The BEAT News

April 21, 2011

In the News

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Environmental Monitor
Public Notices Alphabetically by town
The BEAT News Archives

Advocacy News (Includes how to reach your legislators)

DEP Enforcement Actions In The Berkshire

Please send items of interest to kristen@thebeatnews.org
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Action Alert! Proposal to Eviscerate Environmental Protection

PLEASE, CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
(This alert was originally sent by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions)

The House Committee on Ways and Means (HWM) released its Fiscal Year 2012 BUDGET PROPOSAL slashing the budgets of the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Ecological Restoration and Natural Heritage and Endangered Species.

Last week, representatives filed amendments to HWM to restore funding for environmental agencies - which suffer continuous, disproportionate cuts year after year. Below is a description of three amendments that need your support. The amendments will be debated on the Floor of the House of Representatives next week beginning on April 25. The deadline for your representative to co-sponsor and support budget amendments is this Friday – as a constituent interested in conservation, your state representative needs to hear from YOU!

MACC urges you to please contact your state representative TODAY, WEDNESDAY or THURSDAY to urge him or her to cosponsor and support these important amendments. Every call and email counts. One survey found that one call to an elected official represents 70 constituent votes! To find out who your legislator is see REPRESENTATIVE

Environmental programs have been slashed 23% in just the past three years. All spending for environmental programs is only 0.46% of the entire state budget.

Please urge your representative to cosponsor these three amendments:

Amendment #566
DEP Administrative - The HWM proposal for DEP is $21.5 million. The amendment, filed by Environment Committee Chairwoman Anne Gobi, would increase DEP’s budget to $24.5 million, the modest increase that was requested by Governor Patrick this year. DEP’s budget has been cut by 40% in the past three years. This agency cannot enforce critical laws and regulations if it does not have staff to do the work. Please support this modest increase for DEP!

Amendment #432
Division of Ecological Restoration - The HWM proposal is down to a mere $350,000 for the outstanding, award-winning Riverways program - cut by nearly 50% in just the past few years. This amendment, filed by Representative Cleon Turner, would increase Riverways budget to $410,000. Please support funding to protect and restore Massachusetts’ rivers, streams, wetlands and water quality!

Amendment #578
Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program - Heritage remains without state operating funds, leaving endangered species protection supported by unstable and dwindling bond money, federal aid, voluntary state tax check-off contributions and permit fees. This amendment filed by Environment Committee Chairwoman Anne Gobi would restore the line item and provide $250,000 in funding for this outstanding, nationally-recognized program.

For more information on the environmental budget, view the MACC-endorsed GREEN BUDGET
Also see MACC's testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee TESTIMONY
Questions? Please contact Linda Orel, 617-489-3930, Linda.Orel@maccweb.org

Please call your state representative today!
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BCC to Host Green Fair Saturday, April 23, 2011.

Berkshire Community College (BCC) will host a Green Fair, Saturday, April 23, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at its main campus, 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. This event is free and open to the public.

Attendees will join with the community to learn about ways they can green-up their lives. Local experts will be on-hand to help individuals learn ways to make environmentally friendly choices. Workshops on global warming, organic gardening, composting, photovoltaic and other green topics will also be available. Other exhibitors include Habitat for Humanity's Restore, CET's secure file recycling, Bedard Brothers will showcase a Honda Hybrid vehicle and Goodwill Industries' will be offering a textile drive.
Birds of Prey, a special exhibition, will be presented at 11 AM.

The Green Fair also boosts entertainment by the Pioneer Valley Fiddlers and the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers. Food will be available for purchase from Starbucks, Haven Cafe & Bakery, Baba Louie's, Bittman Boy Edible Gardens, Sunshine Bagels, and Guido's Marketplace.

The Green Fair is hosted by BCC, the Berkshire Environmental Resource Center at MCLA, and CET- the Center for Ecological Technology.

www.berkshirecc.edu/greenfairor contact Charles Kaminski at 413-236-2105 or ckaminsk@berkshirecc.edu.
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Berkshire County Rx Round Up:  April 30, 10 am - 2 pm

Do you have unused, unwanted or expired medications around your home?  Help protect your family, community and the environment by safely disposing of them at one of the following sites:

Pittsfield:  CHP Neighborhood Health Center, 510 North St.
Lee:  Lee Ambulance, 177 Main St.
Lenox:  Lenox Town Hall, 6 Walker St.
Dalton:  CRA, 400 Main St. 

For more locations in Berkshire County go to:  www.totallyfreeberkshires.org.
BEAT is co-sponsoring this event. We need volunteers to hand out educational
flyers about the effects of Prescriptions and Personal Care Products (PPCP) in our waterways.
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EPA Housatonic Citizens Coordinating Council (CCC) meeting

The next EPA Housatonic Citizens Coordinating Council (CCC) meeting will be held on:

Wednesday, June 22, 2011
5:30-7:30 pm
Berkshire Athenaeum (library)
One Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA
The CCC meetings are public meetings open to everyone. BEAT has a seat at the table for these meetings and usually films the meetings to air on community television.

If you have suggested agenda items, please send them to Patrick Field - pfield@cbuilding.org or Jim Murphy at Murphy.Jim@epa.gov or 617-918-1028.

Attached is a draft summary for the March 2011 meeting, which the CCC will review and approve at the June meeting. If you have suggested agenda items, please send them to Patrick Field - pfield@cbuilding.org or Jim Murphy at Murphy.Jim@epa.gov or 617-918-1028.
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Opportunity for comment on Mount Greylock State Reservation Interpretive Master Plan.

 The Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) sent out a link to the April 12th public presentation about the Mount Greylock State Reservation Master Plan and a link to make comments by May 13, 2011. Please take a look and send in your comments.
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Williams College Students Arrest Discussion

D.C. Arrests Discussion and Q&A Friday, April 22, 4 p.m., Henze Lounge, Williams College

Williams students Sara Finkle, Sasha Macko, Alex Manter, and Jen Rowe were arrested on Friday participating in a civil disobedience direct action in Washington, D.C. in which Andrea Lindsay played a supporting role. Along with five other individuals from around the country, they interrupted Congress's proceedings during a debate on the budget bill. From the visitor's gallery, they sang a modified version of the national anthem demanding that Congress represent the young people of America instead of corporate interests and the fossil fuel industry.

This message was reiterated 10,000 strong during this weekend's Powershift conference, where students from all over the country gathered to do environmental organizing trainings and protest against the damage to communities caused by the coal and oil industries.

The arrested students were brought to the Capitol Police's processing facility, where they spent 6 hours before being released without bail. They have court dates in D.C. for May 3 and May 5 and are hoping to fundraise to help cover transportation and legal costs.

Peaceful Uprising

Washington Post (us)

NYTimes (powershift)
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Beaverwood Energy Withdraws Permit Application for Pownal Biomass Plant, April 18.

http://sustainability.williams.edu/files/2011/04/MotionToWithdraw.pdf
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Principled Activism
Here's audio of Orion magazine's conversation last week between Wendell Berry, Tim DeChristopher, and Teri Blanton on the topic of principled activism - the group discussed effective tactics for  opposing mining practices such as mountaintop removal coal in Appalachia and oil/gas in Utah, and Berry keeps returning to agrarian and holistic thinking throughout to inform his motivations for action. The event ends with a priceless quote about his sheep. So, for your enjoyment,

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/audio-video/
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Report on CO2 Regional Cap and Trade Program

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) began full operation on January 1, 2009, becoming the first mandatory cap-and-trade program to limit CO2 emissions in the United States. Currently, approximately 95 percent of the CO2 emissions from the electric power generation sector in ten states in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions are regulated under the program. RGGI distributes CO2 emissions allowances to the market primarily through auctions, making it distinctive among existing cap-and-trade programs. 94 percent of the CO2 allowances in circulation at the end of 2010 initially entered the market through one of the auctions. By the end of 2010, the RGGI participating states conducted ten successful auctions, selling a total of 319 million CO2 allowances for $777 million.
Link to full report (pdf)
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Public Forum on State Forest Resource Management Plans

Department of Conservation and Recreation
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Public Forum on the Preparation of a Resource Management Plan for the Pittsfield State Forest Planning Unit, to include:

Pittsfield State Forest, Balance Rock State Park, Bates Memorial State Park, Wahconah Falls State Park, Ashmere Lake State Park, Middlefield State Forest, Peru State Forest, Richmond State Forest, South Mountain

Wednesday, May 4, 2011
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Pittsfield Public Library - Auditorium
1 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield

At the forum, DCR staff will share information about the resource management planning process and listen to your questions, concerns, and ideas about recreation, resource stewardship, and park facilities.
The presentation will be available after the meeting on the DCR website at: www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/rmppast.htm.
If you have questions about this forum, please contact Andy Backman by phone at (617) 960-7298, or by e-mail at rmp.comments@state.ma.us. Please put “Pittsfield” in the subject line.
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New Laws for Off-Highway Vehicles

New legislation signed into law by the Governor Patrick in August, 2010 has brought changes to the Massachusetts off-highway vehicle (OHV) laws according to the Massachusetts Environmental Police.  Among the new provisions affecting dirt bike and recreation vehicles are educational requirements for young riders, age restrictions for operators of ATVs, increased penalties for illegal use and the establishment of an OHV program fund to support improved riding opportunities and law enforcement.  It is our sincere hope that these new regulations will greatly reduce the number of accidents and associated injuries or loss of life.  It is our goal to provide a safe environment for all to enjoy the natural resources that the commonwealth has to offer says Environmental Police Director Col. Aaron Gross.

A summary of the new changes follows:

Educational Requirements: As of February 1, 2011, all OHV operators under the age of 18 must take an approved recreation vehicle safety and responsibility course. A parent or guardian of an operator under the age of 16 must attend one mandatory session. Proof of successful course completion must be in the operator’s possession.  More information about educational courses can be found at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/ohvcourselist.htm.

Age Restrictions and Supervision: No one under the age of 16½ years old is allowed to operate a recreation vehicle across a public way unless they are directly supervised by an adult.  Operators age 14-16 are prohibited from driving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or recreation utility vehicle with an engine capacity greater than 90 cubic centimeters. When operating these types of vehicles, the 14-16 year old minor must be directly supervised by an adult.  Children under 14 years of age are prohibited from operating ATVs or Recreation Utility Vehicles, but may operate snowmobiles and dirt bikes under the direct supervision of an adult. Supervising adults must be 18 years or older and must be sufficiently close to the operator at all times to maintain both visual contact and verbal communication with the operator. The supervising adults shall also be held responsible for any operational offenses committed by the minor.  No one under the age of 10 is allowed to operate any recreation vehicle or snow vehicle.

Registration: All OHVs operated on public or private property in Massachusetts must be registered in Massachusetts. Out of state registrations are not valid in Massachusetts.   Under the new law, recreation vehicles used exclusively for agricultural, forestry, lumbering, or construction must also be registered, but may qualify for a registration fee exemption. Registrations must be displayed and in the operator’s possession. Recreation vehicles may be registered electronically at www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/elereg.htm or in person at Environmental Police Registration offices located in Boston, Fall River, Hyannis, Springfield or Worcester.

Penalties and Fines: The Environmental Police and other police officers may issue non-criminal tickets from $250 - $1,000 with additional assessments for subsequent violations. The following laws, when violated are considered criminal offenses and violators could be arrested. All vehicles are also subject to seizure and or forfeiture.

  • Operating recklessly or negligently so lives or safety of the public might be endangered.
  • Leaving the scene without stopping and making known name, address and registration number after colliding with or causing injury to an operator, property, or another recreation vehicle.
  • Operating recklessly or negligently and causing serious injury or death
  • Operating under the influence (with an adult blood alcohol content of .08, or higher). This offence could include a loss of motor vehicle driver’s license.
  • Under 21 years of age operating under the influence (with an adult blood alcohol content of.02, or higher). This offence could include a loss of motor vehicle driver’s license or privileges.

OHV Program Fund : Recreation vehicle registration revenues will be directed to this fund to support safe OHV operation and improved opportunities for enjoying recreation vehicles. Administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the fund provides financial resources for increased enforcement, improved rider education, and the development and improvement of designated recreation trails in Massachusetts. A new OffHighway Vehicle Advisory Committee will advise the agencies responsible for managing recreation vehicle use on the allocation of OHV program funds as well as policies and regulations related to recreation vehicle use.
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife reminds OHV operators that OHV use is prohibited on DFW lands.   The Environmental Police also reminds OHV operators that that anyone operating, riding in or on, or being towed by a recreation or snow vehicle must wear a DOT-approved helmet (Department of Transportation).  OHV operators are still required to obtain landowner permission when operating a recreation vehicle on someone else’s land.

 BEAT Note: BEAT worked hard, along with many conservation partners, to get this law passed. Now we need to make sure it is enforced.
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From the Grassroots Up: Stop Incentives for Incinerators
A strategy meeting for activists working to stop biomass and waste burners

Date & Time: Saturday, May 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Place:  Doyle Center, Leominster MA

(Optional dinner at Monument Grill in Leominster afterwards)

Despite community success in re-instating the Massachusetts incinerator moratorium, and restricting renewable energy credits under the state Renewable Portfolio Standard, there is much to be done to stem the tide of increased industry efforts to site new incinerators and get public subsidies and incentives for these new proposals and existing facilities.

We invite you to join us in examining and discussing strategies to stop the incinerator industry from accessing these public handouts for their toxic technologies, and keep these incinerators out of our communities. 

Meeting Goals

  • Discuss strategies to collaborate and strengthen current community campaigns
  • Examine state and national trends in perverse incentives for incinerators
  • Brainstorm ways to leverage local, grassroots organizing efforts and state, regional and national opportunities to stop existing incentives and derail new ones
  • Identify key points of collaboration and alignment amongst local, state and regional campaigns

This meeting is for groups and individuals opposing biomass and waste incineration in Massachusetts and neighboring states. There will be a professional facilitator to help us use our time as productively as possible.

Please RSVP:  Biomass Accountability Project at 800-729-1363 or stopbiomassburning@gmail.com

Meeting Co-sponsors:  Sierra Club/Massachusetts Chapter, Clean Water Action, Toxics Action Center (asked), ARISE for Social Justice, Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield (MA), Concerned Citizens of Franklin County (MA), Concerned Citizens of Russell (MA) (asked), Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Biomass Accountability Project, Biofuelwatch (need to ask), Mass Forest Watch (need to ask), Don’t Waste Massachusetts (need to ask), Alternatives for Community and Environment (need to ask)

Directions to the Doyle Center (Trustees of Reservations property) http://www.thetrustees.org/what-we-care-about/climate-change/green-buildings/doyle-directions.html
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Measuring, Tracking, and Evaluating Progress towards the Wildlands & Woodlands Vision:  
30 million acres--70% of New England--in forest, permanently free of development by 2060
June 1, 2011  Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership Meeting

We're celebrating the United Nations International Year of the Forest by focusing regionally on evaluation.  On June 1, we'll be getting together at Harvard Forest for the first time this year. We're initiating a region-wide effort to measure, track, and evaluate our progress towards achieving the W&W Vision.  We'll discuss and agree on a short list of things we want to measure and track.  Smaller groups will then brainstorm new ways for helping to double the rate of conservation in measurable ways.  Getting together at the end, partners will identify one or two new activities to initiate - ones that will get us measurable gains.

Materials now available from our Dec. 8 Meeting on Large Landscape Conservation.

Individual Presentations:

  • Armando Carbonell, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (.pdf)
  • Download Large Landscape Conservation, the policy report discussed in Armando Carbonell''s presentation, here.
  • Phil Huffman, TNC-NH (.pdf)
  • Rob Pirani, Regional Plan Association (.pdf)
  • Bill Labich, Highstead (.pdf)
  • Kathy Fallon-Lambert, Harvard Forest (.pdf)

View a recording of this meeting''s webinar here.
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BERKSHIRE FARM &TABLE PRESENTS
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: Foraging Walks in the Berkshires throughout the Month of May

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (April 15, 2011) – On weekends during the month of May, Berkshire Farm & Table, an organization bringing Berkshire food culture to the forefront of the sustainable food movement, will present Where the Wild Things Are – eight wild food walks lead by experienced and passionate instructors who will focus on responsible harvesting techniques, recipes and the history of foraging in the Berkshires.

The walks are in alignment with sustainable wild harvesting practices. One of the motivations for undertaking such a series is to present expert voices to the public to educate on ecosystem balance and sustainability.  Community members will learn about edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms, nature and ecology through educational walks in the local landscape with expert foragers. The culinary and medicinal benefits of wild plants and cooking with wild foods will also be explored.

The walks are open to all community members and will take place on four weekends during the month of May. This month-long celebration of wild spring edibles is being presented in partnership with Berkshire Grown’s Farmed + Foraged culinary event May 20 – 22. The Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program is sponsoring this first-time event as its educational value and access to students is in line with its mission.

“What we are trying to instill in our students and the community is a passion for responsible and sustainable environmental stewardship and the rediscovery of vital food,” said Katharine Millonzi, manager of the Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program. “The wild edibles walks of Where the Wild Things Are continue our series in taste education, and demonstrate our commitment to sustainable food from a broad range of perspectives.”

Expert foragers of Where the Wild Things Are include Ansel Bubel, Russ Cohen, Blanche Derby, Evan Strusinski, John Root and John Wheeler. (Bios for each forager are provided at the end of this release.)

A Schedule of Events for each foraging walk is as follows:
Sun, May 1 (1 - 4 pm) – Stockbridge (Russ Cohen)
Sat, May 7 (2 - 4 pm) – Williamstown (Ansel Bubel)
Sun, May 8 (10 am – 12 pm) – Williamstown (Ansel Bubel)
Sat, May 14 (9 – 11 am) – Stockbridge (John Wheeler) with presentation
Sat, May 14 (11 am – 1 pm) – Williamstown (Evan Strusinski)
Sun, May 15 (11 am – 1 pm) – Williamstown (Evan Strusinski)
Sat, May 21 (1 – 3 pm) – Stockbridge (Blanche Derby)
Sat, May 21 (3:30 – 5 pm) – Lee (John Root)

Participant limits for each of the walks vary. Prices range from $15 to $25 per person, depending on the length and nature of the walk. The events are free to Williams College students. Registration is mandatory and reservations must be made at least 24 hours prior to scheduled walk. For reservations and pricing info, call Mezze Bistro + Bar at 413.458.0123 or send email to berkshirefarmtable@gmail.com.

Registered participants will receive an email a few days prior to the scheduled date with details on the exact location for the walk.
For additional details, visit www.berkshirefarmandtable.com/wildthings. For more information about the Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program, contact Katharine Millonzi at 413.597.4422.

In support of the Berkshire Farm & Table mission, the Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program is the official sponsor of Where the Wild Things Are with Berkshire Grown, Mezze Restaurant Group, The Porches Inn@MASS MoCA and Slow Food of Western Massachusetts supporting the event.
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ABOUT BERKSHIRE GROWN’S FARMED + FORAGED

In celebration of the spring season, Berkshire Grown will host Farmed + Foraged: A Weekend of Spring Flavors, a culinary celebration of farmed and foraged seasonal foods at area restaurants from Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22.
Farmed + Foraged will feature Berkshire Grown restaurants that have made a commitment to sustainably source wild and local edibles from area forests, fields and farms at the start of the growing season. This year with considerable participation from members, Berkshire Grown will feature more than two dozen restaurants throughout the region. Participants will offer menu items featuring wild edibles, locally grown produce, Berkshire artisan cheeses, heritage breed meats, locally made bread and chocolate, and Berkshire-crafted beer and spirits. Visit www.berkshiregrown.org for additional details.
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ABOUT BERKSHIRE FARM & TABLE

Berkshire Farm & Table’s mission is to bring Berkshire food culture to the forefront of the sustainable food movement; to characterize the birthplace of community supported agriculture and the region’s impact on American farm heritage; and, to share the story of the Berkshires’ culinary artisans, farming values and agritourism experiences by building relationships, producing events and fostering dialog. For more information, visit www.berkshirefarmandtable.com.
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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE FORAGING EXPERT BIOS

ANSEL BUBEL
Ansel Bubel was introduced to foraging and primitive living through a course at Tom Brown's Tracker School. He continued taking wilderness survival courses for six years and ultimately spent a month living off the land in the Pine Barrens of NJ. His interest in the natural world led him to study geology and ecology at Williams College. After graduating from Williams College in 2008, Ansel headed west to conduct geology research in Rocky Mountain National Park. He also taught ecology on an organic farm in southern Vermont. Most recently, he worked at The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey. Ansel is currently interested in cooking by hand and exploring new wild foods. He enjoys making sausage, curing salumi, baking bread and brewing beer.  He is attending graduate school next fall to continue his studies of geology and ecology. 

RUSS COHEN
Russ Cohen, professional environmentalist and wild foods enthusiast, grew up in Weston, Mass., where he spent much of his free time in the woods, thereby cultivating a strong spiritual connection to nature. He received his bachelor's degree in land use planning from Vassar College in 1978, and received his  masters in Natural Resources and a law degree from Ohio State University in 1982. He has been employed by the Riverways Program of the Mass. Department of Fish and Game since 1988 and has served as its Rivers Advocate since 1992. Other past employers have included the Nature Conservancy, the Land Trust Alliance, the Hillside Trust, a land trust in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Mass. Audubon Society. 
Russ is in his 37th year of teaching courses about wild edibles. He has led dozens of classes/walks for organizations including the Massachusetts Audubon Society, The Trustees of Reservations and the Appalachian Mountain Club. During the "off-season", Russ writes articles on foraging and gives presentations featuring many of his favorite edible wild plants and mushrooms found in New England. Russ is the author of a foraging book titled Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten.  For more info about Russ, visit:http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/bio.htm.

BLANCHE DERBY
Blanche Cybele Derby is an artist, teacher, writer and wild foods enthusiast who lives in Northampton, MA. She has actively foraged for edibles for more than 40 years and makes these foods a part of her daily diet. She lectures/leads walks all over New England and is the author/illustrator of three books. Her latest project is the creation of a series of three films on edibles. To learn more, visit her website at www.tagyerit.com/freefood.htm

JOHN ROOT
While a student at Oberlin College, where he was awarded a BA in Biology in 1972, John Root became familiar with edible wild plants on weekly field trips led by Dr. Jones, curator of the college's herbarium. This education inspired four subsequent decades of foraging. John has presented programs about mushrooms, wildflowers, songbirds, butterflies and edible perennial gardening and landscaping at libraries, nature centers, garden clubs and other venues throughout New England for the past five years. John has also taken a course in permaculture with Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates, and currently helps out at Tripple Brook Farm in Southampton, where perennial native plants and other species that are hardy in New England are cultivated and offered to the public. For more information, visit www.johnroot.net.

EVAN STRUSINSKI
For Evan Strusinski, foraging became a natural extension of his interest in cooking, eating and the natural environment. Evan has 20 years experience foraging, both domestically and abroad and currently provides a wide range of foraged and gleaned ingredients for well-known restaurants in Maine and New York City. His clients include Rene Redzepi, chef of NOMA in Copenhagen, Denmark, David Chang's Momofuku restaurants, Gramercy Tavern, Hugo's, Primo and Fore Street, and this year Evan will be foraging for Tom Colicchio's Craft, and Mario Batali's Del Posto. For more information about Evan, visit the links below:
Wall Street Journal article -- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303443904575578283563685578.html
New York Magazine article -- 
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/11/meet_david_changs_weeds_dealer.html

JOHN WHEELER
John Wheeler is a founding member and president of The Berkshire Mycological Society. An amateur wild mushroom enthusiast for more than 23 years, John has been sharing his passion and knowledge of fungi through presentations at The Berkshire Botanical Garden, various garden clubs and Bartholemew's Cobble, a Trustees of Reservations property. John also assists Professor Don Roeder with his mycology courses at Simon's Rock College. He and his wife Judy own and operate the Mycolodge B&B in Housatonic, Mass., offering mushroom classes and forays on weekends.
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EPA Solicits Public Comment on Permit to Reduce Stormwater Discharges from Construction Sites.
Water Headlines for the week of April 18, 2011


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing for public comment a draft permit that will help improve our nation’s waterways by regulating the discharge of stormwater from construction sites. Stormwater discharges during construction activities can contain sediment and pollutants that harm aquatic ecosystems, increase drinking water treatment costs and pollute waters that people use for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.

The proposed Construction General Permit (CGP) includes a number of enhanced protections, including enhanced provisions to protect impaired and sensitive waters. Some of the significant proposed permit modifications include new requirements for:

•        Eligibility for emergency-related construction

•        Required use of the electronic notice of intent process

•        Sediment and erosion controls

•        Natural buffers or alternative controls

•        Soil stabilization

•        Pollution prevention

•        Site inspections

•        Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans

•        Permit termination

Many of the new permit requirements implement new effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards for the construction and development industry that became effective on February 1, 2010. These requirements include a suite of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures that apply to all permitted construction sites.

The permit will be effective in areas where EPA is the permitting authority, including four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Mexico); Washington, D.C.; most territories; and most Indian country lands.

The public will have 60 days to comment on the draft permit. EPA anticipates that it will issue the final construction general permit by January 31, 2012.

The current permit is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011; however, EPA is proposing to extend the current permit until January 31, 2012 to provide sufficient time to finalize the new permit.

More information on the proposed construction general permit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm
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Ban Toxic Asphalt Sealants
By Robert McClure
InvestigateWest
The Washington House of Representatives this week passed and sent to Gov. Christine Gregoire legislation to make Washington the first state in the nation to ban toxic asphalt sealants that are ending up in people’s homes as well as polluting stormwater runoff and waterways.
Meanwhile, a federal scientist on Thursday briefed Congressional aides and others about threats to the environment and public health from sealing of driveways, parking lots and playgrounds with coaltar, a byproduct of steelmaking. The briefing was co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, who is seeking a nationwide ban on the toxic sealants.
The Washington State legislation and Doggett’s drive for a nationwide ban flowed from studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, which showed that constituents of the toxic sealants are increasing in many waterways, while levels of most pollutants are declining.
A 2009 Geological Survey study identified chemicals associated with the coaltar sealants in house dust at levels that worried researchers because they could contribute to longterm cancer risks, especially in young children who crawl around in – and accidentally ingest – the toxic dust.
InvestigateWest and msnbc.com partnered last year to publish the first major national story examining the toxic sealants.
Washington’s move follows earlier bans. The first was in Austin, Texas, site of the discovery of the link between toxic parking-lot sealants and waterway pollution.  Subsequent bans followed in Washington, D.C., and in Madison and surrounding Dane County, Wisconsin. In the 14 months since the InvestigateWest/msnbc.com story, bans or restrictions on the use of the sealants have been adopted in several towns, mostly in the Midwest.
Passage of the Washington State legislation was unusual because the bill was filed by a freshman House member, and no Senate companion bill was introduced. In that circumstance it can often take two to three years to pass legislation. The fact that a second kind of asphalt sealant without coaltar is widely available helped gain support, said state Rep. David Frockt, D-Seattle, sponsor of the measure (ESHB 1721). 
“When I started to understand the science, I concluded there is no reason to have this stuff,” Frockt said shortly after the bill was sent to Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire late Wednesday. “Nobody felt their business was going to be impacted if they had to go to the (other) sealants.”
In the end, though, “the human health aspect is what really hit home,” Frockt said.
The Pavement Coatings Technology Council, a Washington, D.C.,-area lobbying group representing companies that paint or spray on the deep black coaltar-based sealants, in the last year has launched scientific attacks on coaltar research that started at the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1990s.
The pavement council hired a Bellevue-based scientist and consultant who told Washington legislators he found flaws in the methods used by government researchers to produce a “chemical fingerprint.” The Geological Survey researchers say those chemical fingerprints implicate the parking-lot sealants as the largest source in many urban lakes of a class of toxic chemicals known as “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,” or PAHs. <MORE>
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Spring is Here! Sign up for Flower Watch
from AMC's Conservation E-Newsletter

Become a citizen scientist by sharing your observations about woodland and/or alpine flowers you see while hiking or walking this spring. Click on "Join Flower Watch" here to download guides and instructions. AMC's citizen scientists learn all about the stages of flowers and what they can tell us about climate. Don't miss the kid-friendly guides in the “Family Fun Zone” on the same page!
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Budget Deal Restores Most Conservation Funding
 - from the Land Trust Alliance Policy eNews Update: April 13, 2011
- through the MassLand E-News

FRPP & GRP Unscathed; NAWCA, LWCF & Other Programs Mostly Restored

Yesterday, Congress released details of the deal reached late last week to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. Most conservation programs sustain cuts, but they're a far cry from the 90-100% cuts proposed by the House in February - a welcome relief.

Barring an unexpected snag, we expect a long term Continuing Resolution for FY 2011 to be enacted later this week, providing the following funding levels:

*Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is not capped by the bill, thus it should increase as scheduled to $175 million -- the highest level ever. That's $25 m more than FY 10 and $15 m more than the President's FY 11 request.

*Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is not capped, thus it can continue unimpeded towards the acreage goal set in the 2008 Farm Bill.

*Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is capped at 202,218 acres, a cut of about $119 m from FY 10, but $23 m more than in the President's FY 11 request.

*Other farm bill conservation programs sustained modest cuts, but some fared better than in the President's request.

*Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is set at $301 m overall, a cut of $149 m or 33% below FY 10, but $244 m above the funding level proposed by the House in February. We don't yet know the exact breakdown between state and federal projects or the exact process for selecting which projects get funded.

*Forest Legacy (FLP) receives $53 m (included in the LWCF total), a 31% cut from last year.

*North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is restored to $37.5 m, a $10 m cut from last year.  The House proposed eliminating the program in February.

*State Wildlife Grants (SWG) is restored to $62 m, a $28 m cut from last year but far better than the program elimination proposed in February.
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The Kestrel Trust and Valley Land Fund Are Merging
 - from Kristin DeBoer, Kestrel Land Trust

We have good news - The Kestrel Trust and Valley Land Fund are merging!  The combined organization will operate under a new name - Kestrel Land Trust. Valley Land Fund will become Kestrel's land acquisition fund. We will now serve a 19-town region surrounding Amherst,  Northampton and Holyoke, but remain focused on our core mission of conservation in several areas:
*   The Connecticut River and its tributaries;
*   Prime river valley farmland;
*   Scenic lands and wildlife habitat connecting to Mt Tom, Mt Holyoke Range, and Mt Toby;
*   Woodlands, farmland, wildlands, in the Quabbin and Hilltown areas.

Our new service area doubles Kestrel's current 9-town region while placing some of VLF's former area in the care of other land trusts. (See map at www.kestreltrust.org or www.valleylandfund.org).

Why the merger?  Kestrel and VLF have been collaborating on land conservation projects for 25 years and have a total of 65 years experience in the field. This step will allow us to accelerate the pace of land conservation, focus our strategic priorities, and expand our professional capacity.

As the organization develops a Strategic Plan, we hope you will share your thoughts about our plans and how we can better help the Valley realize its conservation goals. please contact me at 413-549-1097 or kristin@kestreltrust.org. Or contact Robert A. Jonas, a VLF board member who will serve on the Kestrel Land Trust Board of Trustees. He can be reached at 413-588-1418 or info@valleylandfund.org.

We look forward to working with everyone to pick up the pace of conservation in the Valley!

Best,
Kristin DeBoer, Executive Director
Kestrel Land Trust
PO Box 1016
Amherst, MA 01004 
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Housatonic River Adventure: Source-to-Sound Paddle Trip, May 3 – May 12, 2011.
 
Experience the Housatonic River Adventure a Source to Sound Paddle trip and celebrate the beauty of the Housatonic River. This River Adventure begins in the Hinsdale Flats on May 3 and concludes in Long Island Sound on May 12. The Housatonic Valley Association is coordinating this 10 - day long river celebration in partnership with Housatonic Heritage. Experience educational, historical and informational programs along the way provided by many local groups. Bring your family and friends to enjoy riverside events or register to paddle for a couple of hours or for the entire 10-day journey led by three expert canoe guides.
 
For more information about riverside events and to register for free paddle trips, visit: http://www.hvatoday.org/show.cfm?page=SourceToSound.htm (Paddlers must provide their own equipment.)
 
We hope to see you on or around the river!

Alison Dixon
Berkshire Outreach Manager
Housatonic Valley Association
PO Box 251
South Lee, MA 01260
413 - 394-9796
adixon@hvatoday.org
http://www.hvatoday.org/
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Permaculture, Summer (June 7 - August, 16)
Description:  This four-credit course includes in-class lectures, field trips and a hands-on field component at the Montview Neighborhood Farm, to offer students a foundation in permaculture history, ethics, principles, design process, and techniques. The framework behind the theory and practice of permaculture is rooted in the observation of natural systems. By observing key ecological relationships, we can mimic and apply these beneficial relationships in the design of systems that serve humans while helping to restore the natural world. This course trains students as critical thinkers, observers, and analysts of the world(s) around them, and then goes on to provide
For more information: http://www.justfoodnow.org/Permaculture.htm

This class is part of the Sustainable Food and Farming Series.  A UMass Certificate may be earned by the successful completion of 15 credits of approved courses in this series.  For information, contact Dr. John M. Gerber at; jgerber@psis.umass.edu  
To learn more about other online courses that meet the requirements of the UMass Sustainable Food and Farming Certificate and the Bachelor of Science Program: http://people.umass.edu/jgerber/degree.html
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Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom Summer Graduate Course 2011 

There has been a lot of interest in our Summer Graduate Course. We are working on the schedule and many of the workshop dates have been confirmed.  You can visit http://www.aginclassroom.org/html/Conferences_Workshops/Summer_Graduate_Course/conf_summer-grad-course.html  for an updated list of dates and locations.  Each workshop may also be taken individually.   

The Summer Graduate Course is now in it's sixth year; held in collaboration with Fitchburg State College.  This three-credit graduate course, titled "Growing Agriculture in the Classroom." uses Massachusetts farms as the classrooms.  Teachers are immersed in agricultural-literacy training through fun, hands-on study and investigation of agriculture education resources.  The course will meet on Tuesdays, June 28 and August 16 at the Brigham Hill Community Farm in North Grafton from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each registrant must attend both sessions and also participate in six additional workshops during the summer, selected from approximately twelve workshops on a variety of topics on farm locations across the state.  (We are now planning those twelve workshops and will post them to our website over the next few weeks.)  Participants will keep a journal of their agricultural journey and develop a classroom project, which they will present to their peers on August 16. Farm workshops may cover topics such as farm animals, local foods, nutrition, plant science, soils, technology, water, sustainable agriculture and more. The fee for this eight-day course is $500 and includes all materials; farm workshops; meals and three graduate credits. Partial scholarships of $200 are available to new teachers and those from urban schools.  Any workshop may also be taken individually (there is a fee of $30).

Thanks,  
Debi Hogan
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom
508-336-4426
debi.hogan@earthlink.net
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The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is offering weekly nature classes for preschoolers at its Sheep Hill property beginning Tuesday May 3. Spring is a wonderful time of year to get children excited about nature, and Sheep Hill, a conservation property and the headquarters of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, is the perfect place 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. The classes will offer stories, crafts and activities to connect children to nature, and topics will include seeds, pond life, insects, and weather. Naturalist and WRLF Director Leslie Reed-Evans will be leading the class. The hour sessions will run for four weeks (through May 24), and there is a morning and afternoon session; 10-11 AM and 1-2 PM. Cost is $60, $50 for WRLF members. A parent or guardian must accompany each two children. Registration is required.

For more information or to request a registration form, 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, celebrating its 25th year in 2011.  Sheep Hill, its headquarters, is located on Route 7 approximately a mile south of the Williamstown rotary. www.wrlf.org.

Leslie Reed-Evans
Executive Director
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
Sheep Hill
671 Cold Spring Road
Williamstown, MA  01267

lre@wrlf.org  www.wrlf.org
413-458-2494
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PROJECT NATIVE’S Nursery and Garden Shop will open for the season at 9:30 on Thursday, April 21st.  Please note: we will be Closed, Sunday, April 24th for the Easter Holiday.   2011 Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9:30 - 5:00, Sunday 10:30 – 5:00, CLOSED Wednesdays. 

Karen Lyness LeBlanc
Project Native
342 North Plain Rd.
Housatonic, MA 01236
(413) 274-3433
(413) 274-3464 - FAX
www.projectnative.org
projectnative@verizon.net
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Hoorwa Seeks Executive Director

The Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA, http://www.hoorwa.org) seeks an Executive Director to help lead us in our initiatives as the steward for the watershed. The ideal candidate will be an energetic and dynamic leader who is comfortable representing HooRWA, whether it's speaking at public meetings or wading in the river to help school children identify river life. An ecology, environmental or science background is ideal but not required; the Executive Director must have a strong interest in river protection, advocacy and recreation. Other desired skills are grant writing, non-profit management, web site development, and excellent communication skills to work with a variety of constituencies, including board members, state and federal officials, college professors, local school educators, scientists, HooRWA members, and the general public. Since the Hoosic watershed encompasses Vermont, Massachusetts and New York, it is necessary to deal with planners and government officials in three states, and a focus will be to expand our membership and programs to all areas of the watershed.

The Executive Director would be charged with developing partnerships with other similar non-profits, corporate sponsors, and state and federal agencies, and to assist with various HooRWA fundraising efforts.

Among our current projects are a dam removal on a tributary of the South Branch, a partnership with the Hoosic River Revival to mitigate the impact of the flood control chutes in North Adams, macroinvertebrate monitoring, development of a Greenway along the river in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., creation of a portage trail at the North Pownal dam and education programs in local schools.

The director will also assist in planning and coordinating our two signature fundraising events - RiverFest in May and the Hoosic Bike Ride in August.

The position is half-time (20 hours/week) with no health insurance benefits. We offer a competitive salary, two weeks' paid vacation and a flexible work schedule.

Interested applicants should e-mail a resume and letter of interest to office@hoorwa.org, with "executive director search" in the subject line. This is an ongoing application process and review of resumes will continue until the position is filled.
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Executive Director / Hilltowns Conservation Coordinator
The Hilltown Land Trust and The Trustees of Reservations

The Trustees of Reservations and the Hilltown Land Trust (HLT) have formed a permanent partnership in order to more effectively pursue their common land conservation goals in the Hilltowns region of western Massachusetts.  The part-time Hilltown Land Trust Executive Director / Trustees Hilltowns Conservation Coordinator (“ED/HCC”) is an employee of The Trustees of Reservations with primary responsibility for implementation of HLT’s and The Trustees’ joint conservation vision for the Hilltowns.  The ED/HCC provides strategic conservation leadership to the Hilltown Land Trust and serves as the key land conservation staff for The Trustees within the Hilltowns; conducts land acquisition transactions from inception to completion; supports local efforts to raise private and public funds for individual land protection projects and organizational needs of HLT and The Trustees; and oversees the HLT conservation restriction program.  A complete position description is available at http://www.thetrustees.org/about-us/employment/current-openings/hlt-executive-dir-cons.html .  Please send resume and cover letter to mrivera@ttor.org  with subject line “HLT ED/HCC application”.  Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled, and applications will be considered as they are received. 
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Job Opportunity - Boat Ramp Monitor

The City of Pittsfield is hiring boat ramp monitors, Memorial Day through Labor Day. 
The City of Pittsfield Office of Community Development is accepting applications for four (4) full time Seasonal Labor positions to serve as boat ramp monitors at city lakes. Position runs through Labor Day.  Salary is $9.00 per hour and work week is 40 hours. Offers of employment are conditional upon passing a pre-employment physical, drug test and CORI check. Applications are available at the Personnel Department, City Hall, 70 Allen Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Deadline for applications is May 1, 2011.
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Seasonal Job Opportunity: Property Steward- Trustees of Reservations—Ashfield

 
Are you looking to spend more time in the hills this summer, enjoying the beautiful outdoors, and putting your practical skills to good use? Well, The Trustees of Reservations are looking for a full-time, seasonal Property Steward that would enable you to do just that!

As Property Steward, you would be involved in the management, preservation and protection of the Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield, MA, which includes approximately 30 acres of fields, 230 acres of woods, a renovated farmhouse, and a historic barn. Common duties will include, but are not limited to: landscape & trail management, maintenance, gardening, interacting with visitors, assisting with events and coordinating volunteers.

The Property Steward is a full-time (40 hours/week), seasonal position, beginning in May and ending in October. The precise start and stop dates are negotiable. Occasional weekend work is required. The Steward will earn $15 per hour depending on experience

If you are interested, we would love to hear from you! For more information, visit http://www.thetrustees.org/about-us/employment/current-openings/property-steward-bullitt.html
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Job Openings with Defenders of Wildlife

Director of Conservation Economics and Finance
Defenders of Wildlife is seeking a creative leader who can direct our Conservation Economics & Finance Program to reinvent the world of U.S. wildlife and water conservation.  Payments for ecosystem services and other conservation finance approaches are pioneering new ways to ensure that nature’s values are meaningfully incorporating into decisions made by individuals, landowners, corporations, and governments. We are looking for a person who is committed to finding innovative ways to apply economic analysis to solve the most pressing challenges facing conservation today. We are looking for someone with a big vision of what could be achieved, while also having a critical eye and a keen attention to detail. The Director will supervise projects around the country including: environmental damage assessment and prioritization of habitat restoration resulting from the Gulf oil spill; and assessing the feasibility of payment programs for ecosystem services to deliver water quality, water quantity and wildlife benefits on rangelands in California and across the western US.  The successful candidate will have a PhD in natural resource economics, applied economics, finance or statistics, M.B.A. and 2+ years of experience in conservation economics and documented success in making change happen. For full qualifications and job description, please visit http://www.defenders.org/about_us/jobs/director_of_conservation_economics_and_finance.php

 

Director of Conservation Planning
Defenders of Wildlife seeks a Director of Conservation Planning who understands the latest developments in conservation and business planning and can implement that knowledge in ways that catalyze dramatically better conservation.  The Director of Conservation Planning is responsible for developing and implementing Defenders’ programs to promote effective conservation planning and implementation.  In projects across the country, the Director will work closely and build relationships with federal, state, and private land management partners to incorporate new strategies into existing plans such as the State Wildlife Action Plans and Federal Endangered Species Recovery Plans, as well as new climate change adaptation plans.  The Director will work closely with scientists and planners as well as land and wildlife management communities to enhance the community of practice.   The Director will also oversee a program that provides capacity and support to conservation programs within the organization, including facilitating strategic planning, analyzing spatial data, and presenting related information in novel ways for our advocacy efforts.
http://www.defenders.org/about_us/jobs/director,_conservation_planning.php
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