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Safer Alternatives Bill Action Alert Please become familiar with this important bill. It's one way we can help For more information about the bill, go to: Then, if you support this bill, please call or write to your Berkshire Ben Downing - Senate - 413-442-4008 or 617-722-1625 or bdowning@bendowning.org Thanks - Siobhan McNally MD MPH |
MassSave Energy Audits |
Two New OSI Funding Initiatives Through Saving New England’s Wildlife, OSI will fund 10 to 15 The Western Massachusetts Land Protection Fund—capitalized with $1 Please take a moment to review grant criteria online at |
Food Waste Information from DEP The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently added two new documents to our website that provide useful information on food waste generation in Massachusetts (see MassDEP website ). Both documents are based on a study completed for MassDEP in 2002, titled "Identification, Characterization & Mapping of Food Waste & Food Waste Generators in Massachusetts", which is available on this same web page under the heading of the same name. The first document is an excel spreadsheet that contains key data on all of the food waste generators included in the Report, including business name and type, location, locational coordinates, and, in many cases, estimated generation quantities. This data is in a form that can readily be used for GIS mapping and analysis. The second document is a map that shows the major food waste generators in Massachusetts, giving a statewide perspective of the distribution of large food waste generators across Massachusetts. |
Habitat Restoration Proposals sought for Housatonic Watershed |
BerkShares Success Enables Exchange Rate Change BerkShares |
UPCOMING GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Section 319 of the Clean Water Act of 1987 established a national program to control nonpoint sources (NPS) of pollution. Each year the Massachusetts DEP issues a Request for Responses (RFR) for competitive projects to be funded through Section 319 grants. This year’s RFR will be issued on or about April 1, 2009. Proposals will be due on June 2, 2009. The RFR will be posted at the Commonwealth’s procurement site, http://www.comm-pass.com under Open Solicitations, Department of Environmental Protection, Professional Services. Two Pre-RFR meetings will be held at MassDEP’s Central Regional Office (CERO), 627 Main Street, Worcester, MA. The purpose of each meeting is to review project requirements and eligibility and to discuss FFY ’10 program priorities. Any other aspect of the program may also be discussed. Under state procurement regulations, Department and other EOEEA staff will not be able to discuss projects with proponents once the RFR is issued on or about April 1. Therefore, potential applicants are urged to take advantage of either or both of the Pre-RFR meetings, and all other opportunities to engage 319 program staff in discussion about how to develop eligible, competitive projects, prior to the April RFR issuance. Directions to CERO: http://mass.gov/dep/about/region/centralr.htm PROJECT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Responses to the RFR may be submitted by any interested Massachusetts public or private organization. In order to be considered eligible for funding, projects must: Projects should be of manageable size, but should strive to be comprehensive projects addressing all major identified nonpoint sources affecting water quality in the watershed or subwatershed. All 319 projects are required to provide quarterly reporting as well as a Final Report. Projects from all basins are eligible and encouraged. Targeted basins for 2010 under the Five Year Basin Cycle (Years 3 and 4) are the Connecticut, Chicopee, Nashua, Blackstone, French, Quinebaug, Merrimack, Parker, Boston Harbor, Narragansett/Mt. Hope Bay, and Cape Cod. Projects from these basins may receive five extra points. PROJECT TYPES FOR FFY 2010 The Department encourages all types of eligible, competitive projects. Competitive projects are typically comprised of one or more eligible activities. The majority of s.319 funding is designated for funding implementation projects in impaired waters. Project evaluation will substantially favor work that is consistent with the Massachusetts Watershed-based Plan and that will result in meeting water quality standards and/or restoring beneficial uses (i.e., in removal of the waterbody from the 303d list, i.e. Category 4 or 5 of the Massachusetts 2006 Integrated List of Waters, http://mass.gov/dep/water/resources/tmdls.htm). A. Implementation Projects in Impaired Waters (Category 4 or 5) - Preference will be given to projects that propose to implement a combination of structural and non-structural BMPs addressing all impairments and leading to restoration in an impaired watershed or subwatershed. Implementation projects should be of manageable size, but must be comprehensive, striving to address all sources of NPS pollution in the project area. BMPs should be selected for optimal pollutant load removal, emphasizing source reduction. Please note that 319 funds cannot be used to implement requirements specifically contained within Phase I and Phase II NPDES permits. Proposed BMPs must be developed at least to the conceptual design stage, and proposals must contain site specific information to demonstrate that the project is feasible and ready to be constructed within the project timeline. APPLICATION PROCESS The RFR contains a schedule for each step of the application process. Applications must meet the eligibility requirements and follow the specific format outlined in the RFR. Applications are reviewed and recommended by an internal screening committee comprised of MassDEP Municipal Services and Regional staff, EOEEA staff, and EPA. Once approved by the Commissioner of MassDEP, the list of recommended projects is submitted to EPA with the Department's federal grant application in August each year. Once the grant application is approved by EPA (on or after October 1st), the Department begins contract negotiations with the proponents of the funded projects. As a general rule of thumb, 319 grantees can expect funds will become available six to eight months after submitting the initial grant application. Funds are paid on a reimbursement basis, and the Department retains 10% of the award amount until the project is finalized. From fiscal year 1990 through 2009, individual total project costs (grant funds plus match) have ranged from $10,000 up to $500,000. EVALUATION CRITERIA The Department encourages all types of eligible, competitive proposals. Evaluation criteria include, but are not limited to: nature, extent, severity and understanding of the NPS problem; logical and comprehensive strategy; feasibility and probability of success; projected benefits; local support and participation; interagency participation, cooperation and commitment; local funding; amount of funds requested; consistency with Department and EOEEA goals and priorities; and consistency with the Massachusetts Watershed-based Plan. Project evaluation will substantially favor work that will result in meeting water quality standards and/or restoring beneficial uses (i.e., in removal of the waterbody from the 303d list, i.e. Category 4 or 5 of the Massachusetts 2006 Integrated List of Waters, http://mass.gov/dep/water/resources/tmdls.htm ). To obtain additional program information, indicative summaries of past 319 projects, or a copy of the 319 RFR, please call or email Jane Peirce, 319 Program Coordinator at (508) 767-2792, Jane.Peirce@state.ma.us, or write to Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Municipal Services, 627 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, Attention: Jane Peirce. Hard copies of the RFR will only be mailed if requested. |
The Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is now accepting applications for the 2009 Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education. All K-l2 schools who are participating in environmental and energy projects in their schools are eligible. You can submit your nomination online by clicking here for info and here for the form, or by going to EEA’s homepage, http://www.mass.gov/envir, and navigating from there. The Deadline for submitting a nomination is Friday, April 3, 2009. |
Birds Tell Important Climate Change Story As part of [National] Audubon's national campaign to promote this report and urge our leaders to take immediate action to address the threat of global warming, we've launched a companion web site, www.BirdsandClimate.org. In addition to the action petition, www.BirdsandClimate.org features a fun quiz, so you can test your knowledge, and a place to report your own observations (we'll post some of the best stories). Also, don't miss our upcoming webcast featuring the Audubon's lead bird scientist, Greg Butcher, author of the report. BEAT note: Mass Audubon is a separate organization from National Audubon. (Mass Audubon was the original Audubon formed, other states followed. Many states joined together to form National Audubon, but Mass Audubon has remained independent for more than 100 years.) |