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Hi Team,
It feels like a lot has happened since the last The BEAT News, and we have some updates for you. First, we've had a change of staff recently. We are thrilled to welcome John Pursinski to our team as BEAT's new Program Associate for No Fracked Gas in Mass! Jake Laughner, our previous No Fracked Gas in Mass program associate for years, recently retired. He was a huge asset to our team, and we were sorry to see him go —lucky for us, he still continues to be part of BEAT. We also said goodbye to our stewardship coordinator, Noah, last week as he is off to start a master's program for geospatial science!
It's nearly spring, meaning ground-thaw and amphibian migration are upon us! Very soon, we will notify our volunteers about joining us on those warm, rainy "Big Nights" to help amphibians safely get across roads to their breeding grounds. Would you like to know when and where our amphibian crossing brigades are taking place? Go to the volunteer page on our website and scroll to the bottom to fill out the form to sign up for our emails regarding volunteer opportunities. Additionally, we hope to restart our weekly endeavor of eradicating invasive hardy kiwi from Burbank Park — so keep your eye out for an update on that!
Lastly, we hope to see you tonight at 6 PM (either in person or online) for our March Berkshire Green Drinks event! MassWildlife biologist Nathan Buckhout is talking about the weasel family (Mustelids) at Shire Breu-Hous, inside The Stationery Factory in Dalton. Click here to find more details and to RSVP or register for the virtual presentation.
That's it for now. Thanks for all you do to protect the environment!
Jane, Rose, Chelsey, and John
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*SPOTLIGHT*
Upcoming public forum for discussing
the Greylock Glen "Ecovillage" Project
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We sent out a special announcement email last week regarding the Greylock Glen project, and it was accidentally sent with the subject "Next Wednesday: Berkshire Green Drinks" — sorry about that!
Regardless, we hope you had the chance to look it over because the content of the announcement is consequential and something the Berkshire County community should know about. In case you didn't, here's the gist:
Shared Estates, the proponents of high-end "campground" plans at Greylock Glen, have announced an additional public meeting to discuss the project.
Date and time: March 23 at 5:30 PM
Location: 39 Commercial Street, Adams, MA (formerly Saint Mark's Episcopal Church)
There's no word on whether or not Shared Estates or the Adams select board is notifying townspeople about this meeting by other means other than a Facebook post. This is important since not everyone is on Facebook.
There is also no word on whether or not it will also be carried on Zoom, so people with mobility or immune issues can attend safely.
Any questions or concerns about the format of the meeting and public notification could be posted as comments on their Facebook page post (since that seems to be their preferred means of contact).
Additionally, The Berkshire Eagle published a short article on March 6, 2023, about the proposed project and the upcoming public forum.
*Click here to sign up for email updates regarding this proposal.
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In 13 state parks, Mass. officials issue advisories for fish consumption due to PFAS
Gabrielle Emanuel | WBUR
| "The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is warning residents to be careful when eating fish caught in 13 state parks. Testing over the past year revealed elevated levels of PFAS chemicals, technically known as per- and polyfluorinated substances, in certain fish. Health officials recommended avoiding some species from the tested sites and limiting consumption of others. Stocked fish, the advisories said, remain safe to eat. [...] Massachusetts has some of the strictest regulations for PFAS in public drinking water supplies. And experts said individuals can take additional steps to avoid eating and breathing PFAS chemicals. [...] The new Massachusetts advisories vary depending on the body of water, the type of fish and the person consuming it. For example, children under 12 and people who might become pregnant were advised to be more cautious than the general public." Read More |
How Widespread Are These Toxic Chemicals? They're Everywhere.
Catrin Einhorn | The New York Times
| "Polar bears in the Arctic and plankton in the Pacific. Cardinals in Atlanta and crocodiles in South Africa. While concern about PFAS compounds, also known as 'forever chemicals' because they break down very slowly, has largely focused on people, the pollutants have also been detected in wildlife. Now, a review of research made public on Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization that focuses on environmental safety, shows PFAS turning up in hundreds of wild animal species around the world. In people, some of these chemicals are linked to cancers, developmental issues, reduced immune function, hormonal interference and heightened cholesterol. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency found there was virtually no safe level in humans for two of the most widely used PFAS chemicals and proposed designating them as hazardous. To get a sense of contamination in wildlife, researchers at the Environmental Working Group reviewed more than a hundred studies and created a map from their survey." Read More |  |
Wild queen bees attempt to invade commercial hives, but get slaughtered by rival workers
Harry Baker | Live Science
| "Wild, free-roaming queen bees in search of a new kingdom are often lured to commercial hives — where resident workers murder the queens almost as soon as they get through the door, a new study shows. However, it's not all bad news: a new device could help stem the queen bee massacres. Researchers serendipitously discovered the unusual killings while studying how common eastern bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) pollinate crops. When the team opened up the commercial-style hives they had set up around the Finger Lakes region of New York, they found that dead wild queens piled up just inside the entrance of every one. On average, each hive had 10 dead queens, but the record was 19. Most of the dead queens were B. impatiens but some of the murdered matriarchs belonged to the closely related species B. perplexus, commonly known as the confusing bumblebee. [...] In the wild, bumblebee queens can invade the hives of other queens and overthrow them to claim the colony as their own. But because commercial hives have a much higher number of worker bees than wild hives, the usurping queens were likely being swarmed by the smaller bees and overpowered, according to a statement by researchers. The finding reveals another previously unknown way that humans are impacting wild bee populations, which are generally in decline, researchers wrote." Read More | |  |
Harbingers of Spring Return
Mary Holland | Naturally Curious
| "Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Common Grackles, all harbingers of spring, have started to return to Vermont over the past week or two. In southern and western United States Red-wings are thought to be nonmigratory, but individuals breeding in the Northeast on average migrate roughly 500 miles or more south in the fall. When spring comes, males migrate first and arrive back in the Northeast several weeks before females. When they do arrive back, Red-winged Blackbirds often encounter several snow storms while on their breeding grounds. This is when life can become challenging for these voracious seed-eaters. They have a couple of months before nesting begins, during which time they are establishing territories and attracting a mate, both of which demand good nutrition. Corn and weed seeds make up a majority of their food during this time; insects are their mainstay during the breeding season." Read More |  |
Workers Move to Renewables as U.S. Fossil Sector Sheds Jobs
The Energy Mix
| "Job opportunities in renewable energy are pulling U.S. workers from the fossil fuel sector, but some worry that the available labour force will still fall short of the Biden administration’s clean energy goals. 'In more than a dozen interviews, energy workers and executives said they had switched to renewable energy because they felt that the oil and gas industry’s best days were behind it,' or because they were no longer willing to tolerate the sector’s boom and bust cycles, the New York Times reports. Many also said that 'concerns about climate change, which is primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, were a factor in their decision.' Employment in the wind industry grew 20% between 2016 and 2021—an addition of 113,000 workers during that span. But in the six years leading up to 2022, the oil and gas sector slashed jobs by 20%, with 700,000 workers lost to increased automation and a slowing of the shale drilling boom." Read More |  |
Earthsight reveals how Russian "conflict timber" worth over $1 billion was sold in the US
Global Justice Ecology Project
| "Earthsight, a non-profit organization, uncovered a network of companies and individuals involved in the illegal logging and export of Russian “conflict timber” to the US. Through an article released February 24, 2023, Earthsight revealed how America’s business in 'conflict timber', banned in the EU and Britain, helps fund Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and enriches powerful Russian oligarchs. Earthsight highlights how over 260,000 cubic metres of Russian plywood has landed at US ports since the invasion began, with an estimated retail value of $1.2 billion. The suspect plywood is being sold across the United States, including through one of its largest home improvement retail chains, Menards." Read More | |
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.
Events with BEAT:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
Mustelids with Nathan Buckhout – Berkshire Green Drinks (BEAT) — Online & Dalton
Community Calendar:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures (Hilltown Land Trust) — Goshen
Virtual Summit: Best Practices for Pollinators (Xerces Society) — Online
Mustelids with Nathan Buckhout – Berkshire Green Drinks (BEAT) — Online & Dalton
MCLA's Green Living Seminar: "Economics of Climate-Smart Forestry" — North Adams
Webinar: Zero Carbon, Zero Bills by David Green — Online
THURSDAY, MARCH 9
Virtual Summit: Best Practices for Pollinators (Xerces Society) — Online
Gardening with Native Plant: Why & How (MAPN & Elders Climate Action) — Online
BNRC: Ask Me Anything — Online
FRIDAY, MARCH 10
Nice & Easy Trail Hike (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
SATURDAY, MARCH 11
Mount Greylock Photo Group Meet-Up: Berkshire Destinations Slide Show (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Family Self-Guided StoryWalk on the Old Mill Trail (BNRC) — Hinsdale
SUNDAY, MARCH 12
Nature Scavenger Hunt (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Family Movie Matinee (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
MONDAY, MARCH 13
Finding Your Way in Winter (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Forest Health & the Southern Pine Beetle (Linda Loring Nature Foundation) — Online
TUESDAY, MARCH 14
Tuesday Treks (Dyken Pond Center) — Cropseyville, NY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures (Hilltown Land Trust) — Goshen
Meeting with Senator Paul Mark (350MA–Berkshires) — Online
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
Winter Wildlife Tracking at Mount Greylock with Jim Pelletier (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Intro to Wildlife Tracks & Sign (Rusty Anvil) — Petersburgh, NY
Interpretive Hike: Taconic Trail (Williamstown Rural Lands)
SUNDAY, MARCH 19
Nature Scavenger Hunt (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
Day of Action: Stop Funding Climate Chaos — Albany, NY
Tuesday Treks (Dyken Pond Center) — Cropseyville, NY
Divestment Rally at Park Square (350MA-Berkshires) — Pittsfield
See Calendar for More
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JOBS
We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.
Berkshire County Postings
NEW! Land Steward | Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) | Lenox
NEW! Crew Leaders & Assistant Crew Leaders | Greenagers | South Egremont
Berkshire Clean, Cold and Connected Restoration Coordinator | The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) | Stockbridge
Stewardship Crew | Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) | Lenox
Education Coordinator – School & Community Environmental Education Programs | Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary | Lenox
Lead Education Coordinator – Camp & School Environmental Education Programs | Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary | Lenox
Visitor Services Representative | Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary | Lenox
Soil Conservationist / No-Till Program Coordinator | Berkshire Conservation District | Berkshire County
Multiple Day Camp Positions | Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary & Canoe Meadows | Lenox
Pathways to the Trades Director | Greenagers | South Egremont
Development Manager | Greenagers | South Egremont
Maintenance Manager, Livestock Manager, Farm & Garden Staff, Visitors Services, Site Interpreter | Hancock Shaker Village | Pittsfield
Postings w/ Deadline
NEW! Pollinator Protection Program Coordinator | NOFA/Mass | Remote (mostly) | deadline 3/10
Ecological Horticulture Internships | Norcross Wildlife Foundation | Wales, MA | deadline 3/15
Assistant Forester | Bay State Forestry Service | Northfield | deadline 3/31
Invasive Plant Control/Forestry Technician | Bay State Forestry Service | Northfield | deadline 3/31
Wetland Scientist/Lead Wetland Delineator | TRC Companies | Lowell | deadline 3/31
Wetland Scientist/Lead Wetland Delineator | TRC Companies | Windsor, CT | deadline 3/31
Wetland Scientist/Lead Wetland Delineator | TRC Companies | Ithica, NY | deadline 3/31
Social Media & Outreach Coordinator | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | 4/05
HPTC Traditional Trades Advancement Program Intern – Springfield Armory National Historic Site | Stewards Individual Placements | Springfield | 4/18
NEW! Ecological Restoration Program Manager – Cranberry Bogs | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 5/12
Ecological Restoration Program Manager – Dam Removal | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 5/12
NEW! Ecological Restoration Technical Services Branch Manager | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 6/05
Recent Postings
NEW! Orange County Food Pantry Coordinator | Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP) | Orange
Connecticut Watershed Manager | The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) | Cornwall, CT
Biological Field Intern | Trout Unlimited | Lock Haven, PA
Assistant Farm Manager | Bardwell Farm | Hatfield
Farmstand Crew | Bardwell Farm | Hatfield
Earthwatch Facilitator for Teen Teams | Earthwatch | Newton
Tree Worker / Arborist | New Leaf Tree Services | Hudson, NY
Contracted Farm Manager | The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Cultivating for Community | Hadley
Environmental Analyst III – Bureau of Air and Waste (BAW) Hazardous Waste Programs | MassDEP | Boston
Environmental Analyst III – TURA and Mercury Management Programs | MassDEP | Boston
Executive Director | Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP) | Greenfield
Farm & Food Business Finance Specialist | Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) | Anywhere in MA | Remote/Hybrid
New England National Scenic Trail Community Volunteer Ambassador | Conservation Legacy | Springfield
Click Here for More Jobs
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Environmental Monitor
February 8, 2022
The Environmental Monitor provides information on projects under review by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office, recent MEPA decisions of the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, and public notices from environmental agencies.
Berkshire Index:
• Adams, North Adams, Florida, and Monroe – E131 Asset Condition Refurbishment (ACR) Project – New England Power Company – EENF – comments due 3/10/23
• Williamstown – Schow Pond Restoration Project – SEIR – comments due 3/10/23
• Lanesborough & Hancock – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC)– comments due 3/24/23
CT River Valley Index:
• South Hadley – Buttery Brook Watershed Restoration – ENF – comments due 3/10/23 – site visits 3/1/23
• Montague – Notice of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Final Public Notification Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – posted 2/8/23
• Holyoke – Notice of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Final Public Notification Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – posted 2/8/23
• Blandford – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – posted 2/8/23
• Westfield – West Parish Water Treatment Plant – EENF – comments due 2/24/23 – site visits 2/8 & 2/9/23
• Springfield – Notice of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Final Public Notification Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – comments due 2/15/23
• Chicopee – Notice of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Final Public Notification Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – comments due 2/27/23
Statewide Index:
• MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program – ESPR – Withdrawn
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Public Notices
Public Notices listed here are from a variety of sources, from town conservation commissions and select boards to state and federal agencies. These listings are for Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties. Listings are only posted if they are environmental in nature. You can find all public notices for Massachusetts here.
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Berkshire Environmental Action Team
20 Chapel St., Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413) 464-9402
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