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The BEAT News

February 27, 2008

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Follow all the environmental news and events in Berkshire County delivered to you computer weekly.
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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 Berkshires

News From the Highland Communities Initiative

The Conservation Common
Would you like to connect with other people working to preserve the quality of life of their community to share resources, advice, and support? The Trustees of Reservations Putnam Conservation Institute created a new website to act as a “cyber village” for conservation and community preservationists of all backgrounds and levels of experience.  Visit www.conservationcommon.org to learn more.

Keystone Program Application Deadline
The Keystone Project (formerly Coverts) is 3-day training program that provides a thorough understanding of forest ecology and stewardship, wildlife management, and land conservation.  It will be offered at Harvard Forest in Petersham from April 24-27th.  The application deadline is March 3rd.  Visit www.makeystone.net for more information.
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BEAT Comments on Integrated MEPA/Permitting Review

BEAT agrees with the goal of making the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act process more predictable, more efficient, and more effective in protecting the environment. We also agree that early input is very important. We would suggest getting all interested parties to the table as early in the process as possible, and providing a clear and consistent process, is in everyone's best interest. However, we are very concerned that the current proposal appears to dramatically limit public input into the process. Please read our full comments. (link)


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ELM Bulletin
Environmental League of Massachusetts
February 21, 2008

Environmental Bond Bill
We got a very nice Valentine's Day gift last Thursday from the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture which favorably reported out the environmental bond bill and increased the bottom line by $113 million - making it a $1.51 billion bill. The legislation now moves to the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, which most likely will hold a hearing in March.

Notable additions to the bond bill include:

  • $16 million more for Office of Coastal Zone Management
  • $2 million more for water quality monitoring
    $500,000 for assessment and prioritization of wetlands monitoring
  • $5 million more for DFG land conservation
  • $4 million more for endangered species protection
  • $3 million more for upland habitat management
  • $2.5 million more for Riverways Program
  • $7.5 million for comprehensive wildlife conservation strategy
  • $10 million more for farm viability
  • $6 million more for forest management
  • $10 million for grants program to control harmful aquatic invasives
  • $20 million more for state coordination with federal-state streamflow data collection

Stay tuned for details on next steps.

FY 2009 Green Budget Released
Last week ELM released its FY 2009 Green Budget recommendations. More than 50 other environmental organizations endorsed this year's Green Budget. The full report can be found at http://www.environmentalleague.org.  

We are requesting a $17 million increase over last year's environmental budget, including increases for MassGIS, state and urban parks, Office of Dam Safety, stormwater management, implementation of the Mercury Reduction Act, hazardous waste site cleanup, Riverways and Natural Heritage.

The Green Budget has been delivered to all legislators. ELM President George Bachrach was interviewed about the Green Budget on NECN, and a story also appeared on the State House News Service.

Next steps

  1. Meeting - with House and Senate Ways and Means Committees. If anyone would like to participate in these meetings, please contact Nancy Goodman.
  2. Hearing - before both the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees is taking place next week - Thursday, February 28th at 11 am in Gardner Auditorium. 

    ELM will be testifying, but we need others to appear before the committee as well.  If you cannot attend in person, please consider submitting written testimony. 

The state's fiscal situation is extremely precarious and if we are to avoid cuts and actually realize any increases, we must make our voices heard, loudly and often. 

Phosphorus-Restricting Bill
As we mentioned in the last e-newsletter, legislation restricting phosphorus content in household dish-washing detergent is before the Governor.

Because phosphorus acts as a natural fertilizer, it encourages the overgrowth of algae and other water plants. Additionally, as these plants decay seasonally, they deplete the oxygen content in the water, causing further environmental problems.

Several studies from environmental groups, including the Charles River Watershed Association and the Organization for the Assabet River, have reported that as much as 30% of the phosphorus that has been going into wastewater treatment plants is from domestic sewage. Household dish detergents have significantly contributed to these increasing phosphorus levels that are damaging to the environment and costly to remove.

Senator Resor, who sponsored the bill, was quoted in a recent online article in the Patriot Ledger News:


'Towns are overburdened with the increasing costs of removing phosphorus at waste-water treatment plants, and those costs are often transferred to local taxpayers. By eliminating phosphorus at the source we can ease town costs while protecting afflicted bodies of water.'

You can read the full article here:
http://www.patriotledger.com/news/state_news/x315749569

Oceans Act
The Oceans Act passed the House last week after contentious debate on the floor. The Senate passed its version in September. The bills are significantly different and will now go to conference. Senate conferees are Senators O'Leary, Resor, and Tarr. House conferees have not yet been appointed.

Stream Flow Standards
We also had reported that the bill to establish streamflow standards had been attached to a water conservation bill and reported out favorably by the Natural Resources Committee. That was an error and the bill remains in the Natural Resources Committee which is working on new language. Advocates are meeting with Senator Resor's staff to discuss options.
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EPA Seeks Public Comment on Possible Drinking Water Contaminants

EPA is asking for public comment on a list of 104 possible drinking water contaminants that may need to be regulated in the future to ensure the continued protection of drinking water. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA includes on the draft Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) currently unregulated contaminants that are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems and which may require regulation. This draft CCL, which is the third such listing, lists 93 chemical contaminants or groups and 11 microbes, and describes the process and basis for selecting these contaminants.

"EPA is casting a broader scientific net for potential regulation of chemicals and microbes in drinking water," said Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "EPA's proposed list of priority contaminants will advance sound science and public health by targeting research on certain chemicals and microbes and informing regulators on how best to reduce risk."

The CCL process was established by the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act as a mechanism to determine if new regulations are needed to protect drinking water. Under this process EPA conducts extensive research into the occurrence and health effects of the listed contaminants before issuing new regulations or standards. In developing the draft CCL 3, the agency implemented a new approach for selecting contaminants which builds upon evaluations used for previous lists and is based on substantial expert input early in the process and recommendations from a larger number of different groups including stakeholders, the National Research Council and the National Drinking Water Advisory Council.

The draft list includes chemicals used in commerce, pesticides, biological toxins, disinfection byproducts, and waterborne pathogens. The agency evaluated approximately 7,500 chemicals and microbes and selected 104 candidates for the final draft list based on their potential to pose health risks through drinking water exposure. The comment period is open for 90 days beginning the day of publication in the Federal Register. Information on the CCL 3: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/ccl3.html
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Dear friends and colleagues,

I will be resigning from my role as MACC’s Executive Director in early April and starting a new job with the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), an environmental advocacy organization located in Boston. I have truly enjoyed my work at MACC over the last four-and-a-half years in support of community-based conservation by Conservation Commissions. I look forward to continuing to assist MACC and Conservation Commissions through legislative advocacy in my new role at ELM. I will be on the job at MACC until the second week in April.

MACC is now seeking its next Executive Director. From firsthand experience I can tell you the position is extremely rewarding. The Executive Director is fortunate to work with a wonderful and supportive staff and board of directors. The work itself is interesting, important and challenging. See below for the job announcement and application instructions. Please forward this message to anyone you think might be interested in applying.

Thank you for supporting MACC, and I look forward to seeing you on March 1 at our Annual Environmental Conference (visit us at www.maccweb.org if you have not yet registered).

Ken Pruitt
Executive Director

POSITION AVAILABLE

MACC Executive Director

The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) seeks a dynamic Executive Director. The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of MACC, working under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Executive Director directs and oversees all aspects of MACC operations and is the key contact person representing the organization. The Executive Director is directly responsible for each of the following, with the assistance of the staff:

- Organizational and office management: Hire, manage and direct staff and projects; work with the Board of Directors and board committees to develop policies, respond to requests and ensure implementation of actions.

- Education Programs: Direct Conferences, Certificate Training Program, Workshops, Coordination with Outside Institutions. - Development and Finance: Grant proposal preparation and project management, budget preparation and management (in concert with appropriate officers and directors), giving programs including corporate sponsorship.

- Advocacy and Visibility: Legislative, Regulatory, Working Committees, Newsletter.

The successful candidate must be highly organized, able to multi-task, have excellent communication and computer skills, must be self directed, must be able to manage staff, and must be able to network with regulatory, non-regulatory, and grant awarding authorities. Candidate must also be very familiar with Massachusetts Conservation Commissions and their regulatory environment. Salary is commensurate with the experience and skills of the successful applicant, subject to MACC's budget.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume in electronic format to the MACC Search Committee by e-mail to: searchcommittee@maccweb.org. Questions can also be sent to that e-mail address, or you may call the MACC office at: 617-489-3930. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Posted: February 21, 2008.

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MACC
www.maccweb.org
10 Juniper Road
Belmont, MA 02478 USA

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