Seventh Modification to the Consent Decree

Click here to read the seventh modification to the Consent Decree (pdf) . The modification allows GE's Capital, a subsidiary of GE, to sell the Co-generation Facility located on GE property to Maxim Power. The modification stipulates that GE will remain responsible to implement their obligations under the Consent Decree. GE is not selling any of the land to Maxim Power; they are selling the business and the physical plant and will grant land leases to Maxim Power. Maxim Power is a large utility that own and operates numerous power plants in North America.

BEAT asked about the testing of the well water that this facility uses because General Electric had injection wells that they used to dispose of toxic chemicals many years ago. Here is EPA's response to our question:

[T]he g[round] w[ater] data for the supply well at the co-generation facility is included in the semi-annual groundwater reports submitted by GE for Groundwater Management Area 3. The recent GMA-3 Reports are on EPA's web page. The supply well is refered to as ASW-5. Attached is the
link to the latest semi-annual groundwater report. The data for ASW-5 is in Appendix C, which begins on page 149 of the pdf and goes through
page 153 of the pdf. Data is included from June 1996 through December 2007. Groundwater samples are collected twice per year. The data
shows that PCBs have never been detected and that low levels of trichloroethene have been detected.
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Help Pass the Public Lands Preservation Act (S.2388)
(from the June 6, 2008 Collaborative Bulletin Environmental League of Massachusetts)

The Public Lands Preservation Act (S.2388) passed the Senate but continues to be stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee. We need your help to prevent this important legislation from languishing.

1. Call your representatives and ask them to talk to the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Robert A. DeLeo, and also to House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi in support of this bill.
2. Consider forwarding this alert, or otherwise contacting, members of your organization or other interested parties.

Why We Need S.2388

Concerned about the continual loss of parklands, playgrounds, conservation land, watersheds, and other public natural resource lands? You should be.
 
Although a clear process for protecting public lands was established by an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution in 1997, the reality of handling public land dispositions has been quite different. Public lands have been converted casually, sometimes without debate. The last legislature authorized the transfer of some interest in over 60 parcels of city, town, or state lands "protected" by Article 97, mostly to allow the lands to be used as building sites. Each municipality thinks it is alone in encroachment of their parks or other public lands, but in the aggregate, we are losing a valuable public asset for ourselves, and for our children and grandchildren.

S.2388 would require proof that no feasible alternative exists prior to conversion of parkland to other uses. It would also require compensatory land to be provided if land is transferred.

Action, Not Just Endorsement, is Needed
This bill already has widespread support - by the Environmental League of Massachusetts and many other environmental groups throughout the state. However, "endorsement" or "support" alone is not enough. It is critical that your representatives hear directly from their individual constituents on this issue - by phone, letter, or email.
 
To ensure that the bill makes it through the House Ways and Means Committee this session, we need to urge our representatives to make our voices heard to Chairman DeLeo and Speaker DiMasi, so that the bill can be reported out favorably ASAP.

Related Links and Information
More background, including a copy of the PLPA bill

If you are not sure who your representative is, you can easily look up current information

Sample letter follows:
If you need something to get started, refer to the sample letter in the next section. Reps like hearing from their individual constituents, so you should edit to make the letter your own. If you can give specific examples about the need to protect public land, even better.

June _, 2008

The Honorable _______________
House of Representatives
State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Representative ______________:

I am writing asking you to help enact the Public Lands Preservation Act (S.2388).  Please ask Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi to support S. 2388 and ask Chairman Robert A. DeLeo of  House Ways and Means to report the bill out favorably.  

S. 2388 would establish a government policy that public land acquired for natural resource purposes (Article 97 land) not be disposed of or converted to other uses without demonstration that there is no feasible alternative, and it would also require comparable natural resource land to be provided if land is transferred. The PLPA would stem the loss of parks, playgrounds, conservation land, watersheds, and other public natural resource lands.

This bill is important to me because ....

== [CHOOSE ONE, OR FILL IN YOUR OWN REASON] ==

These lands were acquired with taxpayer dollars for parks or conservation land, and that's what they should be used for.

Public land should not be disposed of casually, as happens now. Disposals should take place only after careful analysis of alternatives.

I am concerned at the rate of unplanned development which threatens loss of public lands for us and for our children and grandchildren.

My kids spend a lot of time in a neighborhood playground, and I want to make sure it stays a playground.

I firmly believe that we must preserve open spaces in Massachusetts. They contribute beneficially to our air quality and health, to preserving natural habitats for plants and animals, and to playing a part in attracting tourists to our state.

In my community, we lost parkland for a DPW parking lot, and we want to prevent that kind of thing happening again.

I know people who might be willing to donate open land but are concerned that it would not be protected in perpetuity.

I am a member of a [concom, planning board, watchdog organization, etc.] and get a lot of pressure to give up natural resource land.

I have been fighting a housing authority that wants to use conservation land in my neighborhood for a parking lot.

I have been instrumental in acquisition of public land and don't want to lose it.

==============================================

Please let Chairman DeLeo know that you want S. 2388 passed this legislative session. I would appreciate receiving a copy of your letter to the Chairman.

Sincerely,
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Berkshire Grown's much-loved Restaurant Week begins Sunday June 8th - Thursday June 12th.

For one week only, Berkshire Grown and 20 of our fabulous restaurants team up to promote and celebrate our locally grown bounty. Each participating restaurant offers Berkshire Grown members a three-course prix fixe dinner or lunch, featuring locally grown or produced foods, for the crazy price of $25.08.

Join Berkshire Grown today to support our local farms, to be part of the eat-seasonal-eat local movement, and to take part in Berkshire Grown Restaurant Week 2008.

Details here
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Area students advance to regional Solar Sprint competition

More than 100 middle school students from across  Berkshire County and their families gathered at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield on Saturday, May 31 to enter their model solar cars in the annual Berkshire Junior Solar Sprint (JSS).  The JSS is a fun and educational competition for students in grades 6-8 who work in teams to build miniature vehicles powered by the sun and in the process learn firsthand about non-polluting transportation. Student cars were judged in four categories—innovation (design), craftsmanship, technical merit, and performance (speed). The top three winners in each category—12 teams in all—are now eligible to compete in Northeast Junior Solar Sprint Championship on Sunday, June 8 at the Springfield Science Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Students from Maine to Maryland participate in the Springfield Championship.

“Each year the Junior Solar Sprint gets bigger and better.  We are thrilled by the creativity and enthusiasm of so many students, and excited that several now have the opportunity to participate in the regional event,” said Nancy Nylen of CET.  “It’s great to see students and teachers working together on projects, and then to see their family and friends cheer them on at the Solar Sprint event.  We owe a big thanks to our generous sponsors for making this possible.”

This year, the threat of thunderstorms forced the event indoors where students replaced solar panels with batteries to power their vehicles.  “It was a great event, despite the weather,” said coordinator Cynthia Grippaldi of CET. “The students had a lot of fun and learned firsthand that solar vehicles need battery back-up to run on cloudy days and at night.”

CET coordinated the event with support from Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Gas Company, Energy Federation, Inc., Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association and the U.S. Department of Energy.  Additional contributors were Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, South Street Servicenter, Bob’s Elm Street Service, Bartlett ’s Orchards, Morningside Bakery and Super Stop and Shop.

Students participating in the JSS came from BArT Charter Public School (Adams), Clarksburg Elementary School, Four Rivers Charter Public School (Greenfield), Gabriel Abbott Memorial School (Florida), Herberg Middle School and Reid Middle School (Pittsfield), Nessacus Middle School (Dalton), St. Agnes School (Dalton), and Richmond Consolidated School, as well as from two home-school teams. 

Berkshire Junior Solar Sprint Results – 2008

Award                 Car #, School, Name of Car, Students

Innovation

1st place: #21 — Clarksburg Elementary School:  “That Solar Car” – Caleb Roberts, Justin Cameron

2nd place: #23 – Clarksburg Elementary School : “Sierra” – Jillian Cyr, Sonya Merchant, Jackie Therrien

3rd place: #53 – Reid Middle School : “ Phoenix ” – Jon May, Michael Coelho, Bryan Tynan, Alex Hall

Craftsmanship

1st place: #71 – Richmond Consolidated School :  “Lime-O-Zenes” – Mike Renton, Bill Reed, Roma Sabino

2nd place: #73 – Richmond Consolidated School : “The Big Mac” – Daniel Meandro, Thomas Randolph, Collin Goodrich

3rd place: #53 – Reid Middle School : “ Phoenix ” – Jon May, Michael Coelho, Bryan Tynan, Alex Hall

Technical Merit

1st place: #71 – Richmond Consolidated School :  “Lime-O-Zenes” – Mike Renton, Bill Reed, Roma Sabino

2nd place: #80 – St. Agnes School : “Solar Kick” – Reagan Smith

3rd place: #110 – Berkshire Adventure Learners: “The Solar Schooner” – Cavanaugh Wolski, Jonah Carlson

Speed

1st place: #62 – Nessacus Middle School : “Flabbergasted” – Christian Pickwell, Kyle Miller, Nathan Sears, Ryan Parker

2nd place: #92 – Herberg Middle School :  “Our Team” – Tim McCracken, Zach Rahilly

3rd place: #73 – Richmond Consolidated School : “The Big Mac” – Daniel Meandro, Thomas Randolph, Collin Goodrich

The Berkshire JSS is an annual event. For more information about the JSS or solar energy curriculum, contact Cynthia Grippaldi at CET, (413)-445-4556 ext. 25 or Nancy Nylen at nancyn@cetonline.org.
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Environmental Education award and grant opportunities

Are you a (or do you know a deserving) high school teacher educating the next generation of environmentalists? The Weather Channel, in partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), is offering Classroom Earth Grants for up to $10,000 to encourage the inclusion of environmental education into all high school subjects. For more information visit the Classroom Earth webpage, or NEEF's website [The application deadline is June 20th].  Do you know an outstanding educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into a daily education program? NEEF also administers the Richard C. Bartlett Award, a $5000 prize for an outstanding 5th to 12th grade teacher [The applcation deadline is June 30th
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Energy Raising

Just starting in western Mass - people are putting a new twist on old-fashioned barn raisers. They're gathering on Saturday mornings for "energy raisers," helping each other install cutting-edge solar hot water systems that save energy, save money and reduce global warming pollution. (Read the article here.)
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The Safer Alternatives bill needs to pass in the House by the end of June Increase the pressure now to make it happen!
(from Clean Water Action)

The Safer Alternatives bill needs to pass in the House by the end of June
Increase the pressure now to make it happen!

Ask your friends to send an easy online postcard!

The Safer Alternatives bill will create a program to replace toxic chemicals with Safer Alternatives wherever feasible. It has passed the Senate, but must pass the House by the end of June if it is going to become law this year. It's hugely important to protecting our health!

Thanks to lots of phone calls and emails from you, 85 Representatives signed a letter of support for the Safer Alternatives Bill that was delivered to Speaker DiMasi last week. Find out if your Representative signed on.

That leaves many Representatives who have not shown support for the bill. We also must keep the pressure up on bill supporters because they need to press House leadership for a vote on the bill in June. We can't win if they don't vote in time!

Clean Water Action is working with the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow coalition and we've set up a website with a Safer Alternatives Bill Action page for each Representative.

Take action

First: Visit the Safer Alternatives Bill Action page for your Representative and write a personal message to tell your Representative why you want this bill to pass.

Second: Forward this message. Ask everyone you know to visit the Safer Alternatives Bill Action Page for their Representatives and tell their personal stories too!

Your personal story will motivate your Representative.
Do you have kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews that you want to protect? Have you or someone you know suffered from an illness that is linked to toxic chemicals? Have you been exposed to a toxic chemical in your workplace? Do you have a product that you love that you wish was safe? Make your story known!!! Your story will help inspire your Representative to support the bill and to fight to pass it.

Countering the Opposition
There are powerful and well funded industry groups lobbying hard to prevent this bill from passing. Your voice is our power to counteract those messages. Clean Water Action and the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow will be refuting their arguments with facts, but your communication will be key to us winning the support of all Representatives.

About the Safer Alternatives Bill

The Safer Alternatives Bill (S-2481 An Act to Promote Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals), sponsored by Representative Jay Kaufman and Senator Steven Tolman, will establish a pragmatic, gradual approach to reducing health impacts from many toxic chemicals we are exposed to in everyday life. This approach targets the worst toxic chemicals in Massachusetts-chemicals that are currently replaceable with safer alternatives for many uses. The bill mandates a careful process to evaluate alternatives and replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives where feasible. It also stimulates research and development on new technologies and solutions when a safer option is not currently workable. For workers and businesses, it proposes programs to assist in the transition, funded through a fee on toxic chemicals. It was passed unanimously by the Senate on January 29th. It is currently before the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Please raise your voice by writing an online postcard to your Representative today.
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Use of BerkShares, a paper currency, requires face-to-face economic exchange. The citizen/buyer meets the merchant/owner and enters into conversation about the item purchased. In the course of these multiple transactions an understanding begins to grow of the nature of the business, how it fits in the streetscape of the town, the working conditions of its employees, availability of locally made goods, the impact of new regulations, the necessity to respond to the changing tastes of consumers, the hurdles to prosperity, and the many roles the merchant plays in the community such as a volunteer ambulance squad member, school board official, community theater player.

We are lucky to have such a diversity of locally owned businesses in the southern Berkshires.  Many of our basic needs can be met within our county.  However, there are other needs that we still fulfill from outside the region.  A fully developed BerkShares program both identifies leaks in the economic system and provides an appropriate tool for filling them with import-replacing businesses.
 
Beyond illuminating the workings of the local economy, BerkShares represent a positive way for citizen-activists to shape the region's economic sovereignty. 

Expanded business-to-business trade will increase the circulation of BerkShares, keeping more money in our community.
 
A BerkShares loan program could provide low interest loans to start up businesses producing goods now imported, closing a gap in our local economy, and placing currency into circulation.

Increased geographic area served by the BerkShares program will mean a wider range of businesses and economic challenges, testing the program's effectiveness. 

Robust participation from individuals and businesses will assure that BerkShares use continues to grow, stimulating innovation and creativity.

Technological advancements, such as BerkShares checking accounts and ATMs, will facilitate transactions between businesses and provide expanded access for individuals.

Unprecedented media attention to BerkShares has ensured its place as a model for other communities seeking to encourage economic sustainability for their region.

BerkShares are still at the stage of fostering new relationships and illuminating leaks in our local economy.  Developing these other aspects of the local currency requires staff time and an expanded promotional budget.  We need your help in raising funds for the program to meet its full potential as a tool for local economic development.

BerkShares, Inc. is holding an online auction to support these vital initiatives.  Auction donors have helped by gifting products; will you help by bidding on your favorites?

Auction items include tickets to the Newport Jazz Festival, a six-night stay at Sam Hill Ranch in Teton Valley, ID, original artwork by Michael McCurdy and Morgan Bulkeley, a complete set of framed BerkShares signed by the contributing artists, an Indian Line Farm CSA share, and much much more.
Scan the complete list of items and place your bids at
http://www.berkshares.org

Final bidding will be at the BerkShares Auction Gala Event Saturday, June 21st, 7:00pm at Crissey Farm, 426 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA.

Thank you and happy bidding,

E. F. Schumacher Society Staff
140 Jug End Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-1737
efssociety@smallisbeautiful.org
http://www.smallisbeautiful.org

Board of Directors: Jessica Brackman, Starling Childs, Merrian Fuller, Hildegarde Hannum, Eric Harris-Braun, Constance Packard, Joseph Stanislaw, Nancy Jack Todd, and Charles Turner.
Board of Founders: Ian Baldwin, David Ehrenfeld, Satish Kumar, John McClaughry, and Kirkpatrick Sale.
Advisory Board: Tanya Berry, Thomas Berry, Wendell Berry, Lisa Byers, Olivia
Dreier, Hazel Henderson, Wes Jackson, Amory Lovins, John McKnight, David
Orr, Michael Shuman, Cathrine Sneed, Lewis Solomon, John Todd, Greg Watson, Barbara Wood, and Arthur Zajonc
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