Hi Friend,
Thank you to everyone who attended our March Pittsfield Green Drinks event, where Mass Audubon teacher naturalist Zach Adams talked about some of the great features you can find at Berkshire wildlife sanctuaries. If you missed it but would still like to see the presentation, the recording will be posted on BEAT's Youtube channel by the end of the week!
In other news, we are starting again with our weekly invasive hardy kiwi cut and pull at Burbank Park in Pittsfield. If you'd like to volunteer with BEAT by helping us continue our efforts to eradicate this destructive and problematic vine, please let us know! Anyone and everyone is welcome regardless of age or experience, and we always appreciate the help.
Thanks for all you do to protect the environment!
Jane, Rose, Jake, Noah, and Chelsey
|
|
In light of the Massachusetts textile waste ban that will go into effect on November 1, 2022, it's important that we all start taking the initiative now to ensure we are prepared when November arrives. For that reason, w e are so excited to let you all know that we recently got a Helpsy bin at BEAT's office to help reduce the amount of textiles that enter the waste stream. We welcome anyone to drop off their unwanted textiles, but please make sure their Helpsy-accepted items and please put them inside the bin!
Helpsy is a textile collection company, and 95% of what they collect is reused, upcycled, or recycled — 75% is reusable, 20% is recyclable. They will take anything you can wear, sleep in, or dry yourself off with! This includes any material composed of natural or synthetic fibers, such as products made from wool, silk, linen, cotton, polyester, leather, vinyl, hemp, and rayon.
The following items can be donated in any condition (torn, worn, stained, missing buttons, broken zippers, etc.) as long as they are clean, dry, and odorless.
|
|
Footwear (in pairs):
Shoes
Heels (wedges, pumps)
Flats
Sandals
Flip Flops
Boots (work boots, dress boots, winter boots)
Sneakers
Cleats
Slippers
Clothing:
Tops (T-shirts, blouses, shirts, tank tops)
Sweaters
Sweatshirts
Dresses
Outerwear (coats, jackets, blazers)
Bottoms (pants, slacks, jeans, sweatpants, skirts, shorts)
Suits
Socks
Pajamas
Slips
Bras
Underwear
|
|
Accessories:
Hats
Bags (pocketbooks, backpacks, duffle bags, totes)
Belts
Gloves
Ties
Scarves
Bathrobes
Linens:
Sheets
Blankets
Towels
Curtains/Drapes
Aprons
Dish cloths
Cloth napkins
Table linens
Comforters
Throw rugs
Placemats
Other:
Halloween costumes
Sports jerseys
Pet clothing
Canvas
|
|
|
We all have to do our part to help reduce waste and protect the environment. If you have a commercial property, business, apartment complex, school, or place of worship — consider hosting a Helpsy bin to help reduce textile waste in your community. You can also request a home pickup if you're unable to get to a bin or if you have too many items to move.
|
|
|
|
OSHA cites 'serious' workplace health exposures at Pittsfield trash-burning plant
Larry Parnass | The Berkshire Eagle
|
"Workers at a Pittsfield waste-to-energy facility risked breathing in smoke containing arsenic, cadmium and lead, the federal government says, a finding that confirms other accounts of hazards at the bankrupt plant. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Community Eco Power LLC, of Pittsfield, to respond by April 4 to violations it lodged Feb. 15 against the Hubbard Avenue plant, when it imposed $26,107 in penalties. [...] The state DEP installed monitors on a plant building after receiving video evidence of improper smoke releases July 9, 2021. [...] The DEP later collected air samples on a roof at the plant near bay doors and vents, had them analyzed, then turned over the results to OSHA. Last month, the agency issued eight violations it ranked as “serious.” In addition to citing workplace exposure to lead, cadmium and inorganic arsenic, the agency faulted Eco Power for not properly communicating with workers about hazards." Read More
|
|
Massachusetts Delegation Announces $138 Million in Federal funding for Key Projects Throughout Massachusetts
Senator Ed Markey | News & Press
|
" [Several members of MA Congress] announced Massachusetts will receive an estimated $138 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) in the Fiscal Year 2022 spending bill for 120 important community projects throughout Massachusetts. The projects focus on areas such as energy and water development, transportation, agriculture development, housing and urban development, environmental protection, homeland security, and labor, education, health and human services." Read More
|
Protestors plan hunger strike over Peabody power plant
Paul Leighton | The Salem News
|
"Environmental activists say they plan to go on a hunger strike next week to protest the building of a new oil-and-gas powered plant in Peabody. [...] The $85 million peaker plant [...] is scheduled to be built on Pulaski Street in Peabody. Fourteen municipal light plants, including those in Peabody and Marblehead, are partnering on the project through the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. The project has been approved by the state and site work has begun on its construction next to the Peabody Municipal Light Plant’s existing Waters River Substation. But residents and environmental advocates continue to fight it. On Thursday, the Massachusetts Climate Action Network released two reports saying the plant is risky both financially and environmentally. One of the reports said the municipal light plants could provide more power at a lower cost by “buying capacity” from the market, rather than spending $85 million to build a plant. The report estimated that would save $29 million over the first 15 years. Another report said the plant could end up being “stranded,” or abandoned, before the end of its projected 30-year lifespan due to new laws intended to protect environmental justice communities, which are defined based on income and minority populations. The report also cited the volatility of gas prices as a threat to the plant’s financial future. Sarah Dooling, executive director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, said the project was approved by the state before new rules protecting environmental justice communities were adopted. The plant would be located in an environmental justice neighborhood in Peabody and less than a mile from eight others, according to her organization." Read More
|
Bourne landfill expansion plans clears final town hurdle, but appeals could still be filed
Paul Gately | Cape Cod Times
|
"The final version of a proposed expansion of the only landfill left on Cape Cod has cleared Bourne approval, leaving just a 30-day comment period for possible appeals before the project can move forward. [...] The proposed horizontal and vertical expansion of the regional disposal facility off Route 28 had — in a process that has taken place over the past couple of years — already cleared approvals by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office, the Cape Cod Commission, and a state DEP review of site suitability assessment, Barrett said Tuesday. Once the report and its conditions are posted and published, Barrett said, there will be a 30-day comment period. During that time, he said, appeals could potentially be filed through the Massachusetts court system. [...] The plans for the Integrated Solid Waste facility — which would usher in a new two-decade landfill era for the town and region — involve expanding the Bourne landfill to a total added waste volume of 5.175 million cubic yards. The landfill would be expanded over multiple phases on two parcels off Route 28 through two efforts, involving 17 acres for horizontal waste disposal to the south of current operations and 74 acres of additional vertical disposal atop the existing landfill." Read More
|
FERC failed to adequately review a gas pipeline project's effect on carbon emissions: appeals court
Ethan Howland | Utility Drive
|
"Adding to the string of legal defeats for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's natural gas infrastructure reviews, a federal appeals court on Friday said the agency failed to adequately consider downstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when it approved a natural gas pipeline project in Massachusetts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit also said it was "troubled" that FERC didn't try to get information to estimate how the Tennessee Gas Pipeline project could increase upstream gas drilling. The court didn't weigh in on the merits of the upstream issue because it wasn't raised during FERC's consideration of the upgrade to Tennessee Gas' existing system. The decision came a day after FERC Chairman Richard Glick defended the agency's new policy for reviewing natural gas projects, including the GHG emissions related to them. Glick told the CERAWeek conference the agency's new review policy will help the commission's decisions survive legal scrutiny." Read More
|
|
How a Massachusetts salt Marsh is Changing What We Know About New England's Coast
Daegan Miller | UMass Amherst
|
"New research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst into the life and times of a New England salt marsh fundamentally changes our understanding of how salt marshes acquire the sediment that keeps them viable. This research, published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, has wide-ranging implications for managing New England’s coastline as it struggles to keep up with development, sea-level rise and other environmental impacts. [...] For decades, the standard model of how a salt marsh developed went like this: as a river wound its way to the sea, it picked up sediment as it flowed through hills and fields. Once the river arrived at the coast, it slowed down and dropped its sediment load, which salt marshes have incorporated and grown upon over the years to form the salt marsh platforms at river and stream mouths throughout New England. The only problem with this model is that it might not be the way that New England’s salt marshes actually work. 'We’ve been looking in the wrong direction,' says Jon Woodruff, professor of geosciences at UMass Amherst and one of the paper’s co-authors. 'These sediments are mostly coming from the ocean, not rivers.'" Read More
|
Do Good for Birds & Science with NestWatch
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
|
"Mother Nature is ready to hit the "refresh" button via the springtime rhythms of birdlife. One way to witness the wonder of the natural world and do some good at the same time is to participate in the NestWatch project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Taking part in NestWatch is free, apart from taking a bit of time. Participants can monitor open-cup nests or nest boxes, then report online about the timing and success of bird courtship, egg-laying, chick hatching, rearing, and fledging. That's information scientists can use to better understand what breeding birds need and how they are surviving. 'Scientists working with NestWatch data have uncovered insights on how everything from climate change, noise and light pollution, and even backyard bird feeding affects nesting success," said project leader Robyn Bailey. "Researchers have used NestWatch data in more than 130 new scientific studies.'" Read More
|
EPA designates Lower Neoponset River in Boston and Milton a Superfund site
Hannah Chanatry | WBUR
|
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday designated the Lower Neponset River, which runs through Milton, Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park, a federal Superfund site for environmental clean-up. The 3.7-mile stretch is now on the National Priorities List, a catalog of sites considered the most hazardous and uncontrolled contaminated areas in the country. [...] According to the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Lower Neponset River is polluted with chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These contaminants have been linked to several health hazards, including reproductive and neurological problems. [...] The Superfund designation launches a federal investigation into the site. Some parts of that investigation are already underway, according to the EPA. [...] The PCB pollution is attributed to former industrial activity in the area dating back to the 1930s, according to the MassDEP. The federal investigation will seek to link the chemicals to specific companies and take a deeper look at the range and risk of contamination in the area. Federal authorities will then develop a plan to clean up the pollution using federal resources and expertise. [...] The Lower Neponset River was added to the National Priorities List after decades of advocacy and local cleanup efforts by community groups. EPA officials said community involvement will continue to be a critical part of the cleanup process." Read More
|
Listen: Scientists Are Recording Occecan Sounds to Spot New Species
Nidhi Subbaraman | The Wall Street Journal
|
"The ocean is teeming with the chirps, “boings” and grunts of underwater creatures. An international team of scientists are building a Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds, dubbed "Glubs," by recording hard-to-reach corners of the ocean. Oceans are warming, leading to potentially irreversible changes to underwater ecosystems. The research team wants to capture the vast breadth of noises, with the help of citizen scientists and their handheld recorders, before some species disappear." Listen, See Photos, & Read More
|
|
|
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.
Events with BEAT:
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
SATURDAY, MARCH 19
Community Calendar:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
THURSDAY, MARCH 17
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
SATURDAY, MARCH 19
SUNDAY, MARCH 20
MONDAY, MARCH 21
TUESDAY, MARCH 22
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
|
|
JOBS
We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.
Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) | Stockbridge
Trail Crew | | Berkshire Natural Resources Counsel | Pittsfield
EPA Student Interns | New England Regional Office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
***Are you a non-profit environmental organization looking for willing, capable, and *free* summer interns?
The Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College provides funding to students to pursue unpaid environmental summer internships with non-profit organizations and governmental agencies, supervised research, and creative endeavors. Learn more about this summer program and how you can get involved here.
|
|
Environmental Monitor
MARCH 9, 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:
Pioneer Valley Index:
Statewide Index:
|
|
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.
|
|
Berkshire Environmental Action Team
20 Chapel St., Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413) 464-9402
|
|
See what's happening on our social sites: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
