
July 30 – August 3            9 – 10 year olds
August 6 – August 10      11 -12 year olds (very limited space)

Please contact the Center for more information at: (518) 658-2055 or dykenpond@fairpoint.net or visit the website  www.dykenpond.org

 

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