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Hi Team,
We have a few important updates for you this week:
First, we are currently taking applications for two new Team members to fill our Stewardship Coordinator position and a Program Associate position, primarily to aid in our No Fracked Gas in Mass program. Click on each position to find the respective job descriptions and learn how to apply!
Second, beginning this week, The BEAT News will be sent out bi-weekly — so instead of receiving our newsletters every week, you'll receive them every other week. This means you won't receive The BEAT News next week.
Third, don't forget about our February Green Drinks event! Wildlife conversation photographer Carla Rhodes will talk on Wednesday, February 8, at Barrington Brewery beginning at 6 PM. Her presentation will also be accessible online via Zoom. Click here to learn more about the social gathering and RSVP!
With gratitude,
Jane, Rose, Jake, Noah, and Chelsey
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CARLA RHODES: FROM COMEDY TO CONSERVATION – BERKSHIRE GREEN DRINKS
Wednesday, February 8 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
at Barrington Brewery, 420 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington, MA & Online via Zoom
ERADICATING INVASIVE HARDY KIWI
Friday, February 17 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
at Burbank Park, Pittsfield • part of 10x10 festival
WINTER TREE IDENTIFICATION
Saturday, February 18 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
at Springside Park, Pittsfield • part of 10x10 festival
WHAT'S WILD IN BURBANK PARK?
Tuesday, February 21 from 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
at Burbank Park, Pittsfield • part of 10x10 festival
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Housatonic River Receives Wild & Scenic Designation
The Housatonic River Commission | Press Release
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"The Housatonic River Commission is thrilled to announce the federal designation of the Housatonic River as a Wild & Scenic River for the 41 miles of the Housatonic River from the Massachusetts border to the Boardman Bridge in New Milford. William Tingley, Chairman of the Housatonic River Commission, said 'This federal Wild & Scenic designation of the Housatonic River will help to ensure the Commission’s ability to carry through its management plan to maintain the river’s unspoiled beauty and create solid accessibility to the many user groups who treasure the Housatonic River.' The Commission has worked diligently for many years to accomplish this important Wild & Scenic designation. This was a team effort, and there are many to thank for their support in making this designation happen. First and foremost, thank you to the residents and public officials of the seven towns represented on the Commission: Canaan (Falls Village), Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury, Sharon, New Milford, and North Canaan, and to the Housatonic Valley Association for their dedicated support and advocacy for the river and this designation. Additionally, thank you to state and federal elected officials, most particularly Senator Chris Murphy and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, for making sure this designation was included in the recently passed Omnibus Bill in Washington, and to several key partners for their dedicated efforts in addition to the Housatonic Valley Association, including the National Park Service, Northwest Hills Council of Governments, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, local area land trusts, and other interested organizations. 'After years of community organizing and advocacy, I am thrilled to join the Housatonic River Commission in celebrating the National Wild and Scenic River designation for the Housatonic River. As the House sponsor of this legislation, I share this monumental feat with all who live along this 41-mile stretch of the river and those dedicated to protecting its beauty for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to work with the commission, local leaders, and community members on additional efforts to expand and improve access to cleaner, healthier outdoor spaces for all to enjoy,' said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. This 41-mile section of the Housatonic River is now a member of the National Park Service’s Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, a federally funded consortium designed to protect and enhance exceptional rivers throughout the country. The Commission will also be entitled to receive federal funds to carry out its management plan for the Housatonic River, including the pressing need to improve and control public access to the river for recreation. The Housatonic River Commission, along with its partners, the National Park Service, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Housatonic Valley Association, Inc, FirstLight Power Resources, and the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, will continue to work together to manage the Wild & Scenic program for the Housatonic River and the funding that comes with it." | | |
USDA moves to crack down on 'organic' fraud
Laura Reiley | The Boston Globe
| "The Agriculture Department announced new guidelines for products labeled 'organic,' a term that has been increasingly abused as shoppers have sought healthier, environmentally friendly food. The USDA has a strict definition of 'certified organic,' allowing the label to be used only for products that meet certain standards for soil quality, animal-raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. The updates issued by the agency Thursday aim to close loopholes that allowed ingredients that don’t meet the criteria to infiltrate the supply chain. [...] Yet problems with organic fraud have persisted. This month, the Justice Department announced indictments of individuals alleged to have masterminded a multimillion-dollar scheme to export nonorganic soybeans from Eastern Europe to be sold into the United States as certified organic. They were able to charge 50 percent more for 'organic' grain than conventional, the department said. And. . .two Minnesota farmers were charged in connection with an alleged plan to sell more than $46 million in chemically treated crops as organic between 2014 and 2021." Read More |  |
US government approves use of world's first vaccine for honeybees
Oliver Milman | The Guardian
| "The world’s first vaccine for honeybees has been approved for use by the US government, raising hopes of a new weapon against diseases that routinely ravage colonies that are relied upon for food pollination. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a vaccine created by Dalan Animal Health, a US biotech company, to help protect honeybees from American foulbrood disease. [...] The vaccine, which will initially be available to commercial beekeepers, aims to curb foulbrood, a serious disease caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae that can weaken and kill hives. There is currently no cure for the disease, which in parts of the US has been found in a quarter of hives, requiring beekeepers to destroy and burn any infected colonies and administer antibiotics to prevent further spread." Read More | |  |
December 2022 Reader Photo Gallery
Northern Woodlands
| "Your December photos included ice bells, fast-flowing meltwater, blaze orange fungi, and winter tree work by beavers and pileated woodpeckers. In Bristol, New Hampshire, Herb D’Arcy discovered a downy woodpecker perched by its door knocker doppelganger. Chace Walker enjoyed the company of his coyote neighbor in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Sheri Larsen took a remarkable photo of otters swimming in the icy waters of Lake Champlain. Check out Marcy Stanton’s image of ice pancake formations." Read More |
Arizona's New Governor Takes on Water Conservation and Promises to Revise the State's Groundwater Management Act
Wyatt Myskow | Inside Climate News
| "A top water expert at Arizona State University began the year with a demand in a newspaper Op-Ed column directed at incoming Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs: Immediately release a state report on groundwater in Buckeye, one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. Buckeye, about 35 miles west of Phoenix, currently has a little over 100,000 residents, with communities planned that would nearly triple that population in the coming decades. [...] Ferris, a senior research fellow at Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy and the former director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, which prepared the report, got her wish. Last week, Hobbs released the department’s analysis of the Lower Hassayampa sub-basin, which showed that without new sources of water, the region cannot add more development. The governor also made clear in her State of the State address that water conservation would be a top priority for her administration. The same day she released the report, Hobbs, a Democrat, signed an executive order establishing the Governor’s Water Policy Council, which will help to “modernize and expand” a 1980 regulatory law known as the Arizona Groundwater Management Act." Read More | |
A few pieces of good news on climate change (and a reality check)
Crazy Crownhart | MIT Technology Review
| "When it comes to climate, the picture can look bleak. Emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change reached a new peak in 2022, according to early estimates. And climate disasters seem to be hitting at a breakneck pace. In 2022, the world experienced record heat waves in China and Europe, and devastating floods in Pakistan killed over 1,000 people and displaced millions. But a close look at energy and emissions data around the world shows that there are a few bright spots of good news and a lot of potential progress ahead. For example, renewable sources make up a growing fraction of the energy supply, and they’re getting cheaper every year. Countries are setting new targets for emissions reductions, and unprecedented public investments could unlock more technological advances. Read [more] to find out why there are at least a few reasons to be hopeful." Read More | |
Check out BEAT's annual End-of-Year Newsletter! | |
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.
Events with BEAT:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Carla Rhodes: From Comedy to Conservation – Berkshire Green Drinks — Great Barrington & Online
Community Calendar:
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25
Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures (Hilltown Land Trust) — Goshen
Protecting Your Legacy webinar series: Moving from Planning to Action (UMass) — Online
Climate Change and Forest Management 101 — Online
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
Mountain Mindfulness Series: Qi Gong/Tai Chi (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Pollinators in the woods? The place of wild bees ina changing forested landscape (Xerces Society) — Online
MassDEP REduce & REuse Working Group Meeting — Online
Wildlife in a Changing Climate: Protecting Freshwater Species Beyond Fish (MassWildlife & Kestrel Landtrust) — Online
Berkshire Water Celebration - Avatar 2 Event — Pittsfield
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
Family Friendly Outdoor Adventures (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Geocaching 101 (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Snowshoe Hike (Dyken Pond) — Cropseyville
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
Nature Scavenger Hunt (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
Mountain Mindfulness Series: Family Forest Walk (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
MONDAY, JANUARY 30
Finding Your Way in Winter (DCR) — Mount Greylock, Adams
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31
Electric Vehicles 101 — Online
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Dewey Drop-In Use Your Words: Ode to Earth with Robbi Hart and Evelyn Battaglia — Sheffield
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Waste or Resource?: A Pale Discussion on Wood Residue — Online
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Full Moon Owl Prowl at The Boulders (BNRC) — Dalton/Pittsfield
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures (Hilltown Land Trust) — Goshen
Carla Rhodes: From Comedy to Conservation – Berkshire Green Drinks (BEAT) — Great Barrington & Online
See Calendar for More
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JOBS
We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.
BEAT is hiring!
NEW! Stewardship Coordinator | Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) | Pittsfield
NEW! Program Associate | Berkshire Environmental Action Team: No Fracked Gas in Mass | Pittsfield/Remote
Berkshire County Postings
NEW! Assistant Land Steward | The Nature Conservancy | Sheffield | 2/17
Stewardship Coordinator | Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) | Lenox | deadline 2/10
Massachusetts Conservation Corps | Student Conservation Association | Rowe | deadline 2/28
Common Loon Field Biologist | Biodiversity Research Center | Berkshires | 3/03
Maintenance Manager, Livestock Manager, Farm & Garden Staff, Visitors Services, Site Interpreter | Hancock Shaker Village | Pittsfield
Postings w/ Deadline
NEW! Watershed GIS Technician | City of Albany Department of Water and Water Supply | Albany | deadline 1/27
Restoration Hydrologist | Cornell University | Ithaca. NY | deadline 1/31
NEW! Director of Marketing and Communications | Second Nature | Remote | deadline 1/31
Natural Science Museum Internship | Maria Mitchell Association | Nantucket | deadline 2/01
Aquarium Internship | Maria Mitchell Association | Nantucket | deadline 2/01
Leadership/Studentship Internship in Field Botany and Native Plant Gardening | Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program | Ghent, NY | deadline 2/05
Summer Experience Studying Insects on Farms | Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program | Ghent, NY | deadline 2/05
NY Agricultural Stewardship Associate | American Farmland Trust | Remote, NY | deadline 2/09
Fiscal Coordinator | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 2/10
NEW! Seasonal Conservation Research & Stewardship Intern| Linda Loring Nature Foundation | Nantucket | deadline 2/10
NEW! Seasonal Environmental Education & Outreach Intern | Linda Loring Nature Foundation | Nantucket | deadline 2/10
NEW! Seasonal Botany/Ecology Assistant | Nantucket Conservation Foundation | Nantucket | deadline 2/10/23
NEW! Summer Science Intern | Great Pond Foundation | Edgartown | deadline 2/22/23
NEW! Field Crew Leader | Great Pond Foundation | Edgartown | deadline 2/22
Capacity Building Branch Manager | MA Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 3/05
Ecological Horticulture Internships | Norcross Wildlife Foundation | Wales, MA | deadline 3/15
NEW! Assistant Forester | Bay State Forestry Service | Northfield | deadline 3/31
NEW! Invasive Plant Control/Forestry Technician | Bay State Forestry Service | Northfield | 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
Recent Postings
NEW! Environmental Analyst III – Bureau of Air and Waste (BAW) Hazardous Waste Programs | MassDEP | Boston
NEW! Environmental Analyst III – TURA and Mercury Management Programs | MassDEP | Boston
Executive Director | Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP) | Greenfield
Conservation Project Manager | Winnakee Land Trust | Rhinebeck, NY
Wildlife Technician (Part-Time)| Meridian Bird Removal | Albany, NY
Education & Outreach Manager (Part-time) | The Bike Hub | Bennington, VT
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
Environmental Education Internship | Nantucket Mitchell Association | Nantucket
Urban Wilds Foreperson | Boston Urban Wilds Program (City of Boston) | Boston
Massachusetts Energy Policy Advocate | Green Energy Consumers Alliance | Boston
Science/Nature Program Instructor | Kestrel Educational Adventures | Hamilton
School Liason and Event Coordinator | Cooler Communities | Western MA
Development Coordinator | Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) | Western MA
Program Coordinator | Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) | Western MA
Click Here for More Jobs
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Environmental Monitor
January 11, 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:
• Pittsfield – Notice of Availability for the Pittsfield Municipal Airport Draft Addendum to the Vegetation Management Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – posted 1/11/23
• Multiple towns – National Grid Vegetation Management Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – comments due 1/20/23
CT River Valley Index:
• Multiple towns – National Grid Vegetation Management Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachment) – comments due 1/20/23
• Westfield – Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport – Single EIR – comments due 1/6/23
• Springfield – Upper Van Horn Reservoir Dam Improvements Project – EENF Certificate – Requires a Single Environmental Impact Report – issued 12/16/22
Statewide Index:
• MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program – ESPR – comments due 2/10/23
• REVISED – Notice of Comment Period and Availability of DRAFT Massachusetts 2022 Integrated List of Waters – (click on link, then attachments tab) – comments now due 1/6/2023
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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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