October 22, 2008

In the News

• Gov. Patrick to Attend Monterey Land Conservation Event on Thursday
• Deep Cuts to State Budget
• Communities Win Blue Ribbons for Clean Water
• Clean Water Act Celebrates 36th Anniversary
• Bottled Water: The Symbol of Purity?
• Vote NO on Question 1
  

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Environmental Monitor
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Advocacy News (Includes how to reach your legislators)

DEP Enforcement Actions In The Berkshires
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The Department of Fish and Game is hosting a celebration marking the protection of over 800 acres of land on the Monterey/Tyringham border.  These 800 acres abut or are close to an additional 12,450 acres of protected open space, forming a block of about 13,350 acres of conservation land.

This will be the first major Dept. of Fish & Game land event attended by Secretary Ian Bowles of the Executive Office of Energy a&nd Environmental Affairs and it would be great if the land protections and sportsmen's communities turned out in force to show the Secretary the broad range of support for DFG's conservation and acquisition programs.

When: Thursday, October 23 at 2:00 pm
Where: Tyringham Road in Monterey (see map & directions below)

Also attending will be Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin, State Senator Benjamin Downing, State Representative William Smitty Pignatelli, and members of the Monterey Preservation Land Trust, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council, Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, and Fisheries & Wildlife Board.

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Hudson Conservation Project Event Directions and Parking

Event location: On the shore of Steadman Pond located on the west side of Monterey/Tyringham Road near the town line.
 
Event parking: Attendees should park along the driveway located on the east side of Monterey Road on the Monterey/Tyringham border. As you approach the event location (heading south on Monterey Road) the driveway for event parking will be located on your left (east side of the road) just before Steadman Pond, which will be located on the right (west side of the road).
 
Directions from the Mass Pike (all points east and west):
* Take  I-90 W (Mass Pike) to exit 2 for US-20 E
* Turn left at Housatonic St/US-20
* Take a quick right onto Pleasant St/RT-102 (signs for State Hwy 102     W/Stockbridge/Great Barrington) followed by a quick left onto Tyringham Road      
* In approximately 1.9 miles Tyringham Road will become Main Road - continue on Main Road for another 3.7 miles
* Turn right at Monterey Road and follow Monterey Road south for approximately 1.2 miles
* The driveway for event parking will be on the left side of Monterey Road near the Tyringham and Monterey town border. Monterey Road becomes Tyringham Road at the town border.

Bernard J. McHugh, Coordinator
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
18 Wolbach Road, Sudbury, MA 01776
mobile: 781-248-7045
email: Info@MassLand.org
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From The Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup 10/17/2008
by Jack Clarke, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations, and
Jennifer Ryan, Legislative Director

Deep Cuts to State Budget
This week, in the face of a $1.4 billion shortfall, Governor Patrick announced deep cuts to the state budget.  Environmental programs saw a $17 million, or 7% cut, with an anticipated loss of 136 staff out of a 1,000 person statewide headcount cut.  The state employs 68,000 people.  Labor and workforce, environmental affairs, and higher education were the deepest cut. Many positions will be lost by not filling vacancies, but an undetermined number of staff will be laid off.  Environmental agencies never recovered from the 2002 fiscal crisis, and are falling further below the 1% mark of the entire state budget.  
Reductions were not made unilaterally; rather they were the product of discussions with cabinet heads and the Governor.  The priorities of the Governor for the environmental agencies were to keep land protection programs intact, continue to fund frontline staff, including permitting and parks staff, maintain momentum for recently passed legislation, and to continue strong investment in clean energy.  A full accounting of cuts can be found on the Governor’s website. 
Of great concern to Mass Audubon is the 30% cut to Riverways.  This important aquatic habitat restoration program lost $200,000 out of a $650,000 annual budget.  Layoffs look like a certainty.  The Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program was held harmless in respect to the hard work put into restoration of their funding by the administration, legislature, and non-profit sector.

SUMMARY OF CUTS
Office of the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs:  $2.8 million cut; total budget $24.6 million.
Department of Environmental Protection: $3.4 million cut; total budget $62.3 million.
Department of Fish and Game:  $2 million cut; total budget $21.3 million.
Department of Agricultural Resources: $1.1 million cut; total budget $19.3 million.
Department of Conservation and Recreation: $8.3 million cut, mostly earmarks; total budget $101.8 million.
Department of Public Utilities: $500,000 cut; total budget $9.6 million.
Department of Energy Resources: $71,000 cut; total budget $2.5 million.

It will take time for the full effect of the cuts to be felt in terms of staff, as the agencies now must reposition funds and priorities.  There may be additional cuts within the year if revenues continue to decline, but the Governor cut deeply and early in an attempt to avoid additional cuts. 
The administration is now considering further reduction in costs by reorganization of agencies and programs.  The Governor will soon be filing an Article 87 reorganization plan with the legislature and Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles will meet with Lieutenant Governor Murray next week to discuss the potential reconfiguration of his agencies.  The Governor filed an Article 87 reorganization at the beginning of his term, joining energy and environment into one secretariat.  Article 87 reorganizations can only be voted up or down by the legislature and are not subject to amendment.
BEAT Note: Riverways is one of the most cost effective of state agencies. For the amount they are funded, Riverways staff works with and trains others to do all sort of things including monitoring the flow of local rivers and streams, and documenting the state of local streams, rivers, and small watersheds. Riverways also brings together a wide array of partners to make projects happen that might otherwise never occur - for example: the Atlantic Salmon Egg Rearing Program along with the removal of two dams in Becket. It doesn't seem to make sense to cut such a cost effective program.return to top

From Water Headlines for October 20, 2008  
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water

Communities Win Blue Ribbons for Clean Water
Keeping our nation?s water clean is a priority and communities are stepping up efforts to keep it that way. EPA is congratulating 24 municipalities and industries in particular for making outstanding and creative technological achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution abatement programs this past year.

These organizations are the recipients of the 2008 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards. They were recognized for demonstrating outstanding water quality achievements for projects and programs in five award categories: operations and maintenance, exemplary biosolids management, implementation and enforcement of local pretreatment programs, cost-effective stormwater controls, and combined sewer overflow controls. 

The awards program, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is in its 23rd year. It recognizes wastewater treatment facilities and their contributions to protecting the public?s health and safety and the nation?s water quality.

List of the winners: http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/intnet.htm
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From Water Headlines for October 20, 2008  
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water

Clean Water Act Celebrates 36th Anniversary
Top officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the District of Columbia Departments of Environment and Public Works, the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA), the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) gathered on the banks of the Anacostia River Oct. 16 to observe the 36th anniversary of the Clean Water Act and to hear about the successes our nation?s capital has had in addressing the clean water challenges facing cities across the nation. Americans can celebrate progress in meeting the water quality goals over the past 36 years while acknowledging that communities continue to face the ongoing and costly challenges of aging and ailing infrastructure, a growing population, changes in precipitation brought on by climate change, and increased stormwater runoff. 

Washington, D.C., is an example of a city working to restore its urban watershed with a combination of infrastructure improvements and innovative stormwater management. The benefits of these successes include a revitalized Anacostia River and waterfront and improvements to Chesapeake Bay water quality         

?The Clean Water Act is 36 and going strong, leading the way for sustainable solutions to the most pressing problems facing America's rivers and watersheds.  Today, EPA, the District of Columbia, and our many partners are making real progress in the nation?s capital, controlling sewer overflows and reducing stormwater pollution through innovative projects and green technologies,? Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA assistant administrator for water, said. ?The Anacostia River will be one of the greatest urban river revivals in the nation?s history and set a shining example for other communities on how to increase stewardship, grow responsibly, and adapt to climate change.?
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Bottled Water: The Symbol of Purity?
(from New American Dream Issue No. 60, October 17, 2008 )

Have you heard the news?  Another study has shown that bottled water is not as clean and pristine as the advertisers lead millions of people to believe!

The Environmental Working Group tested ten national brands of bottled water and detected 38 chemicals, including chlorine, fertilizer, and plastic-making chemicals (most likely leached from the bottles holding the water).  Two of those brands are Sam’s Choice from Wal-Mart and Acadia from Giant Food supermarkets, both of them popular for their "bargain" price.  Regardless of how inexpensive these brands might seem, they’re still more expensive than tap water while attaining no higher standard of purity.

An older study conducted by the National Resources Defense Council had found that at least 40 percent of bottled water is nothing more than tap water—sometimes filtered, but not necessarily.  You’ve heard this fact from us before.  The Environmental Working Group’s study only confirms what we’ve been saying all along: bottled water is an environmental and a financial waste!

Need more reasons to break your bottled water habit?  Check out our top five reasons to switch back to tap as well as our top five ways to do it. 
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Vote NO on Question 1
(from ELM Bulletin October 16, 2008)

A crucial choice that will impact environmental protection will be on the state ballot in Massachusetts on November 4

As harmful as the Governor's 9C budget cuts will be to the government's ability to protect the Massachusetts environment, passage of Question 1 would be devastating.  This ballot question, which seeks to repeal the state income tax, would result in the loss of more than $12 billion in state revenue, about 40 percent of the state budget.  In addition to such key state functions as State Police, road and bridge repair, and local aid to cities and towns, passage of Question 1 would decimate state environmental programs that all citizens depend upon for clean air, clean water, and management of state parks and forests.  ELM urges you to vote NO on Question 1, and urges you to ask your friends and colleagues to do the same.  For more information on the negative consequences of repealing the state income tax, visit the website of the non-partisan Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation:  http://www.masstaxpayers.org/

Can nonprofit organizations legally take action against Question 1? 
Yes they can.  Such action is considered to be permissible lobbying activity, not prohibited political action.  Nonprofit organizations can engage in lobbying for or against ballot initiatives within the percentage limits on their overall lobbying efforts.  ELM is actively lobbying againt Question 1 and we urge other nonprofits to do the same.  Useful information about lobbying by nonprofit organizations is available at the Center for Nonprofit Management's website at: http://www.cnmsocal.org/resources/articles/faq-lobbying-and-advocacy.html.
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