The BEAT News

December 1, 2010

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
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Bowles is Out, DCR's Sullivan is In
by Jane Winn, BEAT

Governor Patrick announced today (December 1, 2010) that Ian Bowles is leaving the post of Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. He will be replaced by Rick Sullivan, who is currently Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
BEAT is pleased to see Mr. Bowles leaving. On his first trip to the Berkshires, BEAT questioned the former Secretary about overseeing both energy and environment in one secretariat, saying that we did not think that would provide proper environmental oversight to energy projects. Mr. Bowles was adamant that there would be no problem and energy projects would receive thorough review. BEAT feels that Mr. Bowles was very, very wrong and he was really Secretary of ENERGY, with environment as a sorry afterthought.
We would like to see the secretariat broken up into two agencies with policies and procedures in place to ensure that industrial energy projects get the real, thorough review they require. We have found Rick Sullivan to be very approachable, and we hope he will see the need to ensure proper, unbiased environmental review of energy projects. Perhaps he would even see the need to do a thorough assessment of where Massachusetts' total energy needs will be in 10 to 30 years and how we could meet those needs in the most environmentally sensitive way - a suggestion BEAT had made to Mr. Bowles as well.

What follows is from the Governor's press release:

Rick Sullivan, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Secretary Sullivan takes charge of the most significant clean and alternative energy agenda of any state in America.  His assignment includes implementation of the Governor’s solar, wind, biofuels and energy efficiency initiatives, the largest land preservation initiative in the Commonwealth’s history, and enforcement of the state’s environmental laws and regulations.  He comes to this post after managing a highly successful turnaround of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in the first term.  Secretary Sullivan, 49, was mayor of the City of Westfield from 1994 to 2007 and chairman of the Westfield School Committee.  He is a past president of the Massachusetts Mayors Association, past chairman of the Turnpike Advisory Board, and a past member of the Governor’s Local Advisory Committee.  He also served as founding president of the Winding River Land Conservancy, which has protected 1,700 acres in western Hampden County.  Secretary Sullivan is a graduate of Bates College and Western New England Law School. 

Ian Bowles, who has served for the last four years as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, leaves the Administration to pursue other opportunities in the private sector.  He was the first secretary named to the new post and is universally credited with the successful integration of the agencies reorganized under him and the enactment of a standard setting array of new green legislation.
"Ian has been a star in this Administration over the last four years," said Governor Patrick. "He has been a terrific partner in our efforts to create a clean energy hub in Massachusetts, saving money for consumers, increasing our energy independence, and creating jobs in a vital industry of the future. I will miss his passion, his energy, and his leadership.”
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BEAT receives funds for work in north county

Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) received a $1,500 grant from New England Grassroots Environment Fund to continue and expand work in northern Berkshire County.  BEAT will use the money to help support environmental activity in the area and to expand televised coverage of environmentally related public meetings.

BEAT maintains a website (www.thebeatnews.org) that provides a tutorial on the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, information on local conservation commissions, local environmental news, and a list of other environmental organizations and their contact information.  BEAT also publishes a free, weekly e-newsletter, The BEAT News, which offers public notices, an environmental calendar of events, and links to important news stories.

BEAT's staff and website have been used as resources by residents, local and state officials, and other environmental organizations.  According to executive director Jane Winn, BEAT has received “thank yous” for the information provided on their website from people around and outside the county interested in environmental issues, as well as from conservation commissioners who have used the websites tutorial to better understand their own responsibilities.  BEAT has also provided assistance to lawyers seeking insight into the Wetland Protection Act, and to government officials asking for opinions on how to proceed when faced with environmental violations.  Residents have often chosen to report environmental violations to BEAT rather than to official agencies.

Berkshire Environmental Action Team is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the environment for wildlife. 

The New England Grassroots Environment Fund (NEGEF) seeks to energize and nurture long term civic engagement in local initiatives that create and maintain healthy, just, safe and environmentally sustainable communities. The Fund uses grant-making, networking, and skills-building to fuel local activism and social change.
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Biomass project to be considered
By Keith Whitcomb Jr., New England Newspapers
Saturday November 20, 2010

POWNAL, Vt. -- The Vermont Public Service Board outlined a partial schedule Friday to consider an unusual petition by developers to construct two 29.5-megawatt biomass and integrated wood pellet manufacturing facilities in Pownal and Fair Haven.

Beaver Wood Energy, LLC, is seeking permission to begin preliminary construction on both plants so it can qualify for a federal financing grant that expires at the end of the year. It also hopes the entirety of both projects will be handled under Act 248, a bid opposed by local planners and lawmakers, who say the wood pellet project should be looked under Act 250 or local zoning.

Opposition groups from Pownal and Williamstown, Mass., have voiced opposition to the request for early work, and to the project in general, saying not enough information is available. They are concerned about the project's effects on human health, the water supply, air quality, traffic and aesthetics at the Route 7 site in Pownal -- the former Green Mountain Race Track property.

Hans Huessy, an attorney for Beaver Wood, said Dec. 14 is a tentative date for the PSB to hear arguments on whether to allow construction of truck scales and foundations, which would qualify as projects eligible for the federal money. He said Beaver Wood plans to file additional testimony further describing that work on Wednesday. <MORE>
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Opposition to Pownal biomass plan mounts.
By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
Saturday November 20, 2010
New England Newspapers

POWNAL, Vt. -- An unusual petition for a state permit to build a 29.5-megawatt biomass and integrated wood-pellet manufacturing facility at the former Green Mountain Race Track has local lawmakers and planners concerned.

The Pownal Planning Commission sent a letter Wednesday to state regulators voicing opposition to a request from Beaver Wood Energy LLC, to be allowed to start preliminary construction in order to qualify for a federal grant of up to $52.5 million.
Last week, state Rep. Bill Botzow, D-Pownal/Woodford, along with Democratic Sens. Robert Hartwell and Dick Sears, sent a letter to the Public Service Board (PSB) saying the plant should go through the Act 250 process, and that the PSB does not have the authority to oversee manufacturing or to grant preliminary construction approval.
The PSB was expected to discuss Beaver Wood’s application for early construction during a hearing in Montpelier on Friday to address the integration of the two operations and to lay out a schedule for future proceedings, both in Pownal and Fair Haven, where Beaver Wood is proposing a similar plant.

Beaver Wood has asked permission to build some foundations and truck scales at the former track in order to qualify for the federal grant, which would give the project money up-front for what it would otherwise would receive through investment tax credits.
<MORE>
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Cook speaks about biomass at MCLA
By Meghan Foley

Friday November 19, 2010
North Adams Transcript

NORTH ADAMS -- One thing Averill Cook learned as a child was to always leave things better than he found them, whether it was his family’s 200-acre farm or the surrounding forests.

For the past 30 years, the Williamstown resident and president of Biomass Commodities Corp. and Wendling Biomass Consulting has applied that lesson to his work in the forestry and wood-pellet industries.

"My life’s work is biomass and how to make it better," he said Thursday night during the annual Elizabeth and Lawrence Vadnais Environmental Issues Lecture at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. "I have seen what should be done and what shouldn’t be done."

Approximately 140 people attended the lecture at which Cook spoke at length about his experiences in the biomass industry, which have taken him all over the world, and in what ways Northern Berkshire and southern Vermont could benefit from having the industry develop locally. <MORE>

BEAT Note: BEAT believes that the wet cooling process that is proposed is environmentally unacceptable because it uses too much water depleting ground or surface water supplies. Air cooling systems exist, but are more expensive.
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EPA Finalizes Rules to Foster Safe Carbon Storage Technology

NOTE: This is an EPA press release. BEAT does not support carbon sequestration from coal fired power plants, nor do we support the use of coal as a power source going forward.

Actions part of efforts to reduce barriers to widespread deployment of carbon capture and sequestration, an important set of technologies to combat climate change

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized two rules related to the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies have the potential to enable large emitters of carbon dioxide, such as coal fired power plants, to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This technology allows carbon dioxide to be captured at stationary sources like power plants and large industrial operations and injected underground for long-term storage in a process called geologic sequestration.

The new rules aim to protect drinking water and to track the amount of carbon dioxide that is sequestered from facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Together, these actions are consistent with the recommendations made by President Obama’s interagency task force on this topic and help create a consistent national framework to ensure the safe and effective deployment of technologies that will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.

“Today the Obama Administration reaffirmed its commitment to leading the way in the clean energy future.  We’re taking a major step towards path breaking innovations that will reduce greenhouse gases and put America in the forefront of the clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By providing clarity about greenhouse gas reporting and the necessary protections for drinking water sources during carbon sequestration, we’ve cleared the way for people to use this promising technology.”

In August 2010, President Obama’s Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, co-chaired by the EPA, delivered a series of recommendations to the president on overcoming the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years. The task force concluded that the rules being announced today were an important part of the strategy to promote development of this technology. CCS can play an important role in domestic greenhouse gas emissions reductions while preserving the option of using coal and other abundant domestic fossil energy resources.
Drinking Water Protection:

EPA finalized a rule that sets requirements for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide, including the development of a new class of injection well called Class VI, established under EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program.  The rule requirements are designed to ensure that wells used for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide are appropriately sited, constructed, tested, monitored, and closed. The UIC Program was established under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Greenhouse Gas Reporting:

EPA also finalized a rule on the greenhouse gas reporting requirements for facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Information gathered under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program will enable EPA to track the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered by these facilities. The program was established in 2009 under authority of the Clean Air Act and requires reporting of greenhouse gases from various source categories in the United States.

More information on the geologic sequestration rule: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/wells_sequestration.cfm

More information on the greenhouse gas reporting final rule: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.htm


R388

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Massachusetts Nonprofit Network meeting at BCC

Please join the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network at the Berkshire regional meeting on Tuesday, December 7, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The Pioneer Valley region is invited!

Learn about promoting the nonprofit sector and your organization:

  • Find out how you can be part of an exciting statewide effort to promote the importance of the nonprofit sector.
  • Learn firsthand from Morrissey & Company, a respected communications firm, how to work with media and influencers to inform your community about the great work you do.
  • Your legislators have been invited to share with you what gets their attention and what makes them want to help.
  • Gain the tools that will enable you to increase:
    1. the awareness level among stakeholders
    2. public and private funding
    3. donations
    4. volunteers
    5. local support

Bring your staff and board members!

The price is $8 for MNN members and $15 for nonmembers – scholarships available for those who qualify.

For more details and to register, go to www.massnonprofitnet.org/ahead.html

Alyssa Fry
Membership & Communications Manager
Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
89 South Street, Suite 601
Boston, MA 02111
P: 617.330.1188 x285
www.massnonprofitnet.org
afry@massnonprofitnet.org

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. Making Communities Stronger.
Join MNN and Morrissey & Co. for our 2010 Regional Meetings!
Gain the tools that will help you increase public awareness, funding, donations, volunteers, and local support.

For more information or to register, please visit
www.massnonprofitnet.org/ahead
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LEARN ORGANIC LANDSCAPING METHODS AT INTENSIVE NOFA COURSE
10th annual NOFA 5-day Course in Organic Land Care:
JAN. 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 2011 in Newburyport, MA

NEWBURYPORT, MA - The 10th annual Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Course in Organic Land Care will be held on January 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 2011 (snow date Jan. 20) at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, Massachusetts, a sustainably-constructed “green” building with a state-of-the-art theater and multi-purpose classroom where the course will be held. The refuge was established in 1942 to provide feeding, resting and nesting habitat for migratory birds, and is of special significance to waterfowl and shorebirds.

Sponsored and organized by the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, this five-day, (accreditation optional) intensive course is designed to provide professionals with the education needed for an understanding of organic land care from design to maintenance. The curriculum is based on Standards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes, written by NOFA’s Organic Land Care Committee. These Standards, first published in 2001, are the first of their kind in the country.

Course faculty include respected scientists and experienced organic land care practitioners, who instruct the following classes: Principles and Procedures; Site Analysis, Design, and Maintenance; Rain Gardens/Storm Water Infiltration; Soil Health; the Soil Foodweb; Fertilizer and Soil Amendments; Composting; Lawns; Lawn Alternatives; Planting and Plant Care; Wetlands; Pest Management; Wildlife Management; Disease Control; Mulches; Invasive Plants; Client Relations and Running a Business. Four hands-on case studies are also included in the course.

At the end of the course, attendees will be able to incorporate methods and materials that respect natural ecology and the long-term health of the environment into the care of their own landscapes or ones that they manage. Those who pass the optional exam offered at the conclusion of the course can become NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals (AOLCPs), able to use the NOFA Organic Land Care AOLCP logo, be listed in the new AOLCP Online Searchable Database at www.organiclandcare.net and have the opportunity to represent NOFA at organic land care events. 

Over 1,200 land care professionals from 22 states have taken NOFA’s course. These professionals include landscapers from large and small firms, landscape architects, garden center employees, municipal groundskeepers and property managers. Small business owners, entrepreneurs, homeowners, land trust and conservation organization staff and many others have also found the course extremely valuable.

For more information or to receive registration brochures, contact Kathy Litchfield, NOFA/Mass Organic Land Care Course Coordinator, at (413) 773-3830, kathy@nofamass.org or visit www.organiclandcare.net to register online.
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WaterSense Labeled Homes

Water efficiency program aims to help homebuyers save money on utility bills while cutting their water and energy use

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the first WaterSense labeled homes in the country. WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by EPA that seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.
The program is helping homebuyers cut their water and energy use while at the same time saving money on utility bills. Four WaterSense labeled new homes have been built by KB Home in Roseville, California, and will help families save an average of 10,000 gallons of water and at least $100 on utility costs each year.

“To meet the environmental and economic needs of homes and communities, it’s important that we’re doing everything we can to conserve water and energy and shrink costs for American consumers,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “The construction of the first WaterSense labeled homes, and the plans to build more, mark the beginning of an innovative approach that gives homeowners the chance to cut their water and energy bills and protect a vital environmental resource.”

Since signing on as the first national builder to partner with WaterSense, KB Home has agreed to build three communities of homes that will earn the WaterSense label, which will be the first in the nation to meet WaterSense criteria for newly built homes. Each house includes WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures, an efficient hot water delivery system, water-efficient landscape design, and other water and energy-efficient features.

Each WaterSense labeled new home is independently inspected and certified to ensure EPA’s criteria are met for both water efficiency and performance. A WaterSense labeled new home is built to use about 20 percent less water than a typical new home.

EPA estimates that if the approximately 500,000 new homes built last year had met WaterSense criteria, the homes would save Americans 5 billion gallons of water and more than $50 million in utility bills annually.

More information on WaterSense:
http://www.epa.gov/watersense
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HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S BULLARD FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: February 1, 2011
From Conservation Common

The Charles Bullard fellowship program is to support advanced research and study by individuals who show promise of making an important contribution, either as scholars or administrators, to forestry and forest-related subjects from biology to earth sciences, economics, politics, administration, philosophy, humanities, the arts or law. More information available here.
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Soil Erosion & Sediment Control for Regulators and Inspectors 1-Day Workshop

Tired of seeing silt fence flapping in the breeze? What is a straw wattle and what is it for? Ever wonder how to require or select the appropriate erosion control device for a particular site? MACC is offering its second full-day workshop on Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) for Conservation Commissioners and Inspectors. This workshop will introduce you to effective methods of erosion prevention and sediment control, including Best Management Practices (BMPs) and their applications. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

A site visit to an active construction site will be included. Please dress for the weather.
Topics to be covered include:
• Soil erosion process: factors and impacts
• ESC regulations and jurisdiction—relating ESC to the Regulations
• Best Management Practices for Erosion and Sediment Control
• Project and Plan Reviews
• Site Visit to view ESC applications

Handouts will include: Checklists for Conducting Site Inspections & for Reviewing Project Plans

Location: Lee Town Hall, 32 Main Street, Lee, MA

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010; 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (~ 8:30 am check-in)

Cost: Workshop is FREE for Conservation Commissioners and other local, state, and federal agency staff. $ 90 for private consultants and others. PDUs: All participants will receive certificates for 6 Professional Development Units!

Note: This is the second of 20 ESC workshops MACC will offer throughout the state between now and next summer. Stay tuned for additional dates and locations, to be announced.

Don't Miss Out, Register Now! https://www.maccweb.org/edu_workshops.html
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Lawsuit Defends Birds, Other Wildlife From Toxic Lead
from the Center for Biological Diversity

The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday for failing to protect eagles, California condors, loons and other wildlife from lead poisoning. The suit challenges the EPA's recent denial of the Center's petition to ban lead in hunting ammunition and fishing tackle. The petition included nearly 500 scientific papers on the dangers of lead exposure from these sources in the wild. Millions of birds and other animals die each year after ingesting lead ammunition (often while scavenging carcasses) and lost fishing weights. Humans can also ingest lead from lead-shot game.

"The EPA has the ability to protect America's wildlife from ongoing and preventable lead poisoning, but continues to shirk its responsibility," said Jeff Miller, conservation advocate with the Center. "The EPA's failure to do the right thing is astonishing given the mountain of scientific evidence about the dangers of lead to wildlife. There are already safe and available alternatives to lead products for hunting and fishing, and the EPA can phase in a changeover to nontoxic materials, so there's no reason to perpetuate the epidemic of lead poisoning of wildlife."

Read more in the Los Angeles Times.
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National Geographic Profiles Deadly Bat Disease
from the Center for Biological Diversity

Millions of National Geographic readers are getting an up-close look at the devastation of white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease that's affecting bats in the East and moving westward fast. The magazine's latest issue features an in-depth story, "Bat Crash," detailing the march of the disease and, so far, the difficulty of stemming its spread.

The Center for Biological Diversity has been a driving force in seeking protections for bats from this fatal and mysterious disease, which has already killed more than a million bats. Earlier this year, we petitioned to prohibit nonessential human traffic into caves and mines on federal land. (Scientists suspect the fungus may travel on shoes, clothing and caving equipment.) Access to some caves has been restricted but, overall, the government response has been too slow and too small. The Center has also petitioned for Endangered Species Act protection for two bat species likely to be vulnerable to the disease. Mollie Matteson, a Center conservation advocate in Vermont, says in a recent guest column in the Burlington Free Press that saving bats isn't just about saving one of nature's great insect regulators, but about retaining the full suite of nature's rich array of plants and animals.

Read the National Geographic story and Matteson's guest column in the Burlington Free Press. Then watch the Center's animated map of the spread of white-nose syndrome.
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DCR Landscape Designations Public Comment Period

-The draft Selection Criteria and Management Guidelines report is available on the DCR website –
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/forestry/DRAFT%20Management%20Guidelines%2011%2015%2010.pdf

Please remember that written comments will be accepted until Friday, January 14, 2011 – please send them to either:
Designation.comments@state.ma.us

or to

DCR
Landscape Designation Comments
251 Causeway St, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114

Final DCR Landscape Designation workshop

The final meeting will be:
Monday, December 13, 2010, 6:30 – 8:30p.m. (Snow Date: Thursday, December 16th)
Greenfield Community College, Downtown Center, 270 Main St, Greenfield
Directions – please refer to the school’s website: http://www.gcc.mass.edu/maps/

The selection criteria and the management guidelines for each zone will be fine tuned based upon all input received through all seven of these meetings, and the criteria will be used to map the three zones using available GIS data. A second round of public meetings is planned for Spring 2011, at which time DCR will present the application of the selection criteria and the draft landscape designations for DCR State and Urban Park property for public review and input before finalizing the new system of land stewardship.

We encourage all stakeholders and the general public to participate, and to help us spread the word about these workshops. There will also be an opportunity to provide written comments. For more information on these workshops or the landscape designation process, please feel free to contact Jessica Rowcroft at either jessica.rowcroft@state.ma.us or at 617-626-1380.
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Agricultural Business Development Training Schedule

BOSTON – November 24, 2010 – As the fall harvest season comes to an end, Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) Commissioner Scott Soares today announced the winter schedule of agricultural business development courses offered by the department.
With the number of farms up 27 percent from 2002 to 2008, there are more than 7,600 farmers in the Bay State producing $490 million in agricultural goods. DAR's Agricultural Business Training Program offers courses for all members of the agricultural community, ranging from large farms raising a single wholesale crop to smaller farms raising multiple retail crops. More than 350 farms have completed DAR-sponsored business planning programs tailored to their own particular niche in Massachusetts agriculture.
Information about DAR’s Agricultural Business Training Program.

The three courses listed below are offered in Amherst and Marlborough from January through April 2011, and are now open for enrollment.

Explorers -- This course is designed for agricultural enthusiasts who are thinking about profitable farming or expanding a hobby on an income-generating scale. The course, known as Exploring the Small Farm Dream, is based on materials from the New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI) and is augmented by DAR individual guidance and group collaboration.

Schedule: four sessions over five weeks on weekday evenings.

Location/Dates: Amherst - January 27 – February 24; or Marlborough - March 8 – April 5

Planners – This course is designed for those a step or two beyond Explorers who have access to land and a stronger sense of what they want to do and are capable of doing. The course entitled Planning for Start-up provides a reality check for those preparing to make more significant investments of time and money in an agricultural venture. This course, developed jointly with NESFI, includes a month of individually-guided research and support.

Course requirements: Completion of Explorer, another similar course, or self guided study using the Explorer workbook. Applicants must have reached the decision to farm on a revenue-generating scale.

Schedule: four sessions over eight weeks on weekend mornings.

Location/Dates: Amherst - January 29 – March 26

Established Farmers – This course is designed for agricultural business owners, workers or enthusiasts who operate an existing agricultural enterprise with at least two years of production and sales. The course, known as Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, offers a chance to assess or reorganize operations, assemble documentation for business decision-making, consider redirection, plan for expansion, or propose an ownership transfer. The curriculum was developed by NxLevel. This course draws on extensive peer experience, instructor knowledge and guest speakers - with the addition of substantial individual technical assistance at the course’s conclusion.

Schedule: 10 sessions over 10 weeks on weekday evenings.

Location/Dates: Amherst - January 10 – March 12; or Marlborough - January 12 – March 14
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Grant to CET will help towns reduce, reuse and recycle

Rural towns, businesses and individuals in western MA are eligible for help increasing recycling, composting, reducing and managing their waste through a $96,916 grant award to the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development.

This new funding will enable CET to help communities with fewer than 10,000 residents divert waste from landfills and combustion facilities through waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting. “We're excited to be able to work with many groups reduce their impact on our environment in western Massachusetts,” said Jamie Cahillane, Recycling Services Program Manager for CET.

Businesses, schools and other groups often struggle to find ways to safely dispose of items like spent fluorescent bulbs, outdated electronics, rechargeable batteries, and household hazardous waste.  CET will provide answers to people’s pressing questions about proper disposal.

Organic food waste is an excellent addition to leaves and other yard waste both small scale and large.  CET staff will work with residents, businesses and institutions to increase the amount of organic food waste being composted.  CET will also teach school children about the importance of reducing the use of disposable water bottles and utilizing reused materials for gifts and wrapping paper.  In addition, CET waste management specialists will be available to conduct presentations or lead discussions on such topics as how to compost, how to reduce waste or how to use less toxic products at home and in the garden.

In western MA, many communities have an economic incentive to recycle. Most western MA towns receive an average of more than $20 for every ton of recyclables that they bring to the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility.

“The production, transport and disposal of items no longer wanted results in greenhouse gases that directly contribute to climate change,” said CET Executive Director John Majercak. “Recycling and composting are easy steps that everyone can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—at home, at work and in our communities.”

“CET has the know-how and has run programs that have truly benefited our communities and our environment,” said Congressman John Olver.  “They are passionate about what they do and have developed successful programs. This grant will provide communities, businesses and schools with valuable tools to help preserve what’s unique about our area.”

“USDA Rural Development has been working with CET for many years now and we are very pleased to continue to support their efforts toward waste reduction and education about reuse and recycling,” said Rural Development State Director, Jay Healy. “Our agency’s mission is to improve the quality of life in rural America and CET has proven to be a great partner in that endeavor.”

For more information, contact Jamie Cahillane at jamiec@cetonline.org or call 413-445-4556, ext. 14. The Center for Ecological Technology (CET) is a non-profit energy and resource conservation and waste management organization serving western Massachusetts, with offices in Pittsfield, Northampton and Springfield.  CET is an equal opportunity provider and employer and is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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HELP NEEDED FOR COTTONTAIL SURVEY

Beginning this winter, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) will be conducting a statewide survey of cottontail rabbits to assess the distribution and population of New England cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis), the only cottontail rabbit species native to the northeastern United States and rarely seen. Two kinds of cottontail rabbits are found in Massachusetts, the common non-native Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) and the New England cottontail. Division biologists are asking for the help of hunters, highway department workers, animal control officers, and other interested citizens across the state to provide DFW with cottontail carcasses or intact cottontail skulls for the survey.

 “The reason we need cottontail skulls is that it is virtually impossible to tell the two species apart when you see them in the field,” said David Scarpitti, DFW Upland Game Project Leader. “They can only be positively identified by looking at skull characteristics or through DNA analyses. Gathering a sample collection of cottontail heads or skulls from across the state is our best method to use when investigating rabbit population characteristics and distribution.” Scarpitti noted that survey methods such as hunter and road-kill collections provide substantial information on distribution, but the information is only as good as the amount of participation by interested people, and the geographic distribution of collected specimens and habitat sampling. “The more samples we have from different parts of the state, the better we can understand where New England cottontails are found.”

Carcasses or intact cottontail heads should be placed in a plastic bag and frozen until they can be dropped off at a DFW District Office, DFW hatchery, or DFW’s Field Headquarters in Westborough. Please include a note with contact information, date of collection and detailed location information such as town, street or land parcel. A marked topographic map or GPS coordinates are ideal, but any detailed location information will greatly aid biologists.

 During the last 25-50 years, the distribution New England cottontail has been drastically reduced across their range in New England. “New England cottontails are scarce due to the lack of suitable habitat,” said Scarpitti. “Unlike the Eastern cottontails seen in neighborhood yards, parks, fields and pastures, New England cottontails require dense, thick shrublands to hide from predators and survive cold, harsh winters. Shrublands, regenerating clearcuts, densely vegetated wet areas, utility/powerline rights-of-way, and other thicket habitats provide the necessary year-round food and cover requirements for cottontails.” New England cottontails also require large, expansive patches of dense thicket habitat, often a minimum of 10-20 acres in size. These habitats types are very uncommon, amounting to less than 5% of all forested habitat acreage in Massachusetts. The DFW is creating shrubland and young forest habitats in suitable locations on Wildlife Management Areas and is actively encouraging other landowners to create shrubland and young forest habitats in appropriate areas.

The cottontail survey is part of a range-wide effort called the New England Cottontail Initiative (NEC), focusing on distribution and habitat restoration of New England cottontails throughout New England and New York. The NEC Initiative involves partnerships with state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations and other large landowners focusing on surveys, habitat identification and habitat restoration efforts. Funding for the New England Cottontail Initiative comes from a competitive State Wildlife Grant awarded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to a partnership of New England and New York state wildlife agencies and the Wildlife Management Institute. For more information on cottontails and past research efforts go to: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_cottontails.htm.
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JOIN THE 111TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

Make the Christmas Bird Count part of your holiday outdoor tradition! From mid-December through January 1, 2011, bird lovers in Massachusetts will be participating in the nation’s longest-running wildlife survey, the 111th Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Families, students, birders, and scientists armed with binoculars, bird guides, and checklists go out on an annual seasonal mission – often before dawn. For decades, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has enticed dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the holiday season. The data collected by bird observers over the past century allow researchers, conservation biologists, and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, the CBC provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.

In Massachusetts, there are 33 geographic “count circles” where the bird counts occur. Each count circle is coordinated by an experienced Count Compiler who works with teams of birders responsible for that circle’s bird count. Beginning birders can join a group that includes at least one or two experienced birdwatchers in charge of covering a portion of the circle. In addition, if your home is within the boundaries of a count circle, you can report the birds visiting your feeder. In either case, if you have never been on a CBC before, locate and contact your local Count Compiler to find out how you can participate. To connect with the Compiler and find out about the local bird club in your area, visit the MassBird website at http://massbird.org/birdobserver/CBC/index.htm and birding clubs in your area. A list of Frequently Asked Questions with more details and national CBC results are found on National Audubon’s web page at www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/FAQ.html.
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The Black Brook Property – soon to be RLT’s Newest Public Conservation Land

Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT) is in the process of acquiring a new public conservation land in Stephentown, New York. The Black Brook, a pristine native trout spawning brook, runs through the 30 acres of wooded property. Part of the property has a ravine which in one spot has suffered from long-term illegal dumping of tires, washing machines and other such debris, but that is the only blight on this beautiful piece of property. This property will be open to the public for catch and release fishing, snowshoeing, hiking, birding, educational purposes, and nature viewing. RLT is looking for donations to support their work and for the stewardship of this beautiful new property.
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The 3/50 Project for Northern Berkshire

This is an opportunity to change the face of your community. Think 3/50

Time: October 18, 2010 at 6pm to January 31, 2011 at 7pm
Location: Adams, North Adams, Williamstown
Organized By: Northern Berkshire Transition
Event Description: THINK -- Pick 3. Spend 50. Save Our Local Economy

We're well on our way with our local The 3/50 Project with over 20 participating Independent Local Businesses in the Northern Berkshire communities of Adams, North Adams and Williamstown.

You can help by making some of your holiday purchases this Saturday at your 3 Favorite Local Independent Business.

SIMPLY THINK 3/50

PICK 3
Think of three businesses you'd miss if they went away. Stop in. Say hello. Pick up a little something that makes you smile. That's what keeps them around, after all.

SPEND $50 a month among these businesses
No more than you would spend in your normal monthly shopping. Just consider what Locally Owned Independent Business you can find the goods you're looking for and make those purchases there. Avoid the big box and nationally franchised stores as they ship your dollars out of the community.

REMEMBER - LOCALLY SPENT $$$ STAY LOCAL

For every $100 dollars spent at a Locally Owned Independent Business means $25 additional dollars circulating in the local economy. Dollars that pay for local jobs, pay local taxes and support your local schools, athletic programs and fundraising activities. ADD IT UP, it's a lot of money over the course of a year.

Thanks to our local sponsors: Becks Printing, Living Well Chiropractic, Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and Custom Business Solutions.

For details on how you as an individual can help, or how your Locally Owned Independent Business can participate contact Jay Walsh at Northern Berkshire Transition: Send and email to nbtransitoin@gmail.com with "The 350 Project" in the subject line, or call 413-329-1755.

Consider The 3/50 Project for strengthening our Northern Berkshire economy. This campaign may be a means to ensure the growth, stability, and survival of our locally owned and operated businesses and local economy.

For more information on this campaign nationally, please visit The350Project.net.
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Deadly Pesticide Endosulfan Banned
from the Center for Biological Diversity

Following years of work by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, the Environmental Protection Agency last week finally published plans to phase out and ban endosulfan, a highly toxic insecticide that has threatened rare wildlife -- and human health -- for decades. The DDT-era poison is used on crops and is a pervasive pollutant of waterways that has been linked to disruption of endocrine systems, reproductive disorders and other severe health problems in humans. Endosulfan jeopardizes numerous endangered species in aquatic and terrestrial environments, including the Wyoming toad, piping plover, wood stork and many protected fishes and mussels. As far back as 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife recognized the threat endosulfan poses to endangered species, and the wildlife agency recommended banning it in 2002. But instead, the Bush administration allowed its continued use. The EPA's new plan reverses that decision, so that most endosulfan crop uses will end in two years and all uses will be phased out by 2016.
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MassRecycle 2010 Recycling Awards
from ELM Bulletin, Thu, November 18, 2010

MassRecycle, Massachusetts' statewide Recycling Coalition, has announced the recipients of their 2010 Recycling Awards, which acknowledge individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to recycling and waste reduction in Massachusetts.

To see which company, restaurant, and town received the 2010 Recycling award, go here.
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American Hiking Society: National Trails Fund
The National Trails Fund, sponsored by American Hiking Society, provides funding to grassroots nonprofit organizations throughout the country working toward establishing, protecting, and maintaining foot trails in America. The Fund’s grants help give local groups the resources they need to secure access, volunteers, tools and materials to protect America's public trails. The following types of grants will be considered for the 2011 program:

  • Those that have hikers as the primary constituency, though projects on multi-use trails are eligible.
  • Those that secure trail lands, including acquisition of trails and trail corridors and the costs associated with acquiring conservation easements.
  • Projects that will result in visible and substantial ease of access, improved hiker safety and/or avoidance of environmental damage. Higher preference is often given to projects with volunteer labor.
  • Projects that promote constituency building surrounding specific trail projects - including volunteer recruitment and support.

 The application deadline is December 15, 2010. Visit the American Hiking Society websites above to download the grant guidelines and submit an online application.
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