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The BEAT News

May 14, 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

Job Opportunity: Director of Smart Growth/Smart Energy

Full Posting
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Job Vacancy: Massachusetts State Botanist - Application deadline 5/21/08

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/pdf/state_botanist.pdf and

https://jobs.hrd.state.ma.us/recruit/public/31100001/job/job_view.do?postingId=J14749&code=search.public&companyId=59
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THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
EXAMINES THE IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER
The Nation’s Major Cities Investigate the Economic and Health Benefits of Public Investment in
Clean Water, Water Infrastructure 
http://usmayors.org/uscm/news/press_releases/documents/municipalwater_050108.pdf 
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Mass Audubon Oriole Project

Welcome to Oriole Season 2008!
For this fourth full year of oriole counting, we hope the hundreds of oriole watchers who have helped us in past years will tell us if "their" orioles have returned - as well as looking for new nest sites. And for those of you who have yet to join the fun, please help us with our quest to learn more about the Baltimore Oriole population in Massachusetts .  You can send us your reports online or download a datacard*.

Now you can map your orioles on line.
The geniuses in our IT Department have installed a new mapping tool that lets you zoom in on an oriole site and then just click to record it on-line. And you can now record multiple sightings without have to sign in again for each record.

Hello, Western Mass!
There are still 70 towns from which we have no oriole reports, mainly west of the Connecticut River valley. Are orioles scarce way out there beyond Worcester , or is it just oriole-watchers that are few and far between? Check our list of the towns with no oriole records and if you live in or near one, please go find us some orioles, so we can see what’s happening to the species Commonwealth-wide.

Bird your patch 
We are especially interested in oriole info from well-defined areas—think cemetery, golf course, or your favorite open space.  Search the place thoroughly trying to find all the orioles present. Then note the location of each nest carefully and let us know how much area you searched.  If you find no nests we want to know this as well.  Negative data is just as valuable (though not quite as much fun) as actually finding orioles.

What are we learning about the status of Orioles?
A lot. To find out more, check out Is This Bird in Trouble?

Don't forget to write
We love getting your messages sharing oriole anecdotes and notes on oriole behavior. Please keep them coming. Send pictures too. We'll put a selection up on the website. Send your stories to our Oriole Project Coordinator.

And after the orioles have gone to bed… you can start listening for Whip-poor-wills, once-common night birds that are in serious decline. As part of our Birds to Watch program, we have started a new project to map the remaining populations of these unusual birds. You can hear the haunting call of these birds, then take a ride after dark on a fine summer night and see if there are any calling in your town.

Go to the Mass Audubon Oriole Project website and learn more, and thank you for helping us with Oriole Project 2008!
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What to do if you find a dead bat

Bats are suffering from a mysterious disease currently called White Nose Syndrome. If you find a dead bat, you can help the US Fish and Wildlife Service by helping them collect the body. Here is an email from one of our local Wildlife Biologists who is leading the charge to help:

"In light of white nose syndrome and massive bat die-offs, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is interested in knowing about -- and possibly doing necropsies on -- any dead bats found in the area.  I have been in touch with the woman in charge (Susi Von Oettingen), and will be collecting bodies in my freezer.  SO, if you happen upon a dead bat, please either collect it (in a plastic bag, then in freezer) and pass it along to me, or let me know exactly where it is so I can collect it."

Suzanne Fowle
Wildlife Biologist
Housatonic, MA 
413.274.6328
sfowle@verizon.net
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This Old House features ReStore Deconstruction
This old house is being dismantled… or rather, it has been, and you can learn all about it this fall on This Old House! The ReStore dismantled a 1900-square-foot home in Weston, MA, in April while This Old House crews filmed the event for inclusion in this year’s series, which is scheduled to premiere in October.

The ReStore’s professional deconstruction crew carefully dismantled the house using hand tools and small equipment, saving more than 85% of the home for reuse or recycling. All the materials that we recover are sold at affordable prices at the ReStore’s retail location at 250 Albany Street, Springfield. Many of the materials from this home, including lumber, flooring, doors and insulation, will be used over the coming months in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home.

A crew from This Old House will also visit the ReStore and the Habitat for Humanity construction site in the coming months to film additional footage for the show. The ReStore is also producing a time-lapse video of the project, which will be available in June on www.restoreonline.org. For more information, contact John Grossman at 413-788-6900.
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2008 Rivers Month Calendar for Massachusetts

JUNE IS RIVERS MONTH!  This calendar, covering river-related events in Massachusetts from Friday, May 9th to Sunday, July 6th, has been compiled by the Massachusetts Riverways Program to provide you with the opportunity to participate in events in, on and along the rivers of the Commonwealth. Take this opportunity to invite your friends, family, local leaders, legislators, and/or a favorite reporter to clean up, paddle, protect, enjoy and celebrate your favorite rivers and streams or experience new ones. Get some healthful exercise in and/or along the Commonwealth’s many scenic waterways.

Many activities require reservations in advance. Please call/e-mail ahead to inquire about any restrictions, fees, rain dates or cancellations that may apply. Any questions should be directed to the event organizers at the contact phone numbers and/or e-mails provided for each listing.

The 2008 Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar may be accessed on-line at Riverways’ web page.
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As the end of the legislative year approaches, time is running short to get critical bills passed. One of the most important is the Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA, S.2388) or the so-called "No Net Loss" Bill filed by Senator Pam Resor, dealing with replacement of lands converted from open space protection to other uses. It is critical that this piece of legislation be adopted, and this must be done before the Legislature prorogues (adjourns its regular session) on July 31 or it will have to be refiled in the new session. A number of environmental organizations, including MACC, have written to Speaker DiMasi and Chairman DeLeo of the Ways and Means Committee seeking their efforts to enact the bill.

Now we ask you to personally contact your representative and request their action on this as well. Please do this as soon as you can, so that this bill can be brought to the House floor as soon as possible and enacted. If you are unsure as to who your representative is, you can go to the state website http://www.mass.gov/legis/ and find out.

A copy of the letter MACC signed follows:

The Honorable Salvatore F. DiMasi
Speaker, House of Representatives
Room 356
State House
Boston, MA 02133

The Honorable Robert A. DeLeo
Ciar, House Committee on Ways and Means
Room 243
State House
Boston, MA 02133

RE: Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA, S. 2388)

Dear Speaker DiMasi and Chairman DeLeo:

We are writing you to ask that the House pass the Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA, S.2388), An Act to Protect the Natural Resources of the Commonwealth, sponsored by Senator Pamela Resor and Representative Ruth Balser. The PLPA would stem the loss of lands protected under Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution.

All of the undersigned private organizations, representing over 300,000 members in Massachusetts, have formally endorsed and strongly support the PLPA. In addition, we wish to report that the supporting public entities listed below have also formally endorsed the PLPA.

Each of our groups has an interest in public parks, playgrounds, conservation lands, forests, watersheds, or reserves. Collectively, we are users, stewards, watchdogs, and advicates. In many cases we have been instrumental in land acquisition. We value these lands because they provide opportunities to connect with nature, protect important natural resources, support a wide range of recreational activities, and are vital to the quality of life in our communities. In our densely populated cities and towns these parcels are often the only open space for residents.

This legislation declares that it is the policy of the Commonwealth that there should be no net loss of lands or easements protected under Article 97. S. 2388 establishes the framework to guide legislators' decisions on whether to approve bills which would transfer state or municipally owned Article 97 lands or easements to a new use, to a different management authority, or from public to private ownership. The bill states that:

1. An alternatives analysis should be conducted to demonstrate that there is no feasible alternative.

2. For all lands disposed or changed in use the owner must provide replacement land of equivalent acreage and market value, i.e., no net loss.

This bill would provide important safeguards for landa acquired with taxpayer dollars or donated for natural resource purposes, lands which citizens value and are an important component of the quality of life in Massachusetts.

We respectfully request your support for this priority legislation and its passage this legislative session.

Sincerely,
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To any and all natural history buffs in the Berkshires:

I would like to announce a new venue and format for adult natural history education: Natural History Weekends at High Pond Farm, Plymouth, NH. There are eight workshops being offered on a variety of subjects (including a workshop on lichens taught by me). This is the very first year that High Pond Farm has been open, and I invite you to help make this new educational initiative a success. Please read below for a schedule and more information.

Sincere best wishes.
-Scott LaGreca
______________________________________________________________

Weekend workshops taught by recognized experts in their respective fields are limited to ten participants, with a minimum participation of four. Friday and Saturday evenings may be spent in the classroom, while Saturday and Sunday can be full field days. Learning will continue over meals, which are taken together. Arrival is Friday evening and departure is late Sunday afternoon. Lodging for two nights (all linens included) and all meals are included in the program fee.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR WORKSHOPS FOR 2008 Full details available at http://www.highpondfarm.org/

June 19-22, 2008 (a 3-day workshop; arrival is Thursday evening)
Avian Ecology: Populations and Communities
Leonard Reitsma

July 18-20, 2008
An Introduction to Odonata – Dragonflies & Damselflies
Michael Blust

July 25-27, 2008
Breaklands Botany and Ecology
Brett Engstrom

August 15-17, 2008
An Introduction to Ferns and Their Relatives
Elizabeth Farnsworth

August 29-31, 2008
Lichens of New England
Scott LaGreca

October 3-5, 2008
Fantastic Fungi of Northern New England
Rick van de Poll

October 10-12, 2008
Introduction to New England Bryophytes
Dorothy Allard

October 24-26, 2008
Geology of New Hampshire
David Wunsch

Conveniently located at the geographical center of New England just off I93 in Plymouth, NH, High Pond Farm’s 25 acres feature a wildlife and swimming pond with sandy beach, an intermittent stream, woods, meadows, and lovely perennial gardens. Nearby conservation parcels offer opportunities to study bog, stream, and forested habitats. Squam and Newfound Lakes are each about fifteen minutes away. The alpine habitats of Franconia Notch are half an hour’s drive from the farm, as is Mount Moosilauke. The farm accommodates ten students (double or triple occupancy) in 2 spacious cabins in the woods and 2 bedrooms in the main house. The bedrooms in the house have private half-baths and shared showers. The cabins have wood stoves, electricity, and incinerating toilets. Cabin-dwellers will use shower facilities in the main house.

Full details available at http://www.highpondfarm.org/
Or email for more information: mailto:info@highpondfarm.org
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Grants for Land Trusts
(from MASSLAND E-NEWS: The Newsletter of the Massachusetts Land Conservation Community, May 13, 2008, Volume 8, Number 6)

FY 2009 CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP GRANT ROUND NOW OPEN!
PROPOSALS DUE BY JULY 16

EEA Secretary Ian Bowles has announced a new round of Conservation Partnership Grants for land trusts. The purpose of the Conservation
Partnership Grants is to assist not-for-profit corporations in acquiring land and interests in lands suitable for conservation or recreation. This is a
great program and we want to make sure that this round is successful and get as many land trusts as possible submitting applications! The
program and application process are described below.

I STRONGLY URGE EVERY MASS. LAND TRUST TO LEARN ABOUT THIS PROGRAM! Participating in it is one of the best possible ways to strengthen
the critical public-private partnership between the state conservation agencies, non-profit land trusts, and the donors and foundation's who
support our work.

Best, Bernie McHugh
bmchugh@massland.org

*************************************************
Conservation Partnership Grants RFR Now Available!
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is pleased to announce the release of the FY09 Conservation
Partnership grant program Request for Response (RFR). This grant program provides funding to assist not-for-profit corporations in acquiring
interests in land suitable for conservation or recreation purposes.

The maximum grant award for a single project is $60,000. The maximum reimbursement amount available for a single project is 50% of the total
project cost. Qualified applications will be selected on a competitive basis. There is no guarantee that monies will be awarded.

Potential projects fall into one of two categories:
1.) Land or a conservation restriction purchased by an eligible Applicant
2.) Land or a conservation restriction gift donated to an eligible Applicant

Applications for these grants will be accepted from qualified IRS 501(c)(3) organizations that have been formed for one of the purposes described
in Section 4 of Chapter 180 of the General Laws. An organization must have 501(c)(3) status at the time an application is submitted.

How to Apply
The RFR has been posted on Comm-PASS, the state's procurement website. The grants will be due July 16, 2008 by 3:00 pm. Please follow the
instructions below on how to find the application. Go to

OR (if the link doesn't work), go to:
http://www.comm-pass.com/
and do the following
Click on the “Solicitations” tab at the top of the page
Click on “Browse All Open Solicitations”
Click on “By Entity/Department”
Click the checkbox to the right of “Executive Office of Environmental Affairs”
Click on the "glasses" icon to the right of “GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Conservation Partnership”

For more information, go to the Division of Conservation Services web site at:
http://www.mass.gov/envir/dcs/ <http://www.mass.gov/envir/dcs/>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa Cryan
Urban Self-Help Coordinator
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-1171
________________________________________________________________________

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

2) FIELDS POND & TTOR OFFER ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS

The state's Conservation Partnership Grant program (CPG) is a great resource for land trusts. It is the only program which land trusts can apply
to directly for reimbursement of costs of a land acquisition project (fee or CR).

However, it can be challenging and even intimidating for small resource-poor land trusts to meet the CPG requirements and this has led to a
shortage of applicants in previous rounds. All applicants MUST submit a map of the property being protected and an appraisal, even for a project
that might otherwise not need one.

So, the Fields Pond Foundation and The Trustees of Reservations have teamed up to bring you the resources you need to take advantage of this
great grant opportunity. Fields Pond will help pay for the appraisal and the Trustees will make the maps for free! All this whether or not your
application is successful! Here are the details.

*************************************************
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE for Conservation Partnership Grants (CPG)

The Fields Pond Foundation will pay 50% of the cost of the required appraisal, to a maximum grant of $1,500 per organization and The Trustees
of Reservations’ GIS department will make you the maps required to apply for a CPG.

Eligibility:
Any 501(c)(3) Massachusetts land trust with an annual operating budget under $250k, applying to CPG for a project that is generally eligible
under CPG guidelines (i.e., a land protection project on which a CR will be granted to a state or local entity and which will be publicly accessible),
whether or not the CPG application is successful.

Requirements:
a. Contact The Trustees of Reservations with your mapping needs for a CPG application no later than June 20, 2008. (mailto:afreeman@ttor.org;
978-840-4446 x1929).

b. Submit CPG application to EOEEA by July 16, 2008 (or such later date as the CPG deadline may be extended.)

c. Send Fields Pond Foundation copies of your application and the invoice for the appraisal cost. Payment can be directed to appraiser or the land
trust. (PO Box 540667; Waltham, MA 02454-0667; mailto:brehrig@fieldspond.org)

More info
________________________________________________________________________

3) L.A.N.D. GRANTS PROGRAM NOW OPEN (WAS 'SELF-HELP')

Conservation Land Grants - DCS is seeking applications for the FY09 Local Acquisition for Natural Diversity (LAND) Program (formerly the
Self-Help program). The LAND Program provides funds to municipal conservation commissions for the purchase of conservation land for natural
resource and passive outdoor recreation purposes, including wildlife habitat; trails; natural, historic or cultural resources; water protection;
forest; and farm land. Compatible passive outdoor recreational uses such as hiking, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, bird observation and
the like are encouraged. Access by the general public is required. Municipal application only.

A “How To” grant workshop will be held on May 21 from 10:00 a.m.-noon at 100 Cambridge Street, Boston. Please RSVP to Nicole Sicard

For more information, please visit LAND Program web page
Applications are due by July 15.
________________________________________________________________________

4) P.A.R.C. GRANTS PROGRAM NOW OPEN (WAS 'URBAN SELF-HELP')

Parks Grants - EEA’s Division of Conservation Services (DCS) is seeking applications for the FY09 Parkland Acquisition and Renovation for
Communities (PARC) Grant Program (formerly the Urban Self-Help program). The PARC Program assists communities with the acquisition of
parkland, as well as construction of new parks and renovation of existing parks. PARC grants assist cities and towns in acquiring and developing
land for park and outdoor recreation purposes. Any town with a population of 35,000 or more year-round residents, or any city regardless of size,
that has an authorized park /recreation commission is eligible to participate in the program. Communities that do not meet the population
criteria listed above may still qualify under the "small town," "regional," or "statewide" project provisions of the program

A “How To” grant workshop will be held on May 21 from 10:00 a.m.-noon at 100 Cambridge Street, Boston. Please RSVP to Melissa Cryan

For more information, please visit the PARC Grants web page
Applications are due by July 15.
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CET Textile Drive nets 26,000 pounds

The Center for Ecological Technology (CET) netted more than 26,000 pounds of textiles during its 13th Annual Earth Day Clothing and Textile Drive in April. CET’s director of recycling services Jamie Cahillane said, “This year’s drive was our most successful one ever— Berkshire residents donated nearly  26,000 pounds of clothing and textiles.” Last year the collection brought in 16,000 pounds.
CET collected clothing and textiles at their office on Elm Street on April 26 and 27.  Many community volunteers assisted with the collection. Additional drop off sites included Berkshire South Regional Community Center in Great Barrington and Williamstown Rural Land Development at Sheep Hill in Williamstown.

CET partnered with Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires for the collection this year, and Cahillane said Goodwill’s assistance in picking up clothing at the two drop sites and name recognition helped make the drive such a success.

According to CET, textiles, including clothing, shoes, bedding and drapes, represent an estimated 5% of waste generated by the average household.  “Reusing and recycling textiles conserves natural resources and energy and reduces pollution,” said Cahillane.

CET would like to thank Berkshire Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union and Lee Bank-Pittsfield Loan Office for advertising support.  A number of organizations also provided food and beverage donations for CET staff and volunteers from the Adult Learning Center and the community, including Bagels Too; Harry’s Supermarket; Pizza House on South Street; Dunkin Donuts on East Street; Samel’s Deli on Elm Street; and Morningside Bakery. 
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Sustainable Community in Southern Vermont

There's an exciting new sustainable community in southern Vermont, the Sweet Pond Eco Community. Sweet Pond is 100 beautiful acres of hillsides and woods in southeastern Vermont. Sweet Pond Eco Community will be an intentional community of nine homes. Nine environmentally friendly green homes will be clustered in an apple orchard overlooking a beaver pond. Sweet Pond is to be organized as a common interest ownership community based on the principals of cohousing. Purchasing a unit entitles the owner to a house, membership in the community, and ownership of an equal undifferentiated share of approximately 83 acres of land to be owned by the community. The homes will share a common driveway, septic system, well, a large community garden, beaver pond, and over 50 acres of preserved woodland. You can check them out at www.sweetpondecocommunity.com
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RESOURCES:

Preserving and Enhancing Communities: A Guide for Citizens, Planners,
and Policymakers

Recently published by UMASS press, this book includes a chapter coauthored by Mass Audubon’s North Shore Advocacy Office Director, Kathy Leahy and CZM’s Shoreline and Floodplain Management Coordinator, Andrea Cooper. Their chapter is about the Green Neighborhoods Alliance which led to the crafting of the Open Space Residential Design Bylaw.

Reusing the Resource: Adventures in Ecological Wastewater Recycling
Imagine a future in which gardens, greenhouses and groves of trees replace sewage outfall pipes and leachfields. Sewage will grow ecological tree plantations that provide fuel, fiber, construction materials, wildlife habitat and beautiful landscapes. Available for
order online or by calling (978) 318-7033.

Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change
Meeting the growing demand for conveniently located homes in walkable neighborhoods could significantly reduce the growth in the number of miles Americans drive, shrinking the nation’s carbon footprint while giving people more housing choices, according to a team of leading urban planning researchers. Published by the Urban Land Institute and
available for purchase

Center for Watershed Protection Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manuals
Practical, comprehensive information on watershed restoration techniques in an integrated framework. Manuals 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10 and 11 available for free download

Free CD-ROM Toolkit: Balancing Water Quality and Smart Growth
Includes more than 50 resources, including webcasts, presentations, fact sheets, publications, case studies, and Web links to online resource collections and news articles and sources. To download toolkit's content list, Order your free copy of the CD-ROM by email to lgean@icma.org and include your name, mailing address, and phone number. Please reference the "Balancing Water Quality and Smart Growth Toolkit" in your subject line.
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PROPOSED NEW REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Name & Citation of Regulation(s): Outdoor Hydronic Heaters, also known as Outdoor Wood Boilers (310 CMR 7.26(50) through (54))

Brief Explanation and Rationale for Proposed Changes: MassDEP is proposing a new section to the Air Pollution Control Regulations to address outdoor hydronic heaters, also known as outdoor wood boilers, installed after the effective date of these proposed regulations and to address the operation of outdoor hydronic heaters installed before the effective date.  The proposed regulations have requirements for manufacturers, sellers and owners of outdoor hydronic heaters.

The Commonwealth is committed to measures designed to attain and maintain national ambient air quality standards.  The proposed amendments are part of that commitment and will be proposed as a revision to the Massachusetts State Implementation Plan (SIP).

Web Link to View Draft Regulations: The draft regulation revisions with more detailed summaries and background documents are on MassDEP's website: http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/regulations/newregs.htm#owb

Public Hearing Information: Public hearings will be conducted under the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 30A on:

Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 5:00 pm
Room 309, Frost Building
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke, Massachusetts

Testimony may be presented orally or in writing at the public hearings. Written comments will also be accepted until 5:00 PM on July 3, 2008. Written testimony must be submitted to:

Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Waste Prevention
One Winter Street 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Attn: James Doucett

Copies of the proposed regulations and background information will be available for inspection during normal business hours at: the Bureau of Waste Prevention, One Winter Street, Boston, MA, the four regional offices of MassDEP and on MassDEP's web site at www.mass.gov/dep.

For special accommodations for these events or hearing information in an alternate format, please contact Donald Gomes, DEP's ADA Coordinator at 617-556-1057, BAS/HR, 3rd Floor, One Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108
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Area middle school students to compete in Junior Solar Sprint

PITTSFIELD —On Saturday, May 31, area middle school students will gather at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield to race their model solar-powered cars in the ninth annual Berkshire Junior Solar Sprint (JSS). More than 90 students from across and beyond Berkshire County are expected to participate in the JSS this year.

The JSS is a fun and educational competition for students in grades 5-8 who work in teams to build model vehicles powered by the sun. In the process they learn firsthand about non-polluting transportation. The races and judging begin at 10 a.m. and end at noon. Registration for students begins at 9 a.m. The solar vehicles will be judged for speed, craftsmanship, innovation and technical merit, and the top three winners in each category will be eligible to compete in the regional JSS championship in Springfield on June 8.

City Youth Commissioner Cassandra Ynocencio will be on hand at this year’s JSS to welcome the schools and their teams.

In addition, students from Conte Middle School in North Adams will be displaying solar ovens and explaining how solar technology can help people in developing countries by allowing them to harness the power of the sun to cook their meals. 

The JSS is sponsored by The Berkshire Gas Company, Berkshire Bank, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Energy Federation, Inc., and the U.S. Department of Energy.  Local Pittsfield sponsors also include Bob’s Elm Street Service and South Street Servicenter.

For more information about the JSS or CET’s solar energy curriculum, contact Nancy Nylen at nancyn@cetonline.org or Cynthia Grippaldi at 413-445-4556, ext. 25 or cynthiag@cetonline.org. CET is a non-profit community organization working to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste management and environmental education in western MA. CET is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.


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Two Important Reports on Animal Agriculture Released Last Week
From Keep Antibiotics Working

Two important reports on animal agriculture were released last week. Both call for an end to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in food animals. Links to the reports, media coverage and actions you personally can take can be found below.

Reports:

Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production report, Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America

"Recommendation 1. Ban the non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in food animal production to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance to medically important antibiotics and other microbials."

Read the report now: http://www.ncifap.org

Union of Concerned Scientists report, CAFOs Uncovered: The Untold Costs of Confined Animal Feeding Operations

"Estimates have suggested that considerably greater amounts of antibiotics are used for livestock production than for the treatment of human disease in the United States. The massive use of antibiotics in CAFOs, especially for non-therapeutic purposes such as growth promotion, contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens that are more difficult to treat."

Read the report now: http://ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/sustainable_food/cafos-uncovered.html

Media Coverage:

Washington Post, "Report Targets Costs Of Factory Farming"
Los Angeles Times, "Antibiotics in our livestock"
Kansas City Star, "Report calls 'factory' farms a threat"
KAW press release, "New Report Spells Out the Critical Health Risk in Adding Human Antibiotics to Animal Feed in U.S. Farms"

What You Can Do:

As many of you already know, Keep Antibiotics Working supports legislation that would phase out the inappropriate use of human antibiotics from animal agriculture. Please tell your representatives in Congress that you oppose the use of human antibiotics for growth promotion and routine disease prevention in livestock. Feel free to reference these reports and their findings in your personalized letter. Take action here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep Antibiotics Working is a coalition of concerned health, consumer, agricultural, environmental, humane and other advocacy groups, all working to reduce the growing public health threat of antibiotic resistance. Our primary goal is to end the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture, though we also support efforts to limit overuse in human medicine.
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