The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources invites you to join its team of experts in a series of online webinars on energy issues relevant to cities, towns, schools districts and other local governmental bodies.
Each webinar will be held from 10 - 11am. Click here to register for the first webinar, on October 6. You will receive a separate invitation prior to each month’s session.
Navigating the Green Communities Designation Process – Wed Oct. 6 – Seth Pickering, DOER Southeast Regional Coordinator
Is your city or town interested in joining the 35 designated Green Communities here in the Commonwealth? Join us as we discuss the application process and 5 criteria that cities and towns must fulfill to become a Massachusetts Green Community.
Please note, updates to our guidelines to becoming a Green Community are being made on a regular basis. Be sure to review the guidelines page; updated documents are noted with a revision date.
Stretch Code 201 – Wed Nov 3 – Ian Finlayson, Buildings & Climate Programs Manager
Hear more about implementing the Stretch energy code – the building code with a 20% improvement in energy efficiency – now adopted by 47 communities in MA, together with a Q&A section covering implementation and code interpretation. Joining Ian to answer your questions will be Mike Guigli, Technical Director and Tom Riley, Code Development Manager, from the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, Board of Building Regulations and Standards.
Note: this webinar is for individuals who already have some familiarity with the Stretch energy code. An updated Stretch Code 101 presentation will be posted on our website in early October.
Solar 101 – Wed Dec 1 – Natalie Andrews, Renewables Energy Project Coordinator
Interested in putting up a solar array on a town building or closed landfill? We will cover the basics of solar photovoltaics, what makes for a good site, how to maximize incentives, and the basics of procurement. The session will put it all together and lay out a step-by-step checklist for getting your project built.
Energy Audits – Wed Jan 5 – Aimee Powelka, Municipal Efficiency Coordinator
Want to have an energy audit but don’t know where to start? Join us for an overview on how to evaluate and track your energy usage, work with Mass Save to identify energy efficiency opportunities, get the most out of the energy audit process and implement low and no-cost measures to reduce energy usage.
Energy Management Services (Performance Contracting) – Wed Feb 2 – Eileen McHugh, Municipal Programs Coordinator
Learn about Energy Management Services, how it works and where to get help. Join us for ‘ESCO projects 101’: how the process interacts with other energy efficiency opportunities, together with best practices for executing a performance contact.
Municipal Energy Success Stories & Lessons Learned – Wed March 2 – Tom Witkin, Communications Coordinator
Myriad cities and towns throughout Massachusetts have benefitted from energy projects ranging from improvements in lighting efficiency to demand response to photovoltaics arrays on landfills. Learn how municipalities have navigated the sometimes windy road to lower energy consumption, costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
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MassCEC seeks applications for the Commonwealth Hydropower Program Round 2 Solicitation
Commonwealth Hydro offers grants to support both Design & Construction projects and Feasibility Studies for projects that will increase the generation of electricity from hydro facilities that are qualified for the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (or are working toward qualification).
MassCEC has begun accepting applications for Feasibility Study and Design & Construction grants for the development of eligible hydropower projects.
Applications are due October 28, 2010 by 3:00 p.m.
If you have any questions about the solicitation, please contact us at abarad@masscec.com. Answers to all questions will be periodically posted at www.MassCEC.com.
Thanks for your interest in MassCEC!
Best Regards,
Patrick Cloney
Executive Director, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center return to top
New Rules on Burning Wood for Energy from Mass Audubon's Beacon Hill Weekly Roundup
As the Roundupreported previously, recent studies show that some methods of burning wood for energy produces even more carbon and other air pollution than coal, while other, more efficient methods may be helpful in reducing pollution. In response, the Commonwealth is revising the rules on biomass eligibility for renewable energy credits. Mass Audubon supports these efforts to direct financial incentives to biomass projects that will actually combat climate change and protect the forests from which wood is harvested. Comments can be submitted through October 21.
Find Organic Landscapers! Learn about Organic Landscaping Methods! The NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care Published & Available at www.nofamass.org Register for the 10th annual NOFA 5-day Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care
BARRE, MA – The Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc. (NOFA/Mass) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2010-2011 NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care. This publication is an incredibly helpful, comprehensive resource for consumers, homeowners, landscapers and anyone looking for local organic land care services, as well as “do-it-yourself” information.
The NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care, in its 6th year, is a full-color newsprint publication that includes helpful articles for homeowners looking for organic landscaping tips and practices as well as a resource listing of more than 600 NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals in 21 states, the majority being from Massachusetts.
These professionals are also listed online at www.organiclandcare.net, via NOFA’s online searchable database called “AOLCP Search.” Homeowners and anyone seeking the services or advice of a NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional can find someone local to them by performing a simple search.
Landscapers become accredited by passing an exam at the end of the NOFA 5-day Course in Organic Land Care.
The 10th annual NOFA 5-day Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care will take place January 12, 13, 14, 18 and 19, 2011 (snow date: Jan. 20th) at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, MA. The course is intensive and covers all aspects of organic landscaping principles from soil health and site analysis through pest and invasives management. The accreditation exam is given on Day Five.
The 2010-2011 NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care includes articles on planting edibles in the landscape, myths about trees, reasons to plant a meadow instead of a lawn, native plants, enriching your garden, backyard beekeeping and poison ivy. General information including resources about pesticide reduction can also be found at the back of the Guide, by state. NOFA Accredited Professionals who are available to speak at events are also listed at the back of the book in an easily accessible format.
To receive copies of the NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care, or to register for the 10th annual accreditation course, call NOFA/Mass Organic Land Care Program Coordinator Kathy Litchfield at (413) 773-3830 or via email: Kathy@nofamass.org. The Guides may also be found at food cooperatives, libraries, Whole Foods Markets, farmers’ cooperatives, garden centers and nurseries, as well as from landscapers, non-profit organizations and other local businesses. A PDF of the course registration brochure is also available at www.organiclandcare.net.
Mindy Harris
Public Relations Coordinator
Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA/Mass)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL INSTRUCTORS
The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) is a private non-profit organization located in Belmont whose primary mission is to support and educate Conservation Commissions. MACC has five staff members, an educational consultant, and a working Board of Directors. MACC received a grant to develop new statewide educational programs on erosion and sedimentation control. An Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program Coordinator has been hired to coordinate 20 workshops throughout the state over the next year. MACC is interested in retaining the services of 1 or more erosion and sediment control instructors to teach or co-teach erosion and sedimentation control workshops throughout Massachusetts.
Tasks and Deliverables:
Teach or co-teach a number of 2-day and/or 1-day erosion & sediment control training program(s) geared toward Conservation Commissioners, site inspectors, construction site supervisors, and project designers to be implemented throughout Massachusetts. The training program content will be provided by MACC, although edits and additions may be provided by the vendor, provided the final format and content are mutually agreed upon by the vendor and MACC. These training programs shall include both coastal and inland versions.
Qualifications and Requirements:
• A current Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), a Certified Inspector of Sediment and Erosion Control (CISEC or CESSWI), or another equivalent certification in Erosion and Sediment Control is preferred. Substantial field experience with erosion and sedimentation control in the northeast will be considered as a substitution for formal certification.
• The vendor shall have a thorough understanding of current erosion and sediment control technologies, of state and federal environmental regulations and the roles of EPA, DEP, and Conservation Commissions in Massachusetts.
• The vendor shall have extensive experience with construction best management practices, wetland and resource area protection measures, and preferably with Conservation Commissions.
• The vendor shall be a dynamic and interesting speaker and have extensive experience teaching adult professionals and volunteers in construction site management practices, environmental regulations and compliance.
• The vendor shall be able to communicate clearly and collaborate easily with the ESC Program Coordinator, other MACC staff and members of the ESC Technical Advisory Committee, as necessary.
• When applicable and with prior approval by MACC, travel and expenses shall be billed at cost. Mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate.
Timetable:
The vendor’s teaching services will be needed starting in late fall of 2010 and extending through spring of 2011, as arranged by mutual agreement.
Bid Submittal Requirements:
Interested people should submit the following, on or before October 11, 2010, to Nancy Putnam, ESC Program Coordinator at MACC. Please call or email Nancy with any questions about this project. Interviews with finalists will be held after receipt of the bids. Proposals may be submitted using email (preferred), fax, regular mail, or hand-delivered.
1. A proposal describing your qualifications, relevant experience, and descriptions of relevant educational presentations that you have used in previous presentations.
2. A firm estimate of fees to be charged and/or hourly rate with an estimate of expenses anticipated within the following guidelines. For this project, MACC is able to entertain bids up to $700 per day per instructor, plus expenses.
3. Names and contact information (emails or phone numbers) of 2 people who have been your students in courses or workshops and whom we can call on as references.
Direct all questions and submit proposals to:
Nancy Putnam
ESC Program Coordinator
MACC 10 Juniper Road, Belmont, MA
Office: (617) 489-3930
Fax: (617) 489-3935
Email: nancy.putnam@maccweb.org return to top
EPA Will Propose Rule to Protect Waterways by Reducing Mercury from Dental Offices: Existing technology is available to capture dental mercury
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it intends to propose a rule to reduce mercury waste from dental offices. Dental amalgams, or fillings containing mercury, account for 3.7 tons of mercury discharged from dental offices each year. The mercury waste results when old mercury fillings are replaced with new ones. The mercury in dental fillings is flushed into chair-side drains and enters the wastewater systems, making its way into the environment through discharges to rivers and lakes, incineration or land application of sewage sludge. Mercury released through amalgam discharges can be easily managed and prevented.
EPA expects to propose a rule next year and finalize it in 2012. Dental offices will be able to use existing technology to meet the proposed requirements. Amalgam separators can separate out 95 percent of the mercury normally discharged to the local waste treatment plant. The separator captures the mercury, which is then recycled and reused.
Until the rule is final, EPA encourages dental offices to voluntarily install amalgam separators. Twelve states and several municipalities already require the installation of amalgam separators in dental offices.
Approximately 50 percent of mercury entering local waste treatment plants comes from dental amalgam waste. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change elemental mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish.
Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury can damage children’s developing brains and nervous systems even before they are born.
'Pollination crisis' hitting India's vegetable farmers By Mark Kinver Science and environment reporter, BBC News
Falling vegetable yields could have a detrimental impact on people's diets, Indian researchers warn
A decline in pollinating insects in India is resulting in reduced vegetable yields and could limit people's access to a nutritional diet, a study warns.
Indian researchers said there was a "clear indication" that pollinator abundance was linked to productivity.
They added that the loss of the natural service could have a long-term impact on the farming sector, which accounts for almost a fifth of the nation's GDP.
Globally, pollination is estimated to be worth £141bn ($224bn) each year.
The findings were presented at a recent British Ecological Society meeting, held at the University of Leeds. <more>
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Planner Training Workshops
The Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC) offers training workshops aimed at members of Massachusetts Planning Boards and Zoning Boards of Appeal. They are offering 23 workshops statewide. Topics include "Introduction to the Zoning Act", "Planning Locally for Affordable Houseing Strategies", "Special Permits and Variances" and many more. Here is a link to the complete schedule. Don't miss out! Register Now.
Keep the caps on for recycling (by Justine Fallon, DEP Western Region Recycling Director)
The Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) is pleased to announce that bottles can now be recycled with the caps attached. The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) in conjunction with recycled plastic manufacturers recently announced that plastic bottles can be recycled with the caps still attached to the bottles. APR Chairman Scott Saunders explains, “We want to assure recycling coordinators, MRF operators and other collectors of recyclables that plastics recyclers will process these bottles and recover the caps for recycling purposes.” The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) is the national trade association representing companies who acquire, reprocess and sell the output of more than 90 percent of the post-consumer plastic processing capacity in North America.
There are domestic markets for recycled plastics, especially those types of plastics found in bottles and their closures. In fact, APR member companies report a growing demand for recycled plastic resins such as the polypropylene commonly found in caps. “The marketplace is eager to consume caps as an expanding source of material,” says APR Rigid Plastics Director Liz Bedard.
Recycling coordinators in western Massachusetts MRF municipalities should remind residents to recycle the bottles with the caps still attached. The MRF cannot accept individual caps not attached to a bottle due to the inability to sort them during the recovery process.
The Berkshire Environmental Educators Network (BEEN) is excited to host its 7th Annual Educator's Conference, Tuesday, November 16, 2010 from 8:30-2:30 at Berkshire Community College. Conference registration will open the second week of October.
In the meantime, we are looking for presenters to lead 1 1/2 hour workshops on an environmental science topic. Participants should leave your workshop with a new lesson or activities to implement in their classrooms. We would love to have some teachers (current or former) lead workshops on an environmental science project that they have done in the past that would be great for other teachers incorporate into their classroom. Past workshop topics include vermicomposting, using math in animal tracking, and wetland invasive species.
If you are interested in presenting a workshop please complete the Presenter form below (or use the following link). Forms must be received by October 6, 2010.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me by e-mail or phone.
Best
Stephanie
Call for Presenters
Please complete the form below if you are interested in presenting a workshop at BEEN's 7th annual Educator's Conference on November 16th. The workshops will be 1 hours and 30 minutes. Preference will be given to workshops that are hands-on and provide participants with activities and hand outs that they can implement in their classroom.
Top of Form
Name *
e-mail address *
Phone *
Co-presenter's name If there are two people leading the workshop
Co-presenter's e-mail
School/Organization *
Workshop Title *
Audience * You can select more than one
elementary school teachers
middle shool teachers
high school teachers
Other:
Workshop description * 50 words or less. This is how the teachers will select workshops, so plese be as descriptive as possible.
Workshop Space set-up * Please slect all that applly
Indoor workshop
Outdoor workshop
Lab space
Desks/chairs
Blackboard
Easel
Powerpoint Projector
Other:
Would you be willing to run your workshop twice *
Yes
No
The April 7, 2011 Water Resources Conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will address the needs for water monitoring, assessment, and management of water resources in New England due to variability and changes in climate, land use, population, and other environmental stressors. The conference will provide an interdisciplinary forum for researchers, regulatory experts, practitioners, and policy makers to discuss current critical water research; foster greater collaboration among scientists and practitioners; and strengthen the connection between research, education, and policy.
Topics of interest include:
● Climate Change Impacts on Hydrologic Processes ● Environmental Indicators for Monitoring Climate Change ● Climate Change Impacts on Watersheds ● Monitoring, Modeling, and Analysis ● Water Supply and Quality ● Climate Change Adaptations ● Water, Wastewater Systems and Infrastructure ● Ecohydrology and Environmental Sustainability ● Stormwater Management and Development ● Terrestrial and Ocean Interactions ● Water Systems Planning ● Hydrologic Prediction ● Data integration and Analysis ● Emerging Sensor Technologies ● Water Resources Management ● Policy and Regulatory Issues ● Water Resources Education & Outreach ● Targeted Watershed Initiatives ● Water-focused Community Science
Communities Take Root Grant Program Seeking Applications for Community Orchard Projects Published Article Uploaded by: Erin Rowland. 9/22/2010
Abstract
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and Dreyer's Fruit Bars are planting orchards across the country in a collaborative program called “Communities Take Root,” and your town could be next! We invite your community to apply for this exciting opportunity to grow fresh fruit, beautify neighborhoods, strengthen relationships and build community food security—all through the simple act of planting fruit trees. In 2010, twenty-five communities won orchards for public parks, community gardens, food banks, homeless shelters, and community centers. Beginning in August 2010, FTPF will accept the first 125 qualified applications for the next round of the program, which involves a public online vote to select the final recipients. FTPF provides all plants, related materials and equipment, community workshops and training, and our team will work with your community volunteers to install the orchard. Recipients must have the appropriate space and commitment to the orchard to qualify. Download and submit our application at www.ftpf.org/application.doc. Elementary and high schools are not eligible to apply for CTR, but please visit www.ftpf.org for information about our Fruit Tree 101 school orchard program. return to top
