Become a Wildlife Tracker!Learn “where the wild things are” from one of the best in the business, Sue Morse of Keeping Track® (www.keepingtrack.org). Over the course of six field-based classes learn to identify tracks, sign, trees, and plants to better understand the secret lives of wildlife. Classes take place in northern Vermont and Berkshire County and start in October. To sign up or get more information contact Elia Del Molino, Coordinator of Berkshire Wildlife Trackers, at elia@thebeatnews.org. Berkshire Wildlife Trackers (www.berkshirewildlifetrackers.org) are hosted by Berkshire Environmetnal Action Team (BEAT) and Berkshire Natural Resources Council.
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Largest Coal-fired Power Plant in New England to Shut Downfrom the Better Future Project Brayton Point, the largest coal-fired power plant in New England, announced that it will close by June 2017. All summer long, our network has been rising up against this coal-and-gas-fired power station. In May, it was described as a David vs. Goliath struggle when our courageous friends Ken Ward and Jay O’Hara took to the water and used a lobster boat to block a coal shipment to the plant. In July, they were joined by hundreds of us who rallied against the plant and 45 who were arrested for trespassing on its grounds. And in August, 300 of us marched from Brayton Point to the future site of Cape Wind on the Energy Exodus, building political momentum for a clean energy future. Brayton Point’s owners have cited economic factors as their motivation for closing the plant. And make no mistake about it: economic factors, chiefly the low price of natural gas, played a big (quite likely the biggest) role in this decision. But through our steady drumbeat of actions this summer, we gave the owners of Brayton Point something else to consider; that there were hundreds of dedicated people across the state and the region who would make personal sacrifices and work tirelessly to close this plant. It is hard to imagine how that knowledge was not a factor in their decision to give up the fight. As important as our contributions were, credit is shared widely. Our actions built on the efforts of local activists – several of whom have been fighting for over a decade to close the coal plant – including members of the Coalition for Clean Air. Without their dogged persistence and visionary commitment, along with our partners in the Coal Free Mass Coalition, today’s victory would not have been possible. And, as important as today’s announcement is, we still have much work to do. First, we must ensure that the plant does in fact close by 2017 (it sounds like some appeals are possible) and that Governor Patrick and the Mass legislature ensure a just transition for the plant’s workers and the community of Somerset. Second, we must not let our guard down and allow one fossil fuel to be replaced by another—already, there are three natural gas plants slated for construction in the state. We must not let them be built. We must stand strong for a just transition and fight for the true solutions of efficiency, conservation, and renewables, because that is the only fair and just way we can meet our energy demand without destroying our communities, poisoning our air, and risking climate disaster. Fighting for those true solutions is our charge moving forward. It’s a challenge we heartily embrace in our Deval Patrick Climate Legacy Campaign. Today, we should celebrate. Our movement has real power, and change is in the air. Tomorrow, we will build on our success and fight for the better future we all need and deserve. Will you join us? Here’s how you can help: 1) Sign up to join the Climate Legacy campaign and push Governor Patrick to ensure a just transition for workers and Somerset and make sure we replace coal with conservation, efficiency, and renewables, not natural gas. 2) Sign up to join the State Campaign Summit on November 2nd, where leaders around the state will come together to learn about and engage in our two campaigns, the Climate Legacy campaign and the State Divestment campaign to push MA to be the first state to divest from fossil fuels. 3) Tweet! Here are three sample tweets for Governor Patrick: @MassGovernor #braytonpoint is closing. Let’s replace w/ efficiency/conservation/renewables. No new gas. This is ur #ClimateLegacy @350Mass @MassGovernor #braytonpoint is closing. Let’s put the nail in the coffin and ban coal. This is your #ClimateLegacy @350ma Onward and upward! Craig P.S. We’ve got some exciting plans coming up this fall, with our fossil fuel divestment campaigns heating up across the state and the launch of the Deval Patrick Climate Legacy campaign, which will put Massachusetts on the right track for a clean energy future. Can you please make a donation to help us build on our summer’s success and keep building the movement to move the Commonwealth beyond fossil fuels? Craig S. Altemose |
DCR Public Meetings – Volunteers in Parks; Draft Rules and RegulationsThe Department of Conservation and Recreation is proud to announce that throughout the month of November, the agency will launch a series of public sessions at various locations across the state regarding DCR’s Draft Volunteers in Parks Program and DCR’s Draft Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations. [BEAT Note: Not one public session is in the Berkshires.] In an effort to make the most of the public’s time, the agency will host five public sessions. At each session we will:
Attached, you will find two separate notices. The first notice pertains to the Draft Volunteers in Parks Program and the second notice pertains to the Draft Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations. It is important to note that all five of the dates and locations in both notices are the same and that both topics will be discussed each night at the scheduled time.
For additional information, please refer to the attached notices.
In addition, each notice provides specific information and instructions on how you can provide and submit written public comment. Please read and follow those instructions carefully for each topic area.
If you have any questions about these public sessions, please call 617-626-4974 or email DCR.Updates@state.ma.us.
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Working with Waterfrom Mass Audubon This week at the State House, Mass Audubon attended an unveiling by Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and her colleagues of a bill to allow for increased borrowing and state and local partnerships for cities and towns to meet their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs. The bill, An Act improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure (SD1896), also provides incentives for cities and towns to adopt “green infrastructure”, like using soil and vegetation to manage rainwater where it falls. Combining natural processes into our built environment can address stormwater management and flood mitigation, and is a cost-effective way to protect our water supply. The bill will be a legislative priority for Mass Audubon. [BEAT Note: BEAT supports this legislation as well.]
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McDonald’s Switching from Foam to Recyclable Paper Cupsfrom As You Sow Fast-food giant McDonald’s Corp. has announced it will stop serving its coffee in polystyrene foam cups, in favor of paper cups, at all of its 14,000 U.S. outlets. Although McDonald’s stopped using its iconic polyctyrene clamshell food containers in the 1990s amid environmental concerns, it continued serving its coffee in foam cups. In 2011, As You Sow engaged the company asking that it switch to recyclable paper. That year our shareholder resolution received a solid 30% support from investors, which convinced the company to undergo a pilot project at 2,000 West Coast locations. This week, the company deemed the test successful and the paper cup will now become the standard for hot beverages at all U.S. outlets. We congratulate McDonald’s on this move, which will reduce the threat of plastic pollution to the world’s oceans and provide a more recyclable, valuable alternative in paper fiber. We will also continue engaging its competitor Dunkin’ Donuts, which recently began an attempt to recycle its foam cups, to follow McDonald’s lead. Dunkin’ has announced it will also phase out foam cups but has not decided if it will replace foam with paper or other materials. While this is a solid start, McDonald’s still needs to incorporate recycled fiber into the cups and develop on-site recycling programs continue to lead on this waste issue. As You Sow
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CRWC News – September 2013
River Bacteria Results OnlineIf you haven’t been to www.ctriver.us yet, be sure to make this page one of your favorites. This site contains simple and accurate information on the cleanliness of over 110 boating and swimming sites throughout the watershed. Now in its fourth year, this partnership launched by CRWC and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission includes 11 organizations and towns collecting information along the Connecticut River and its tributaries.
Help us spread the word! Use of the site has more than doubled since last year with over 4,000 unique visitors this past summer! Visit www.CTRiver.us and click on ‘Is It Clean?’ to see a map of all 110 sample sites and bacteria results for sites throughout the watershed.
Thank you for your support of CRWC and the water monitoring program. The 2013 monitoring season is winding down but we’ll be back out there next year. We hope that you’ll visit www.CTRiver.us often, especially before you plan to go boating or swimming.
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Berkshire Museum presents An Infinite OdysseyThe four-part series of illustrated talks by photographers Dan Mead and Sally Eagle begins with striking images of Antarctica
On Saturday, October 12, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at Berkshire Museum, embark on a four-part visual journey to some of the most majestic and breathtaking locations in the world as international photographers Dan Mead and Sally Eagle of MeadEagle Photos share their stunning images of wildlife, nature, and foreign cultures along with fascinating tales of their extensive travels. The Museum will present An Infinite Odyssey, a four-part series of talks by Mead and Eagle, as part of the new BeMuse program of monthly curator talks, artist discussions, and special film screenings. The first talk in the series is Ultimate Antarctica: Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula, which will include images of Adelie, Chinstrap, and King penguins, the changing glaciers, elephant seals and more. Each talk will begin at 10:30 a.m. and light refreshments will be served. The event is free with Museum admission, but seating is limited so reservations are requested by calling 413.443.7171 ext. 10. Unclaimed reservations will be released 5 minutes before the start of the lecture and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Upcoming topics are Untamed: Wild and Endangered Animals; India, Myanmar, and Bhutan – Three Unique Cultures; and Landscapes Around the World. Dates are still to be determined. Dan Mead and Sally Eagle have been traveling the world and taking extraordinary photographs since the late 1970s. They have a store of anecdotal tales of their extensive travels, and when accompanied by their magnificent photographs, they provide a unique perspective for those curious about the world around them. Based in Great Barrington, their mission is to provide high-impact visual images of wildlife, landscapes, and cultures around the world to students throughout the Northeast. They exhibit their images to encourage a dialogue, whether about photography, the environment, or cultures around the globe. For more information on their work, visit www.meadeaglephotos.com
About the Berkshire Museum Located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 39 South St., Berkshire Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $13 adults, $6 children, free for members and children 3 and under. For more information, visit www.berkshiremuseum.org or call 413.443.7171. Berkshire Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. In association with the Smithsonian since 2013, Berkshire Museum is part of a select group of museums, cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share the Smithsonian’s resources with the nation. Established by Zenas Crane in 1903, Berkshire Museum integrates art, history, and natural science in a wide range of programs and exhibitions that inspire educational connections between the disciplines. PaperWorks: The Art and Science of an Extraordinary Material will be on view through October 27, 2013. Objectify: A Look into the Permanent Collection is currently on view. Little Cinema is open year-round. Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation, Worlds in Miniature, Aquarium, and other exhibits are ongoing.
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Documents submitted to Repositories from September 1, 2013 through September 14, 2013Documents submitted to the Berkshire Athenaeum Letter from Richard Fisher (USEPA) to Richard W. Gates (GE), September 5, 2013, Re: Conditional Approval of General Electric’s June 11, 2013 submittal titled Groundwater Management Area 1, Evaluation of Modifying Northside Recovery System Caisson Drawdown Level, GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site Letter (with attached report) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP), September 6, 2013, Re: August 2013 Monthly Status Report; GE Pittsfield ACO/MCP Activities Letter (with attached report) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA) and Michael Gorski (MADEP), September 9, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Monthly Status Report Pursuant to Consent Decree August 2013 (GECD900) Letter from Richard Fisher (USEPA) to Richard W. Gates (GE), September 12, 2013, Re: Conditional Approval of General Electric’s February 27, 2013 submittal titled Groundwater Management Area 3, Groundwater Quality and NAPL Monitoring Interim Report for Fall 2012, GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP) and Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Woodlawn Avenue (Part of Disposal Sites GECD120 and GECD140); Summary of Annual ERE Inspection for 2013
Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP) and Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Former 19s Complex – Part of East Street Area 2-North (GECD140); Summary of Annual ERE Inspection for 2013
Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP) and Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Former 20s Complex (GECD120); Summary of Annual ERE Inspection for 2013
Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP) and Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Former 30s Complex (GECD120); Summary of Annual ERE Inspection for 2013 Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Michael Gorski (MADEP) and Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Former 40s Complex (GECD120); Summary of Annual ERE Inspection for 2013 Letter (with attachments) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA), September 12, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; 40s Complex (GECD120); Summary of Annual Inspection Activities at the Former 40s Complex Documents submitted to the Connecticut Repositories Letter (with attached report) from Richard W. Gates (GE) to Dean Tagliaferro (USEPA) and Michael Gorski (MADEP), September 9, 2013, Re: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site; Monthly Status Report Pursuant to Consent Decree August 2013 (GECD900)
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Preschool Nature Class at Sheep HillThe Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is offering weekly autumn nature classes for preschoolers at its Sheep Hill property Monday mornings from 10:00-11:30 AM beginning October 21. The classes will run through November 18; there is no class on November 11. The weekly classes will include stories, crafts, and outdoor play and nature exploration focusing on how nature prepares for winter. Naturalist and WRLF Director Leslie Reed-Evans will lead the class. The cost for each session is $12 per child, $10 for WRLF members. All sessions are $45, $35 for members. Come to one session or all. Pre-registration suggested. A parent or guardian must accompany each two children. Sheep Hill, a conservation property and the headquarters of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, is the perfect place for children to experience and explore the natural world. This child-friendly conservation property offers room to roam, and indoor facilities for getting out of the weather. For more information contact the WRLF at ruraland@wrlf.org, or 458-2494. The WRLF is a member-supported non-profit land conservation trust dedicated to preserving the rural New England character of Williamstown. Sheep Hill, its headquarters, is located on Route 7, approximately a mile south of the Williamstown rotary. www.wrlf.org.
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Looking for PechaKucha Presenters!Tuesday, October 29, 7 p.m. PechaKucha Nights are back with our final installment of 2013 on October 29 at 7 p.m. (presentations begin at 7:20 p.m.). We are looking for presenters who want to change the world, shamelessly self-promote, share their passion, or…? What are PechaKucha Nights? Loosely translating to “chit-chat” or “blah-blah” in Japanese, a night consists of a series of PowerPoint presentations, each just 6 minutes and 40 seconds. The catch? Each presentation comprises 20 slides, each projected for only 20 seconds, which progress automatically.
Signing up is super simple! Email our organizer, Craig Langlois at clanglois@berkshiremuseum.org with your name, the title of presentation, and a brief description of what you want to present. The cut off for submissions is October 18; PowerPoints are due October 28.
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Workshop on Stormwater Management Design Series of 3 LecturesOn October 10, 17 and 24, the Environmental & Water Resources Institute of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers is hosting a series of lectures aimed at bridging the gap between the engineer’s academic training and the practical methods for analysis and design of effective strategies for handling of stormwater. EWRI Boston Chapter has brought together senior-level design engineers to share their knowledge and expertise on the topics of hydrology, hydraulics, and stormwater quality and best management practices. Each lecture will be held between 4:30 and 7:30 pm on October 10, 17, and 24. A light supper will be provided each night. Conservation administrators/agents are invited to attend one of more of the lectures at the public sector rate. For more information about the lecture locations, agendas and speakers, click HERE.
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Register to attend the MA Smart Growth Conference!Registration for the 2013 Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference November 20th is now open. To learn more about the event, visit the conference page. Individual Registration in 5 Steps:
Group registrations: Please call (508) 743-8564 Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance
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FY 14 Statewide Sustainable Water Management Initiative GrantsDescription: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Bureau of Resource Protection, is pleased to issue this Request for Responses (RFR) for Sustainable Water Management Initiative (SWMI) grants to provide funding for planning assistance, conservation/ demand management, and withdrawal impact mitigation projects in local communities. MassDEP has determined that the focus of these grants will be for: 1) planning projects for specific watersheds or subwatersheds to identify implementation projects to improve ecological conditions; 2) conservation projects aimed to reduce the demand for water within a municipality or a watershed; and 3) withdrawal mitigation projects that address the following: improve or increase instream flow, wastewater projects that keep water local, stormwater management projects that improve recharge, reduce impervious cover and/or improve water quality, water supply operational improvements, habitat improvement, demand management,reduction of wastewater inflow and infiltration, and other projects that can be demonstrated to mitigate the impacts of water withdrawals. The two key components of SWMI, which will inform MassDEP’s future implementation of the Water Management Act program are the determination of Safe Yield and establishment of seasonal streamflow criteria for groundwater withdrawals, as determined by Groundwater flow categories and Biological categories as outlined in the SWMI framework. This grant provides a resource for public water suppliers to develop minimization strategies to address existing impacts and mitigation measures for increased withdrawal impacts at the regional and municipal level. Non-mandatory RFR informational meetings are scheduled at 10:30 am on September 17th, 2013, at MassDEP, Central Regional Office, 627 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, first floor Concord Room, and at 10:30 am on September 18th at MassDEP, One Winter Street, Boston. The purpose of these meetings is to allow applicants an opportunity to ask questions about the RFR, including project eligibility and administrative procedures, in a public setting. Discussion that is not already reflected in the RFR materials, and answers to questions received in writing will subsequently be recorded and posted on www.comm-pass.com . BIDDERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR RESPONSE IN A SEALED ENVELOPE THAT IS CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE RFR REFERENCE NUMBER BRP 2013-06, BY RFR DUE DATE, OCTOBER 25 2013, TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: Department of Environmental Protection One Winter Street, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02108 ATTN: Duane LeVangie, Chief, Water Management Program Telephone: 617-292-5706 Please see attached RFR for additional information. To access the full RFR and supporting documentation, go to http://www.comm-pass.com, click on Search for a Solicitation near the bottom of the page, and then enter BRP 2013-06 into the “Keywords” box. The deadline to respond to the RFR is October 25, 2013.
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