The BEAT News November 14, 2012

News Headlines

EPA Tells PEDA They Do Require a Permit

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responded to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority’s (PEDA)’s letter of 9/27/2012. The letter from PEDA was saying that PEDA should not have to monitor the water it discharges into Silver Lake because they are not an “industrial” site. However, all monitoring to date shows that PCBs are being discharged from their property into Silver Lake. Therefore BEAT believes that PEDA most certainly must keep monitoring this water, and that they – or General Electric Company – must find a way to stop sending PCBs into the lake.

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Shale Gas in Massachusetts

Shale gas basins have been identified.
Will there be winners and losers?
When might development start?
What are the potential environmental impacts?

This program will provide an information-exchange opportunity among experts with experience of areas where shale-gas has been developed and citizens and communities in central Massachusetts where shale-gas might be developed. A principal citizen concern is likely to be that of the potential impact on the long-term environmental sustainability of water sources and water-dependent ecosystems. However, in addition to environmental issues in areas of shale-gas development, there are typically legal and jurisdictional questions concerning property rights, property values, infrastructure capability, planning and zoning authority and economic benefits. The objective of this program is to facilitate informed discussion to ensure that when the time comes for energy development in the Hartford Mesozoic Basin, that science-based policy decisions are made that will best serve the interests of citizens in central Massachusetts.

“All Welcome” – but it costs $100 – see flyer and presenters brief biographies

December 13th, Amherst, Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Lincoln Campus Center, One Campus Center Way
Room 163C

Program Organizer:
American Ground Water Trust
501(c)(3) education organization

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Emerald Ash Borer Public Comment Period

from the Department of Conservation and Recreation

At public meetings held on October 16 and October 17, in Pittsfield and Sturbridge, respectively, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the USDA’s Forest Service addressed the implications surrounding the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in western Massachusetts.

Central to these meetings was the issue of establishing a quarantine boundary within the state that would restrict the movement of certain wood products under certain conditions. Attendees participated in a question‐and‐answer session and were invited to offer feedback, both during the course of the meetings and subsequently, in order to help guide the state’s actions as it moves forward with responding to the discovery of this destructive pest.

If you would like to view the presentations made by the state and federal agencies at the public meetings, they are posted at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/forestrygeneralpast.htm. In addition, we encourage you provide your input during a public comment period that has been extended through the close of business on Wednesday, November 21, 2012. Comments can be submitted by emailing dcr.updates@state.ma.us, noting “EAB” in the subject line; calling 617‐626‐4974; or writing to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Public Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114.

Future communications will address the results of EAB monitoring efforts, the establishment of a quarantine area in MA, the scheduling of workshops and “train‐the‐trainer” programs, and other actions aimed at preventing the spread of this invasive beetle.

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Berkshire Grown Announces Largest Thanksgiving Holiday Farmers’ Markets Yet

A sixty-nine vendor lineup is slated for the Great Barrington and Williamstown markets, held on November 17 and 18 and organized by Berkshire Grown, supporting agriculture and food producers in the Berkshire County region

 

GREAT BARRINGTON and WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (November 8, 2012) –The most highly anticipated farmers’ markets in the Berkshires are hosted by Berkshire Grown during the autumn months when the chance to buy from local farmers and food producers is a rare special occasion.

 

Berkshire Grown’s Holiday Farmers’ Markets will be the largest Thanksgiving markets held to date in the organization’s four-year-history of providing the opportunity for local farmers and food producers to market during an extended season in New England.

 

This year, Berkshire Grown will present 69 regional vendors between two locations at their fourth annual Thanksgiving Holiday Farmers’ Markets on November 17 and 18 in Great Barrington and Williamstown. Additional markets produced by Berkshire Grown will be held on December 15 and 16 at each location.

 

Berkshire Grown’s Holiday Farmers’ Markets are a seasonal tradition for Berkshire residents and visitors alike who are offered a bountiful and dizzying array of choices for the holiday table. Shoppers will find locally grown eggs, meat, poultry, produce, micro greens, and tasty prepared delights such as handcrafted cheese, wine, pickles, kim-chee, sauerkraut, tempeh, marinara sauce, condiments, preserves, bread, pies, cookies, honey and maple syrup. In addition to edible items, the markets will feature locally made and produced candles and candle holders, dried flowers and wreaths, gift baskets, goat pelts, and hand-spun yarn.

 

“Berkshire Grown’s aim is to keep our farmers farming,” says Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown. “Our Holiday Farmers’ Markets extend the season for Berkshire area farmers. The markets are the most delicious way to strengthen our local economy because when we buy from farmers the money goes directly into their pockets and we get to eat locally grown food. It’s a win-win.”

 

Berkshire Grown’s Thanksgiving Holiday Farmers’ Markets will be held on Saturday November 17 at the Muddy Brook Elementary School Gymnasium, 318 Monument Valley Road, Great Barrington, and on Sunday November 18 at the Williams College Towne Field House, 82 Latham Street, Williamstown. Each market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be live music at both venues and a selection of lunch items will be available for purchase. The markets are free and open to the public.

 

The Great Barrington November market will present 34 vendors including Barrington Bites, Bean Yarn, Berkshire Mountain Bakery, Berkshire Organics, Berkshire Wildflower Honey, BerkShore, Berle Farm, Broody Hill Cookies, Bug Hill Farm, Cedar Farm, Community Cooperative Farms, Cricket Creek Farm, Farm Country Soup, Farm Girl Farm, Foggy River Farm Vegetables, Fox Hill Farm Grassfed Beef, H.R. Zeppelin Handmade Chocolates, Hillhome Country Products, Indian Line Farm, Justamere Tree Farm, Klara’s Gourmet Cookies, Leahey Farm, Markristo Farm, Mayflower Farm, Maynard Farms, The Meat Market, Naga Bakehouse, North Plain Farm, Ooma Tesoro’s, Project Sprout, Raven & Boar, Sweet Brook Farm, Tortured Orchard, West River Creamery, and Zehr & Sons Mushroom Farm.

 

The Williamstown market will host 35 vendors in November including 3-Corner Field Farm, , BabyCakes, Berkshire Organics, Berkshire Wildflower Honey, Berle Farm, The Berry Patch, Bug Hill Farm, Cedar Farm, Climbing Tree Farm, Community Cooperative Farms, Cricket Creek Farm, East Mountain Farm, Elmartin Farm, Farm Country Soup, Gammelgarden Creamery, Gramercy Bistro, Green River Ambrosia, Hawk Dance Farm, Hosta Hill, Ioka Valley Farm, Jaeschke’s Orchard, Klara’s Gourmet Cookies, The Meat Market, Mighty Food Farm, Mountain Sea Wearables, Naga Bakehouse, Ooma Tesoro’s, Peace Valley Farm, Queen’s Greens, Raven & Boar, Sweet Brook Farm, Tortured Orchard, West River Creamery, Wild Oats Market and Wildstone Farm.

A major sponsor of the markets is the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources which provided financial support to promote buying directly from Massachusetts farmers as part of the state’s “Massachusetts grown…and fresher!” campaign. Their website http://mass.gov/agr/massgrown/ provides links to local farmers throughout the state.

Williams College is also a major sponsor of the markets. As part of Williams College’s ongoing commitment to sustainable food and local agriculture, the College is again co-sponsoring the markets by donating the Williamstown venue as well as providing funding toward the event. The Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program and The Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives are supporting the markets as a community partnership to further incorporate the principles of sustainability into the fabric of campus life.

In addition to generous support from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Williams College, a major sponsor of the event is The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce. Additional sponsors include Berkshire Co-op Market, Berkshire Organics, Kimball Farms, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Mezze Bistro + Bar and Allium Restaurant + Bar, Sweet Brook Farm and The Red Lion Inn.

Berkshire Grown’s Holiday Farmers’ Markets connect farmers and food producers directly with members of the community, strengthening the Berkshire Grown farm-to-table network. The Holiday Farmers’ Markets create new opportunities for farmers and food producers to increase sales of locally produced and preserved agricultural products, helping to boost the local economy.

Berkshire Grown supports and promotes local agriculture as a vital part of the Berkshire community, economy and landscape. The non-profit organization’s mission is to “Keep farmers farming!” It is the “go-to” network linking farmers and the Berkshire community. Through events, workshops, promotions, advocacy and education highlighting locally grown and produced food, Berkshire Grown helps to create a thriving local food economy. For more information or to become a member, see berkshiregrown.org or call (413) 528-0041.

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River Network Releases Newsletter on Fracking

from Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE)

River Network has devoted an entire issue of its River Voices newsletter to the subject of hydrofracking. The newsletter, titled Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction, contains eight informative articles that explore and demystify the various issues surrounding fracking. The newsletter is prominently featured on the AWE Hydraulic Fracturing web page along with other resources about this controversial natural gas extraction process.

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Keep Berkshires Farming – Two New Sub-regions

Keep Berkshires Farming, a grassroots-driven effort working to research and implement strategies for supporting a vibrant local food system, has been up and running for the past year in the southwest (area 4) and north (area 1) portions of the county. This work will be folded into the regional plan as part of a Food and Agriculture Plan for the region; local communities will also receive action plans specific to their sub-region. The central Berkshires communities are now preparing to launch Keep Berkshires Farm-ing in their regions this November (area 2) and December (area 3). Topics we’ll be working on include getting more local produce in area schools, supporting value-added product creation in the region, enhanced distribution, addressing hunger and nutrition in our communities, linking new farmers with land, and working with retiring farmers on succession planning. Anyone interested in get-ting involved in any of the regions can contact Melissa Adams of the Glynwood Center at mladams@glynwood.org or BRPC Senior Planner Amy Kacala at akacala@berkshireplanning.org or x12.

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Northampton Community Preservation Committee Recommends Six Projects

At its meeting on November 7, the Northampton Community Preservation Committee (CPC) recommended funding for six projects.  The Committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Mayor during the coming week, and are expected to come before City Council in December. Contingent upon acceptance of the Committee’s recommendations and conditions by the City Council, the following projects will receive CPA funding.  CPA funds may be expended on open space, historic preservation, affordable housing, and creation of outdoor recreational facilities.

Northampton State Hospital Fountain, State Hospital Memorialization Committee: $75,000
This project includes rehabilitation of the cast-iron fountain that was once located on the hospital grounds, and placement in a pocket park on Village Hill that will serve to honor the former hospital’s patients and employees.

Invasive Plant Control at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area, Broad Brook Coalition: $7,400
These funds will allow BBC to continue efforts to control and eliminate several different species of invasive plants that are damaging critical habitats essential to the health of native wildlife and plants.

Local Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program, Northampton Agricultural and Conservation Commissions:  $35,000
The Northampton APR program reimburses farmland owners for a value up to the difference between fair market value and agricultural value, in exchange for a permanent deed restriction that ensures the land will continue to be farmed.  The funds are also used as the local match for parcels that enter into the state APR program.

Connecticut River Greenway Park, Northampton Office of Planning and Development: $190,000
These funds will be used to begin work at the Greenway Park at the site of the former asphalt batching plant on Damon Road.  The project includes construction of docks, a pathway along the river, parking area, and access to the historic New Haven and Northampton Canal.  CPA funds will be used as the local match for a state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities Grant for which the City applied this summer.

‘Conservation Fund’ Northampton Conservation Commission:  $60,000
This fund creates opportunities for protection of open space and agricultural parcels in Northampton by allowing for fast action on time-sensitive real estate opportunities.  The Fund creates an at-hand resource to conduct necessary due diligence work prior to acquisitions.

Veterans’ Field Baseball Field Renovation, Northampton Recreation Department: $45,000
This project will complete renovations to Veterans Field on West  Street, with construction of a 90’ baseball diamond that was relocated when the skate park was created.

Please visit: http://www.northamptonma.gov/cpc for more information about these projects and others, and information about the CPC.

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3rd Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference
2nd Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference

Save the Date:  April 24, 2013  @  DCU Center, Worcester, MA

Call for Sponsors, Exhibitors, Speakers, Posters*

Details @ http://masccc.eventbrite.com

 

The Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conferences connect stakeholders from government, business, communities, campuses, and non-profits.  Everyone interested in sustainability would find this conference practical and valuable.

Engage in cross-sector dialogues

Learn about best practices, research, current trends, products and services

Go home with ideas, connections, and resources to implement sustainability practices

WHO WILL ATTEND

  • State and municipal government staff
  • University/schools staff, faculty and students
  • Business owners and representatives
  • Non-profit and community members
  • Everyone interested in sustainability
  • 75+ SPEAKERS / LEADING EXPERTS
  • Government: state and municipal
  • Universities/Schools
  • Businesses
  • Non-profits
  • 40+ EXHIBITORS
  • Businesses with products and services for communities and campuses
  • College programs
  • Government departments
  • Non-Profit and community organizations

BENEFITS

  • Showcase your sustainable community and campus initiatives to hundreds from across the Commonwealth
  • Meet leaders and organizers who come to our conferences seeking to create, manage and expand community and campus initiatives
  • Attend an affordable, accessible, professional event that attracts an audience who will benefit by knowing about your work
  • Participate in a conference that was preceded by six events that were sold out in advance:   www.MassGreenCareers.com and www.MaSustainableCommunities.com.

 

*Call for Sponsors, Exhibitors, Speakers, Posters
Sponsors, Exhibitors:  Request registration information.
Speakers, Posters:  See TOPICS OF INTEREST at http://masccc.eventbrite.com and apply before December 7, 2012.

CONTACT
Jen Boudrie, Conference Director, JenBoudrie@gmail.com, 508-481-0569

http://masccc.eventbrite.com

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Renewed Commitment to Energy Efficiency to Provide Unprecedented Electricity and Natural Gas Benefits for Consumers, Environment, and the Economy

from Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

 

Boston – November 14, 2012 – The Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) has given its approval to the 2013-2015 Three-Year Energy Efficiency lnvestment Plans (2013-2015 Plans). Based on an agreement between the Patrick Administration, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and the state’s energy efficiency program administrators (PAs), the 2013-2015 Plans expand Massachusetts’ nation-leading goals for electricity and natural gas savings from energy efficiency investments into its second multi-year agreement.

 

The EEAC approved a resolution on the Plans to provide input to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), which is expected to vote on approval of them in January 2013. The 2013-2015 Plans were filed with the DPU on Friday, November 2, 2012.

 

The energy-saving agreements for the 2013-2015 Plans commit the state’s investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities and the Cape Light Compact to deliver benefits of $8.92 billion with a budget of $2.01 billion over three years through innovative, customer-focused programs that will deliver unprecedented savings and provide short and long term benefits for customers, as well as the economy and the environment.

 

“Massachusetts is leading the nation in energy efficiency. This plan builds on that leadership, while providing substantial savings to homeowners, businesses and municipalities,” said Governor Deval Patrick.

 

The energy efficiency investments will save 3.7 million MWh of electricity in 2015 from the improvements installed over the three years of the plan — enough to power more than 500,000 households for one year. They will also save over 72 million therms over the same period, enough to heat more than 70,000 homes for a year.

 

“Reducing our energy consumption will yield significant environmental benefits and help control high energy costs that burden consumers in Massachusetts,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said.  “The utilities have proposed aggressive, but achievable, energy savings goals, and it remains important for them to monitor those programs to ensure that ratepayers are receiving the full environmental and economic benefits promised.”

 

The cost of the plan over three years will be funded primarily by distribution charges on electricity bills and the proceeds of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative allowance auctions. Benefits are both economic and non-economic, and include the value of avoided energy purchases, reductions in operations and maintenance costs, as well as reducing pollutant emissions and increased worker productivity.

 

“As the nation continues to recover from a recession, we know just how important utility bill savings are to people,” said EEA Secretary Rick Sullivan. “This plan delivers benefits critical to everyone in the Commonwealth, and helps protect our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

“Massachusetts is an energy efficiency leader because so many of us are working together to meet our clean energy and climate goals,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “The efforts of the Attorney General, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, the PAs, and my team are again setting a high bar for improving private and public buildings, boosting the economy, and making our environment healthier for everyone.”

 

“Investing in energy efficiency is good for consumers, the economy and the environment,” said Senator Benjamin Downing, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “This three year plan will build on our nation-leading efforts and will help families and businesses avoid unnecessary energy costs. I applaud the council for their work and look forward to the vigorous implementation of the plan.”

 

The Green Communities Act signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008 requires the state’s investor-owned electric and gas utilities and the Cape Light Compact, which deliver the Mass Save® programs, to prepare energy efficiency plans that secure for their customers all available cost-effective energy efficiency and demand reduction resources. Following an exhaustive process led by Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office, the utilities agreed to goals and program costs that will be reviewed by the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) in November.

 

“Massachusetts’ nation-leading energy efficient efforts make for a strong economic and environmental strategy,” said Jeremy McDiarmid, EEAC member and Massachusetts Director for ENE, an environmental non-profit research and advocacy organization.  “This agreement will help us address climate change here in Massachusetts while creating over $8.7 billion in economic benefits.”

 

“The electric and gas utilities have shown incredible leadership in developing these plans. There is no doubt the plans will bring unprecedented cost savings to customers and measurable environmental benefits to the Commonwealth,” said Robert Rio, EEAC member and Senior Vice President of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM).

 

The 2013-2015 Plans include commitments by the PAs to ambitious energy savings goals that will support the objectives of the GCA, the Global Warming Solutions Act, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. The Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 mandates a gradual GHG emissions reduction and a scheduling of emissions goals that is designed to spur innovation and promote research and development in the clean energy industry. The Commonwealth set a 2020 reduction target of 25 percent below 1990 levels, and released the plan outlining a portfolio of policies and programs to meet the goal.

 

The current Three-Year Energy Efficiency Investment Plans (2010-2012) were noted as one of the reasons Massachusetts ranked #1 in the nation for energy efficiency by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in 2012, the second straight year the Commonwealth earned this ranking.

 

By the end of 2012, the current three-year effort is estimated to save the equivalent of powering more than 363,000 homes for a year, heating nearly 57,000 homes, and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 288,235 cars.

 

Energy efficiency improvements by homeowners, business, and state and local government across the Commonwealth in 2011 resulted in savings equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 109,000 homes, the annual natural gas usage of nearly 15,000 homes and the annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from more than 84,000 cars. The results are outlined in the 2011 Report of the EEAC, recently filed with the Legislature.

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Join Author Craig Childs and Orion Magazine Tomorrow in Pittsfield

 

The earth has died many times, and it always comes back looking different. In his new book, Apocalyptic Planet, award-winning author Craig Childs takes readers on a firsthand journey through apocalypse, touching the truth behind the speculation. He’s on tour for Apocalyptic Planet, which is a combination of science and adventure that reveals the ways our world is constantly moving toward its end and how we can change our place within the cycles and episodes that rule it.

 

Tomorrow, November 15, Orion Editor Jennifer Sahn will introduce Craig Childs at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, located at 28 Renne Avenue, Pittsfield, MA, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Learn more about Childs’s journey to some of the harshest environments on our planet and his discoveries of just how swiftly the earth can change. The event is free to the public—invite your friends!

 

Orion will be on hand with copies of several recent issues of the magazine, including May/June 2012, which includes an excerpt of Apocalyptic Planet, “Rule of the Phoenix.” Childs’s books will be available for purchase, provided by The Bookstore.

 

Craig Childs is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed books about natural sciences, archeology, and his remarkable journeys to the edges of our globe. He is a regular commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition, and his work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Outside, Orion and various other publications. For more information about the author, please visit www.houseofrain.com.



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Host an AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) Team! – update

2013 Request for Proposal   for AmeriCorps NCCC. Please use the link to share with your partners.  I am able to extend the Concept Form deadline for Round 1 if folks are interested.  Since our initial communication, we have confirmed future dates for 2013 program year.  Please find those dates below.

 

Future dates: 

Round 1 (March 9 – April 28)

Application deadline – November 9, 2012

 

Round 2 (May 6 – May 31)

Concept Forms – due December 17th

Application deadline – January 28, 2013

 

Round 3 (June 21 – July 30)

Concept Forms – due January 14th

Application deadline – February 25th

 

Round 4 (August 3 – September 19)

Concept Forms – due March 6th

Application deadline – April 17th

 

Round 5 (September 28 – November 6)

Concept Forms – due May 6th

Application deadline – June 17th

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FY2013 Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grants.

These grants may be used by communities to facilitate community involvement in developing an area-wide plan for brownfields assessment, cleanup and subsequent reuse on a catalyst site and other high-priority brownfield sites. Each grant is funded up to $200,000 for two years. The proposal submission deadline is November 30, 2012. Grant guidelines & frequently asked questions are available at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm .

 

Excerpted from http://www.epa.gov/oswer/docs/grants/epa-oswer-oblr-12-06.pdf:

 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA grant funds for projects from eligible entities to facilitate community involvement and conduct research, training and technical assistance necessary to develop area-wide plans and implementation strategies to facilitate brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse. Brownfields area-wide planning grant funding must be directed to specific areas affected by a single large or multiple brownfield sites, such as a neighborhood, downtown district, city block or local commercial corridor. The grant funding will result in an area-wide plan, including implementation strategies, for the brownfields-affected area. The brownfields area-wide plan will inform the assessment, cleanup and reuse of brownfields properties and promote area-wide revitalization.

 

ELIGIBILITY: Entities eligible to receive grant funding through this RFP include:

  • General purpose unit of local government.
  • Land clearance authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general purpose unit of local government.
  • Regional council or group of general purpose units of local government.
  • Government Entity Created by State Legislature.
  • Redevelopment agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a state.
  • A state that is serving in a fiscal and administrative capacity on behalf of a local community, where the local community leads the BF AWP process.

 

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