Thank you to Rachel Branch, producer of the television show Solutions Rising for including a “BEAT” series for people to learn more about the fracked gas pipelines proposed to bring gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania across New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to a gas hub in Dracut, MA. The show interviews many people providing information about the proposed pipelines as well as the many alternatives to these pipelines.
Join Berkshire Grown chefs as they create a farm-to-table menu to celebrate spring at the March Maple Dinner on Monday, March 21, 2016 at Cranwell Resort in Lenox. The dinner will benefit Berkshire Grown and its project, Share the Bounty, which buys shares in local farms for food pantries and community kitchens. Proceeds Benefit Berkshire Grown and Its Project, Share the Bounty.
What do you want for your rivers?
The Connecticut River Watershed Council and Art for Water are creating a “river of words” to draw attention to the federal relicensing of five major hydroelectric facilities from Turners Falls, MA to north of Hanover, NH. This public participation, community art project will tell a thousand stories to improve the ecological health and recreational opportunities of the Connecticut River. Come add your voice at: Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA on Saturday, March 5 at 1 PM. Press release from The Connecticut River Watershed Council.
Should Electricity Ratepayers Pay for New Natural Gas Pipelines in Massachusetts?
Eversource, one of the state’s large utilities, has asked the Massachusetts department of public utilities (DPU) for permission to make its electricity ratepayers foot the bill for new natural gas pipeline infrastructure. The utility’s filing comes after the DPU authorized this type of action, and the DPU is taking comments on the Eversource proposal this week. But this idea brings up a lot of questions. Blog post by John Rogers, senior energy analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists, February 24, 2016.
Charting a Course: Next Generation Energy Efficiency
The NEEP Policy Outreach & Analysis team is pleased to present the Fifth Annual Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy. The Regional Roundup is intended to give policymakers, regulators, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of the progress of energy efficiency policies and programs across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. This year’s Roundup is through the lens of “Next Generation” Energy Efficiency. What are the most advanced states doing, and what steps can policymakers take to keep their states moving forward? The Roundup sheds light on these topics and more. From Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships.
EPA Moves to Cancel the Insecticide Flubendiamide
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a notice of intent to cancel all Bayer CropScience, LP and Nichino America, Inc., flubendiamide products that pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates that are important to the health of aquatic environments. Required studies showed flubendiamide breaks down into a more highly toxic material that is harmful to species that are an important part of aquatic food chains, especially for fish, and is persistent in the environment. EPA concluded that continued use of the product would result in unreasonable adverse effects on the environment. EPA requested a voluntary cancellation in accordance with the conditions of the original registration. Press Release from the U.S. EPA, March 1, 2016.
Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow urges action to phase out flame retardants
Toxic flame retardants are linked to cancer, nervous system damage, decreased fertility and other health problems, and they are found everywhere. They are in items such as furniture (including baby furniture), children’s products like toys or car seats, carpet pads, electronic equipment and many more common household products. Worse, these flame retardants are ineffective at stopping fires! The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow is supporting two bills in the Massachusetts state legislature that would ban the sale of children’s products and household furniture containing toxic flame retardants.
Jobs
Full-Time Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance, Nursery and Shop Positions available – Helia Land Design
Office Manager – Mass Audubon Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries
Executive Director – Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)
Commissioner & Associate(s) – Egremont Conservation Commission
Office Manager, Part-time – BNRC
2016 Berkshire Land Conservation Summer Internships – BNRC
2016 Berkshire Trail Crew – BNRC
Spotlight on local food at Berkshire Grown’s MARCH MAPLE DINNER March 21st!
Proceeds Benefit Berkshire Grown and Its Project, Share the Bounty
Join Berkshire Grown chefs as they create a farm-to-table menu to celebrate spring at the March Maple Dinner on Monday, March 21, 2016 at Cranwell Resort in Lenox. The dinner will benefit Berkshire Grown and its project, Share the Bounty, which buys shares in local farms for food pantries and community kitchens.
The celebration is being curated by Chef Adam Zieminski, of CafeADAM in Great Barrington. The event begins in the Mansion Music Room at 6 pm with hors d’oeuvres provided by Amber Hemenway of Methuselah Bar and Lounge, Wes Malzone of BerkShore and David Jordan of Cranwell Resort. There will be beverage tastings from local makers: Barrington Brewery, Berkshire Mountain Distillers and Big Elm Brewing.
At 7 pm, people will sit down to an extraordinary dinner served family style in the Mansion Ballroom with wine donated by M.S. Walker Wines and coffee courtesy of Barrington Coffee Roasting Company. In addition to Adam Zieminski, this year’s chefs are:
- Ben Daire, Alta
- Douglas Luf, Marketplace Catering
- Joshua Needleman, Chocolate Springs
- Gustavo Perez, The Southfield Store
- Jeffrey Thompson, Wheatleigh
The evening will feature a Live Auction for an Eight course Tasting Dinner with Wine pairings for eight guests at The Old Inn on the Green. There will also be an opportunity to sponsor shares in Share the Bounty at the Live Auction. “Berkshire Grown is committed to growing a thriving regional food economy,” says Barbara Zheutlin, Executive Director of Berkshire Grown. “We host the March Maple Dinner to connect farmers, chefs and community members in a celebration highlighting local food to celebrate spring.”
Tickets, by reservation only, are $100 for Berkshire Grown members, $125 for non-members. For reservations call the Berkshire Grown office at 413-528-0041; for more information visit http://berkshiregrown.org/join-us-at-the-2016-march-maple-dinner/. Tickets for non-members are available on EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/march-maple-dinner-2016-tickets-21734959850. The Mansion at Cranwell Resort is located at 55 Lee Road/Route 20 in Lenox, MA. Guests are encouraged to “make it an overnight,” with a $99 special lodging price for the night at Cranwell Resort. Please call 413-637-1364 for details and reservations; mention the March Maple Dinner to obtain discount. www.berkshiregrown.org. Support Local Food and Farms!
What do you want for your rivers?
Press Release from The Connecticut River Watershed Council
February 26, 2016
The Connecticut River Watershed Council and Art for Water are creating a “river of words” to draw attention to the federal relicensing of five major hydroelectric facilities from Turners Falls, MA to north of Hanover, NH. This public participation, community art project will tell a thousand stories to improve the ecological health and recreational opportunities of the Connecticut River. Come add your voice at: Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA on Saturday, March 5 at 1 PM.
“We are working together to bring a public opinion art installation to the State and Federal government,” says Andrew Fisk, Executive Director of the Connecticut River Watershed Council. The government is in the process of making decisions about how these dams will operate over the next 30-40 years. “You have a unique opportunity to influence how 200 miles of the Connecticut River and its tributaries from Montague, MA to north of Hanover, NH will be managed, restored and improved”— for all who live here.
You will want to engage in this interactive art project at the Great Falls Discovery Center on Saturday, March 5 at 1PM. “We are building an inspiring and influential art exhibit that is made up of your stories and aspirations for our rivers. It’s called the Power of Water, The Power of Words because our voices do have the power to influence positive change.” Come and add your voice.
To learn more about The Power of Water The Power of Words presentation call 413-772-2020, ext. 206.
Should Electricity Ratepayers Pay for New Natural Gas Pipelines in Massachusetts?
By John Rogers, senior energy analyst, Clean Energy
Union of Concerned Scientists | The Equation blog
February 24, 2016
In a recent post on Massachusetts’s electricity mix—past, present, and future—I flagged natural gas as a fuel that the state has already become dependent on in a big way, and something we have to be careful about not over-investing in. It turns out that this is a clear and present issue in Massachusetts, and that this is the week to do something about it. And there are plenty of reasons to think that the path the state seems headed down on natural gas is not the way to go.
Eversource, one of the state’s large utilities, has asked the Massachusetts department of public utilities (DPU) for permission to make its electricity ratepayers foot the bill for new natural gas pipeline infrastructure. The utility’s filing comes after the DPU authorized this type of action, and the DPU is taking comments on the Eversource proposal this week.
But this idea brings up a lot of questions. Here are a few:
Massachusetts is a “restructured” state… so why am I having to pay for a particular fuel?
Massachusetts overhauled its electricity sector almost two decades ago. A big part of restructuring was separating electricity generation from electricity distribution. That means that your electric utility—the company that owns the wires leading up to your house and bills you each month—doesn’t own the power that supplies you; it just passes through to you the costs based on whatever electricity supplier you’ve chosen.
So the idea of you paying for natural gas pipelines supplying power plants that you might not even sign up to get power from—an investment in infrastructure that might not even serve our broader long-term needs—is… odd.
Have we done this before?
Er, nope. The office of state Attorney General Maura Healey questioned the legality of what the DPU was considering when this issue first came up. And here’s how it reacted to the DPU’s authorizing decision:
“The Attorney General’s Office is concerned that the Department of Public Utilities’ (DPU) order for the first time authorizes electric distribution utilities to enter into long-term capacity agreements to facilitate gas pipeline expansion—and shift the substantial costs and risks of such long-term investment in pipeline infrastructure to electricity ratepayers.”
Do we even need more pipelines?
That’s a key question. And the answer is: probably not. At least, there are plenty of indications that we don’t actually need the pipelines that are being proposed, that there are other, more attractive ways to go about this, ones less likely to lock us in to costs—and emissions—that we aren’t going to want.
Notably, a report commissioned by the AG Healey’s office found that “the region can maintain electric reliability through 2030, even without additional new natural gas pipelines.” A better answer, they showed, is “cheaper, less carbon intensive ways to ensure electric reliability, like energy efficiency and demand response, that are less risky for ratepayers.”
Another useful analysis, carried out for the Conservation Law Foundation, also came to the conclusion that new pipelines aren’t the way to go (emphasis added):
“One proposed solution is to ‘flood the market’ with new gas via one or more new pipelines, with the multi-billion dollar cost to be borne by electric ratepayers. The other solution… is to maximize the use of existing infrastructure in both the delivery and storage of natural gas… [A]dding additional pipeline capacity is the most expensive and least effective means of addressing New England winter-peak deliverability.”
What the attorney general’s study found. (See infographic here.)
http://www.mass.gov/ago/docs/energy-utilities/reros-infographic.pdf
Your turn
Eversource isn’t the only Massachusetts utility looking to have its electricity customers pay for pipelines (National Grid, for example, is trying it too), but it’s the first to come up at the DPU.
In a perfect world, the science would guide the decision making on stuff like this, and we’d be all set. But sometimes science needs a little help. If you want to weigh in on the side of science to help Massachusetts reach a rational decision about where we go with natural gas, now’s your chance.
Submit your comments to the DPU on the Eversource proposal this week.
Charting a Course: Next Generation Energy Efficiency
From Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
The NEEP Policy Outreach & Analysis team is pleased to present the Fifth Annual Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy. The Regional Roundup is intended to give policymakers, regulators, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of the progress of energy efficiency policies and programs across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. This year’s Roundup is through the lens of “Next Generation” Energy Efficiency. What are the most advanced states doing, and what steps can policymakers take to keep their states moving forward? The Roundup sheds light on these topics and more.
EPA Moves to Cancel the Insecticide Flubendiamide
Press Release
U.S Environmental Protection Agency
March 1, 2016
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a notice of intent to cancel all Bayer CropScience, LP and Nichino America, Inc., flubendiamide products that pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates that are important to the health of aquatic environments.
Required studies showed flubendiamide breaks down into a more highly toxic material that is harmful to species that are an important part of aquatic food chains, especially for fish, and is persistent in the environment. EPA concluded that continued use of the product would result in unreasonable adverse effects on the environment. EPA requested a voluntary cancellation in accordance with the conditions of the original registration.
EPA had issued a time-limited registration to the companies with conditions that were understood and agreed upon. If unreasonable adverse effects on the environment were found by EPA, the companies would submit a request for voluntary cancellation of all flubendiamide registrations within one week of EPA notification.
After being informed of the EPA’s finding on January 29, 2016, the companies were asked to submit a request for voluntary cancellation by Friday, February 5, 2016. They rejected EPA’s request to submit a voluntary cancellation. Subsequently, EPA initiated cancellation of all currently registered flubendiamide products for the manufacturers’ failure to comply with the terms of the registration.
Flubendiamide is registered for use on over 200 crops, including soybeans, almonds, tobacco, peanuts, cotton, lettuce, alfalfa, tomatoes, watermelon, and bell peppers, with some crops having as many as 6 applications per year.
Crops that have been properly treated with flubendiamide or that may be treated with existing stocks can still be sold legally. Provisions on handling existing stocks of the pesticide will be finalized once the products have been cancelled.
To view a copy of the Notice of Intent to Cancel and all supporting documents: https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/flubendiamide-notice-intent-cancel-and-other-supporting
The registrants or adversely affected parties have 30 days from the date of the Notice to request a hearing. Details on how to request a hearing are contained within the Notice of Intent to Cancel.
Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow urges action to phase out flame retardants
February 23, 2016
Toxic flame retardants are linked to cancer, nervous system damage, decreased fertility and other health problems, and they are found everywhere. They are in items such as furniture (including baby furniture), children’s products like toys or car seats, carpet pads, electronic equipment and many more common household products. Worse, these flame retardants are ineffective at stopping fires! We are affected by flame retardants every day, have been from the time we were born, and will continue to be unless we take action.
The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow is supporting two bills in the Massachusetts state legislature that would ban the sale of children’s products and household furniture containing toxic flame retardants. Legislators need to hear from you. Take action now and let your state legislators know that you want Massachusetts to join the other states that have already banned toxic flame retardants and have taken initiative to protect our most vulnerable.
As scientific studies provide mounting evidence of health risks associated with toxic flame retardant chemicals, increasing public concern has pushed manufacturers and retailers to take steps on their own to eliminate these toxins from their products. Some, such as Ashley Furniture, Crate and Barrel and Macy’s, are already phasing flame retardants out of their products, and we need a law to ensure that all Massachusetts children are protected, not just those whose families shop at certain stores.
The bills:
S.1132 – An Act to protect children and families from harmful flame retardants (sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem) and H.2119 – The Children and Firefighters Protection Act (sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Decker) will both ban the sale of certain flame retardants, such as PBDEs and Clorinated Tris, in children’s products and household furniture for sale in Massachusetts. Learn more about these bills here.
Massachusetts is not alone!
Thirteen states have banned PBDE and/or Chlorinated Tris chemicals for use in children’s products and/or residential furniture. PBDEs, are so widely regarded as toxic that they have been banned in 172 countries.
Jobs
Full-Time Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance, Nursery and Shop Positions available – Helia Land Design
We are an accredited Organic Land Care Company that specializes in Native Plants, Ecological and Sustainable Landscape Design, Wildflower Meadows, Site Restoration, Edible and Fine Gardens. We are expanding and currently have openings in the following positions:
Landscape design – The right candidate will have a strong background, full knowledge and experience in site surveying, base mapping and design, autoCAD and SketchUP, with a good knowledge of plants, especially natives. This position will require some field/installation work. You must be energetic, hardworking, physically fit and a positive team-oriented person.
Installation and Garden Maintenance – We are looking for full time, energetic, hardworking, physically fit, positive, and team-oriented people to join our installation and garden maintenance teams. Experience with native plants, perennials, vegetables, small machinery, garden installation and maintenance is preferred. We are willing to train.
Nursery and Shop – We are looking for experienced greenhouse and nursery personnel to assist with growing and maintaining our plant stock, as well as qualified and personable staff to assist customers with their retail purchases in our shop.
Please call 413-274-1400 to apply or email your resume to helialanddesign@gmail.com.
Office Manager – Mass Audubon Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries
Mass Audubon is seeking an Office Manager to join our Berkshire Sanctuaries team. The position is based at Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Lenox, MA.
Responsibilities
- Perform a variety of office management and administrative duties;
- Manage all financial data including invoice payment, receivables, budget reconciliations, gifts and cash receipts;
- Develop marketing and publicity materials including social media, print pieces, e-newsletter, posters and press releases;
- Oversee online program registrations;
- Greet visitors, answer phones and provide trail information to visitors;
- Work with Mass Audubon headquarters staff to implement statewide initiatives for membership and information security;
- Manage and market facility rental program;
- Manage occasional fundraising or other events;
- Supervise maintenance of office equipment including printers, copiers, and phone system;
- Supervise visitor services staff;
- Manage Canoe Meadows Community Gardens registration;
- Manage Pleasant Valley Day Camp registration;
- Occasional weekend hours for special events;
- Attendance at 2-3 statewide Mass Audubon A-team meetings per year, required;
- Other duties as required.
Qualifications
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
- Excellent interpersonal and customer relations skills;
- Exceptional attention to detail and a highly organized approach;
- Ability to work both collaboratively and independently;
- Ability to manage a wide variety of tasks
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher);
- Basic skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop and InDesign) desirable;
- Experience managing social media and electronic newsletters;
- BA or equivalent experience;
- A sense of humor is welcome;
- Valid drivers license
- Must pass a background record check (CORI, SORI and driver’s).
How to Apply
Please email your resume and cover letter with the subject “Office Manager Position” to:
Executive Director – Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)
CTIC OPENS SEARCH FOR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The board of directors of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is searching for a new executive director as Karen A. Scanlon moves to another opportunity at Dairy Management. Inc., where she’ll be helping to support the sustainability and social responsibility initiatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
“We’re sad to see her leave CTIC, but are delighted that Karen has found an exciting new role in the agricultural sustainability space,” said Alan Ayers of Bayer CropScience, CTIC board chair. “Karen has done a great job and has been very successful in moving this organization to new heights, which will ease the transition into new leadership.”
“CTIC has grown significantly in size and scope under Karen’s tenure, becoming a key source of insight on conservation systems, cover crops, nutrient management and economic sustainability for farmers,” Ayers added. “CTIC’s Conservation in Action Tours have set the bar for connecting conservation-oriented people with each other and with the innovative farming systems on the ground. Additionally, the organization has dramatically increased its collaborative projects to become even more effective in building local capacity and championing conservation farming.”
A search committee has begun seeking an experienced leader and manager who can step into a vibrant organization with a dedicated staff and diverse lineup of projects and programs. Candidates for the executive director position should review the job description and contact the CTIC search committee at CTIC@CTIC.ORG. For more information on CTIC, visit www.ctic.org.
Summer Internships – Williams College
Summer Internships on Campus, Berkshire area & U.S. – Also: Summer Internship Funding: Check out dozens of campus and local environmental internships, all eligible for summer funding: Campus Emissions Research, Hopkins Forest Caretakers, Environmental Education, Sheep Hill environmental education, Farm Market/Ag research, Clark Art landscape internship, Environmental Analysis Lab, Hoosic River Watershed Association, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and more…
http://ces.williams.edu/category/summer-jobs/
National/Global Summer Internships:
Dozens of enviro internships and research positions in the US, many developed specificallyby CES alumnae for Williams students HERE
CES Summer Funding for internships and research information and application form here.
Deadline: March 10 (second deadline: April 8).
Position required to apply for funding.
Commissioner & Associate(s) – Egremont Conservation Commission
Egremont Conservation Commission is seeking an additional Commissioner to join the Commission (about 2-4 hours per week, need not be an Egremont resident), and one or more Associates (non-voting position, flexible, could be suitable for high school student or recent graduate). Both positions offer opportunities to learn more about our local wetlands and ecosystems, to provide a needed public service, and/or to build your resume. Some training may be available.
For more information please email concom@egremont-ma.gov.
Office Manager, Part-time –
Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
Berkshire Natural Resources Council, a private, non-profit land trust based in Pittsfield, MA, seeks an energetic and organized person to become its Office Manager. The Office Manager supports BNRC’s programming as it pursues an ambitious conservation vision for the Berkshires.
Duties of the position include general clerical work and maintenance of accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, financial statements, and insurance policies. Proficiency in Quickbooks required; familiarity with real estate transactions is a plus. 20 hours per week with some flexibility; competitive salary. Send resume to Sally Cornwell, BNRC, 20 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201 or scornwell@bnrc.net. No phone calls, please.
2016 Berkshire Land Conservation Summer Internships –
Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
Berkshire Natural Resources Council (www.bnrc.net), a private, non-profit land trust based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is offering its 2016 Rice Fellowship to individuals exploring a career in the environmental field.
The internship dates are May 16 to September 2, with flexibility on both ends.
The 40-hour/week fellowship provides a stipend and lodging in a rustic cabin on Onota Lake in Pittsfield. There is a mix of approximately 90/10 field/office work. Fellows will gain valuable experience in resource management at a successful environmental organization while performing meaningful work in the Berkshires. BNRC is a small organization (staff of seven) unburdened by administrative formality. Rice Fellows enjoy an unusual level of independence compared with many internships; a large amount of self-motivation is required.
Responsibilities
- Public outreach (e.g., leading hikes and coordinating events)
- Land management
- Trail maintenance and construction
- Conservation restriction stewardship
- Invasive plant control
- Boundary work
- Other land management tasks as required
Requirements
- Ability to work unsupervised
- Comfort with being alone in the woods
- Ability to carry a 30 pound pack for 10 miles over rough terrain
- Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions
- Solid communication skills
- Personal transportation required
Fellows will gain:
- Trail-building skills
- Leadership skills
- Understanding of conservation restrictions
- Orienteering and boundary maintenance skills
- Understanding of ecological restoration theory and practice
- Basic understanding of land management techniques and challenges for land conservation
Interviews will begin on February 16, 2016. Please feel free to contact with questions or for more information. Applicants should email cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three references to:
Michael Leavitt, mleavitt@bnrc.net, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, 20 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201. (413) 499-0596
2016 Berkshire Trail Crew –
Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
Berkshire Natural Resources Council (www.bnrc.net), a private, non-profit land trust based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is hiring 2 trail crew members for the 2016 season.
The season runs from May 31 to September 2 with some flexibility on both ends.
BNRC maintains more than 50 miles of trail, with more to be built in 2016. Trail crew members will work with the Trails and Outreach Coordinator to maintain existing trails and construct new ones. The crew will work with and alongside youth and professional trail crews. Some backcountry camping may be required. Members must have a high level of self-motivation, as the crew will often work without supervision. An hourly wage and free housing in a rustic cabin on Onota Lake in Pittsfield is provided. A head trail crew position is available for the right applicant.
Responsibilities
- Trail maintenance and construction
- Work with youth and professional trail crews
- Public outreach (e.g., leading hikes, communicating with hikers, etc.)
- Other stewardship/management tasks as needed
Requirements
- Experience with hand tools required
- Trail crew experience preferred
- Ability to work unsupervised
- Comfort with being alone in the woods
- Ability to carry a 50-pound pack for 5 miles over rough terrain
- Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions
- Experience working with youth preferred
- Personal transportation required
Head Trail Crew Position Requirements
- Trail Crew experience required
- Leadership experience preferred
Interviews will begin on February 16, 2015. Please feel free to contact with questions or for more information. Applicants should email cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three references to:
Michael Leavitt, mleavitt@bnrc.net, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, 20 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201. (413) 499-0596