The BEAT News

July 22, 2009

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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Sustainable Water Resources Bill Hearing
This news is from the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM)

Excessive water withdrawals and obsolete dams severely damage many rivers and their aquatic life in Massachusetts, but a bill pending in the Legislature could help.  The Sustainable Water Resources bill (H. 843) will be heard by the Joint Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Agriculture on Wednesday, July 22nd at 11 am in State House Room 437.  We are hoping to have a good turnout on short notice in support of the bill.  We know that the Mass. Water Works Association (water suppliers), opposes the bill and is seeking to turn out its members as well.  If you are not able to testify in person, please consider submitting written testimony to the Committee.   
 
This legislation is a priority for ELM and many of the organizations we partner with, and (1) directs the state to develop science-based stream flow standards, (2) enables cities and towns to establish water banking, allowing them to charge a small fee for new development that will increase water withdrawals, and the funding to be used for a variety of techniques to conserve and protect water, and (3) promotes river restoration by encouraging dam removal rather than repair where the dam is no longer serving a useful purpose.

Please help ELM and our partners show support for this important law.  If you cannot attend the hearing in person, please consider making a phone call or sending an e-mail to your legislators asking them to support House bill 843.  Contact information for your legislators is available here.

BEAT Note: BEAT strongly supports this bill. Contact information for Berkshire Legislators is here.
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Alternative Energy Training

The Center for Business and Technology at Springfield Technical Community College is very pleased to announce the following alternative energy programs that have been scheduled for the upcoming term:

  • Design and Documentation of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems beginning on September 12
  • Photovoltaic Practitioner Certificate Program beginning on September 21
  • PV (Photovoltaic) Primer on November 14
  • General Solar Applications for the Consumer on October 17
  • Principles of Green Buildings (online course begins when you enroll)

Complete details on these and other alternative programs are at http://cbt.stcc.edu/specialinter est/index. asp#Alternative_Energy and you can register online at https://www. stcc.edu/ cbt/index. asp
Go to www.umass.edu/ green for information on Clean Energy Connections 2009

Mary Breeding, Asst. Vice President
Center for Business and Technology
Springfield Technical Community College
1 Federal St. Bldg. 101-R
Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 755-4501 FAX (413) 755-6319
breeding@stcc. edu
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EPA Releases Two Literature Review Documents Related to Recreational Water Quality Risks
EPA conducted two literature reviews to help inform development of new or revised recreational water quality criteria by 2012. The first document, Review of Published Studies to Characterize Relative Risks from Different Sources of Fecal Contamination in Recreational Waters, describes the existing information available to characterize the relative risks of human illness from various sources of fecal contamination in recreational waters. The second document, Review of Zoonotic Pathogens in Ambient Water, provides a summary of information on waterborne zoonotic pathogens that come primarily from warm-blooded animals. Both documents are available on EPA's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/recreation/
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First Round of Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR2) Program Are In


The results from the first 15 months of the second Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR2) program are now available on EPA’s Web site. EPA intends to update results at least semiannually until the end of reporting under the program in 2011. UCMR2 is a tool used by EPA to help determine whether to set new drinking water standards for individual contaminants that are not currently regulated. In this program, EPA works with public water systems to periodically test treated drinking water to see if and how often some contaminants may occur. To date, monitoring has been conducted at over 2000 public water supply systems.  To access UCMR2 results and learn more about the program go to:   www.epa.gov/safewater/ucmr/data.html  and
www.epa.gov/safewater/databases/ncod/index.html
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Fern Propagation: From Spores to Splendid 

This Sunday, July 26th, 2:00 – 4:00

Have you ever wondered how to start your own ferns from spores? Come and join Judy Sullivan for this hands-on workshop and discover why, with fronds like these, who needs anemones? Leave with your own potted soon-to-be fern. Pre-registration is required, space is limited. Suggested Donation $8, Project Native Members Free

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER CALL 413-274-3433.

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

Recipient of the New England Wildflower Society’s 2008 Education Award for outstanding efforts in educating the public about stewardship of native plants and landscapes.
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