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Don't bring firewood home from other areas
Milford Daily News, December 17, 2010
brought to BEAT by:
Jessica A. Rowcroft, Resource Management Planner, Department of Conservation & Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Rick Sullivan is warning transporting firewood more than 50 miles or across state borders can introduce invasive pests that kill trees, like the Asian longhorned beetles, that caused the destruction of 28,000 elm trees in Worcester in 2008.
For the full article, see: http://www.milforddailynews.com/features/x74198853/Dont-bring-firewood-home-from-other-areas
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Help Keep Public Lands as Public Lands!
Conversion of land acquired for natural resource purposes is supposed to be difficult in Massachusetts, requiring a 2/3 vote of the legislature - but that is a joke. The legislature rubber-stamps most every conversion no matter how egregious. What we need is the Public Lands Preservation Act (H. 4422) or PLPA (aka the Article 97 bill and the No-net-loss bill). This bill would sanction approving a change in use or sale of Public Lands (Article 97 land), only when there is no feasible alternative and if replacement land of equivalent acreage, market value, and natural resources value is provided. The replacement land requirement is waived where a disposition is of buildings or leads to no significant permanent physical changes in the land. The PLPA has been sponsored by 50 senators and representatives and endorsed by over 100 public and private organizations. Let's make 2011 the year this important legislation finally passes. Read more.
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We Need to Update the Bottle Bill
The Bottle Bill is the state’s most successful recycling and litter prevention program. Since the Bottle Bill's inception in 1983, over 30 billion containers have been redeemed, contributing to a healthier environment, cleaner and safer communities, and a stronger economy. But to keep up with the times and consumer’s tastes, the bottle bill must be updated.
An Updated Bottle Bill would expand our container deposit system to include “new age” drinks such as non-carbonated beverages, water, iced tea, juice, and sports drinks. It would decrease litter - and increase recycling.
For more information check out the Update the Bottle Bill website.
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More protected acres for Pleasant Valley!
from Mass Audubon
22.5 acres have been added to Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary! The newly acquired land had been passed down through a few generations of the same family, kept simply as backland over the years. Relatively flat, the mixed hardwood forest and freshwater wetlands is a lovely addition to the protected land in the valley below Yokun Ridge. The protection of this land is particularly beneficial because the land is located within the corridor of undeveloped land that connects Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary with Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary.
The newly acquired property is identified as highest priority for protection in the sanctuary land protection plan. In addition to enlarging a contiguous area of conserved land, the conservation of this property is ecologically important because it consists of valuable interior forest habitat and is mapped as NHESP Biomap Core Habitat and NHESP Critical Supporting Watershed. We are very pleased about this wonderful addition to our wildlife sanctuary system that enhances our existing landholdings and protects surface and groundwater quality and rare species habitat!
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Web-based Training Series for NPDES Permit Writers.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Writer's Course is a five-day training session covering the key elements of NPDES permit development. The course is taught by experienced EPA staff and contractors and has been very well received by EPA Regions and authorized NPDES states. Due to the high demand for the course, EPA has developed and recorded Web-based presentations covering much of the material presented in the live course. These recorded presentations enable participants who attended the NPDES Permit Writer's' Course to review the material on demand in a self-paced environment. The presentations also are useful for those who have not attended a live course, but who wish to become familiar with important concepts of the NPDES permit program.
Several training modules were previously posted on EPA's NPDES Training Courses and Workshops web page; however, the 13-part series is now complete. In addition, a new feature has been added that allows the user to print a "course completion certificate" if they achieve a passing score on the module quiz. After printing the certificate, the user may also (voluntarily) click a link to send their contact information to EPA for tracking purposes.
The NPDES Web-based training series can be accessed at:http://www.epa.gov/npdes/training
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U.S. House passed the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act
from the Environmental Defense Fund
The U.S. House passed the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 (DERA), a bipartisan five-year reauthorization bill that will help cut pollution from the existing fleet of diesel-powered vehicles and equipment across the country.
Since 2005, over 350 DERA grants have been made, cleaning up thousands of engines. The Senate has already passed the bill, which is now ready for President Obama's signature.
Diesel pollution is linked to 21,000 premature deaths and hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks every year. The risk is particularly acute for hundreds of thousands of Americans who live or work near interstate highways, or other areas that have high concentrations of diesel engines, such a ports and railyards.
Complementing EPA rules that require cleaner engines for a variety of new vehicles and equipment, DERA will provide financial incentives to clean up America's existing diesel-powered vehicle fleet and the air we breathe.
Most importantly, this bill will save lives.
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EPA to Set Greenhouse Gas Standards
Agency stresses flexibility and public input in developing cost-effective and protective GHG standards for largest emitters
Release date: 12/23/2010
Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn, Milbourn.cathy@epa.gov, 202-564-7849, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued its plan for establishing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution standards under the Clean Air Act in 2011. The agency looked at a number of sectors and is moving forward on GHG standards for fossil fuel power plants and petroleum refineries—two of the largest industrial sources, representing nearly 40 percent of the GHG pollution in the United States. The schedule issued in today’s agreements provides a clear path forward for these sectors and is part of EPA’s common-sense approach to addressing GHGs from the largest industrial pollution sources.
“We are following through on our commitment to proceed in a measured and careful way to reduce GHG pollution that threatens the health and welfare of Americans, and contributes to climate change,” Administrator Lisa Jackson said. “These standards will help American companies attract private investment to the clean energy upgrades that make our companies more competitive and create good jobs here at home.”
Several states, local governments and environmental organizations sued EPA over the agency’s failure to update the pollution standards for fossil fuel power plants and petroleum refineries, two of the largest source categories of GHG pollution in the United States. Under today’s agreement, EPA will propose standards for power plants in July 2011 and for refineries in December 2011 and will issue final standards in May 2012 and November 2012, respectively.
This schedule will allow the agency to host listening sessions with the business community, states and other stakeholders in early 2011, well before the rulemaking process begins, as well as to solicit additional feedback during the routine notice and comment period. Together this feedback will lead to smart, cost-effective and protective standards that reflect the latest and best information.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set industry-specific standards for new sources that emit significant quantities of harmful pollutants. These standards, called New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), set the level of pollution new facilities may emit and address air pollution from existing facilities. The Act allows flexible and innovative approaches that take into account cost, health and environmental impacts, and energy requirements. EPA must also periodically update these standards to reflect improvements in control technologies.
Earlier this year, EPA issued a common-sense approach to GHG permitting for the largest industrial sources. This approach, the GHG permitting guidelines issued in November, and these standards will give power plants and refineries a clear and sensible path for addressing GHG pollution.
EPA will accept public comment on these two agreements for 30 days following publication of notice in the Federal Register.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/ghgsettlement.html
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Job Opportunity in Red Hook, NY
If you know someone who would be interested in a year-long consulting position to develop and implement a climate action plan for the Town of Red Hook, please forward this RFP
http://www.redhook.org/PDFs/TownClerk/2010GeneralNotices/12-16-10EnergyConsultantProposalNotice.pdf
The deadline to apply for this position is January 5, 2011.
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Rita Barron Fellowship
The Rita Barron Fellowship is named in honor of the Charles River Watershed Association’s (CRWA) second Executive Director, who worked for fifteen years as a pioneering leader in river and watershed protection. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for a qualified candidate to work in an exciting and dynamic organization under the direction of some of the country’s leading watershed scientists. The Fellow will work closely with the science and advocacy staff of CRWA on a variety of ongoing projects and programs. Tasks include: working with and training volunteers, supervising interns, conducting field work, data management and analysis, production of maps and graphic presentation materials, research, writing and editing reports and grants, and making public presentations.
The Fellowship is a one-year, full-time position, and provides a stipend of $30,000 plus benefits for the work period. The Fellowship provides a short-term work experience in a dynamic non-profit organization and is intended for a well trained individual entering the field of watershed science and management. The position will provide the right candidate with valuable real-world experience in water resources management, significant on the job-training and skill building, and opportunities to work with a variety of other environmental agencies and organizations. Individuals with significant experience in this field will not be considered for the position. The Fellow is expected to start on June 1, 2011. Outstanding candidates will be interviewed in January and February, 2011.
The successful candidate will:
- Have a documented interest in the environment.
- Have a Master’s degree in one of the following areas: environmental science, environmental management, water resources, hydrology, biology, chemistry, civil/environmental/agricultural engineering, or a related field. (In some cases a Bachelor’s degree along with a few years of relevant experience may substitute for a Master’s degree).
- Be proficient in ArcGIS.
- Have experience working as a volunteer or with volunteers; volunteer management experience is a plus.
- Be able to perform physical tasks in the field under all weather conditions, including lifting at least twenty pounds without difficulty.
- Have a valid driver’s license and regular access to a car.
- Be able to work periodic early mornings, evenings and weekends and have flexibility to be on-call for water quality sampling during wet weather events.
Additional qualifications:
Candidates must be self-motivated and demonstrate an ability to work well with others as well as on their own with minimal supervision. Strong computer, public speaking, research and writing skills are all highly desired. Experience with environmental field work and data analysis, either paid or volunteer, is a plus. Database management or statistical analysis experience is also a plus. Candidates will be interviewed and selected based on criteria such as prior experience, recommendations, academic performance, communication skills, and technical skills.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and a resume by email no later than January 15, 2011 to:
Julie Wood, Watershed Scientist
jwood@crwa.org
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