Native Plant Giveaway This Saturday

May 29, 2024

Hi Team,

We'd like to start this newsletter off with a gigantic 'thank you' to all of the amazing volunteers who helped us make last Saturday's Kids in Kayaks event a success! At the Westside Summer Block Party we introduced kids of all ages to the activity of kayaking and to new ways of exploring their local environment. See some of the young paddlers in action in the photo below.

Come to BEAT's Environmental Leadership & Education Center this Saturday morning June 1, from 10 AM to 1 PM for a Native Plant Giveaway and Exchange from BEAT's own rain garden. Check here for a list of the species we have in abundance to give away, and please feel free to bring any native species from your own garden to share with others!

Additionally, now is the time to register for the season's first river cleanup of the Housatonic's West Branch! This year's annual cleanups, hosted together by BEAT and the Housatonic Valley Association, will be held on June 9th, July 13th, and August 10th. Learn more about the cleanups here. Want to help out, but not interested in climbing into the river yourself? Please still join us, as we need help from volunteers for documentation and data collection of the trash we retrieve.

That's it for now. Thank you for all you do to protect the environment!

Jane, Rose, Chelsey, John, Lucas, Andrew, and Brittany

IN THE NEWS

Environmentalists Push for Climate Legislation

Brittany Polito | iBerkshires

"PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local environmentalists joined statewide rallies for climate legislation on Tuesday, pushing the passage of four bills for cleaner air and energy. A dozen people gathered in Park Square holding signs with pleas such as 'Let our grandchildren have a future' and 'We need clean air.' The Berkshire Environmental Action Team urged attendees to advocate for S.2135 for a gas moratorium, HD.2474/ SD.1180 and HD.2474/ SD.1108 for clean air, and HD.4024/ SD.505 for just energy citing..." READ MORE

Lenox leaders demand an improved disposal site for PCB toxins removed during Rest of River cleanup

Clarence Fanto | The Berkshire Eagle

"LENOX — The Select Board is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to "maximize oversight" of all cleanup activities associated with GE's 75-acre upland disposal facility, a controversial, yet crucial, element of the Rest of River PCB cleanup project for the Housatonic River south of Woods Pond.

In a highly critical and strongly worded letter to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Select Board wrote: “Lenox again implores EPA to maximize third-party oversight of all cleanup activities. It is self-evident that human nature causes contractors to behave differently when there is oversight. Therefore, the presence and independence of oversight monitors are crucial given the permit holder’s incentive to minimize cleanup costs...” READ MORE

Want to See Community Solar Done Right? A Proje ct in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Can Serve as a Model

Dan Gearino | Inside Climate News

"Karl Hoesch, the lead author and a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, argues that the set-up in L’Anse can serve as a case study for how to develop community solar in an equitable way when funding for these kinds of projects has skyrocketed thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. There is no agreed-upon definition of community solar. At its simplest, the term can refer to any project that uses photovoltaic panels to produce electricity for multiple customers or subscribers. But many people, including Hoesch, choose to emphasize the 'community' part..." READ MORE

The Pittsfield City Council is weighing a contract for the Casella-owned transfer station. Here's how much it will cost to use it

Greg Sukiennik | The Berkshire Eagle

"PITTSFIELD — When the transfer station at 500 Hubbard Road reopens, residents would be charged for access as well as pay-as-you-throw fees for garbage bags, but would be allowed to dispose of yard waste and recycling for free. Those are the proposed terms of a transfer station contract between the city and Casella Waste Services, submitted to the City Council on Tuesday night. The council voted unanimously to refer the proposal to its Committee on the Whole for a meeting on Monday..." READ MORE

New NASA Mission Tracks Microscopic Organisms in the Ocean and Tiny Particles in the Air to Monitor Climate Change

Teresa Tomassoni| Inside Climate News

"From more than 400 miles above Earth, NASA is tracking some of the planet’s smallest life forms drifting just beneath the ocean’s surface to monitor how global warming affects ocean health. The microscopic organisms known as phytoplankton fuel the entire aquatic food web. They provide food for small fish, zooplankton and crustaceans like krill that are then eaten by larger pelagic species like tuna and whales. Without them, the oceanic food chain would collapse. They also play a vital role in our carbon cycle. Similar to plants, phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it in their single-celled bodies. When they die and decompose, some of this carbon falls to the ocean floor. Every year, about ten gigatonnes of carbon is transferred from the atmosphere to the deep ocean through this process..." READ MORE

Tiny Places For Tiny Animals: Building The Microhabitats That Bugs Need To Thrive

Matthew Shepherd | Bee City USA

"Bugs are in trouble, and our yards are part of the answer...Wildlife conservation sometimes focuses on protection of large spaces, far away from our cities and homes, that support many kinds of life. These wilderness areas are very important, but they aren’t the whole story. While big animals, like elk and bison, can only thrive in large spaces, bugs are pretty tiny! Many bees, butterflies, beetles, and other invertebrates can take advantage of smaller spaces..." READ MORE

COMING UP WITH BEAT

TREE WALKS WITH BEAT + TOURISTS

Thursday, May 30th from 12 PM to 2 PM

at TOURISTS, North Adams, MA

VOLUNTEER: INVASIVE HARDY KIWI REMOVAL

Fridays from 10 AM to 11:30 AM

at Burbank Park, Pittsfield, MA

NATIVE PLANT GIVEAWAY AND EXCHANGE AT BEAT'S RAIN GARDEN

Saturday, June 1st from 10 AM to 1 PM

at BEAT Environmental Leadership and Education Center, Pittsfield, MA

VOLUNTEER WITH BEAT: WEST BRANCH HOUSATONIC RIVER CLEANUP

Sunday, June 9th from 9 AM to 1 PM

at Wahconah Park, Pittsfield, MA

BERKSHIRE GREEN DRINKS: "TRACKING: OUT-OF-SIGHT, OUT-OF-MIND" WITH DANIEL HANSCHE

Wednesday, June 12th from 5 PM to 7 PM (Presentation starts at 6 PM)

at Dorothy's Estaminet, Pittsfield, MA + Online via Zoom

June-2024-Green-Drinks-thumbnail-750-x-635-px-1 image

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.

THURSDAY, MAY 30

Virtual Tour of Drury Preserve — Online

Tree Walks with BEAT + TOURISTS — North Adams

Bird Walks with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington

Garden Warfare: Invasive Plants with Opal Raven — Pittsfield

Mosquito and Tick Control: How to Keep Your Family Safe Without Poisoning Your Yard — Online

FRIDAY, MAY 31

Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield

Discover Greylock Hike — Lanesborough

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

Month of June StoryWalk at Margaret Lindley Park: The Gruffalo — Williamstown

Lake Mansfield Forest and Trail Volunteer Day — Great Barrington

Composting Workshop at Berkshire Botanical Garden — Stockbridge

Native Plant Giveaway & Exchange at BEAT’s Rain Garden — Pittsfield

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

11th Annual Boreal Forest Bird Walk — Windsor

Dam Busters 101: Indigenous Approaches to Dam Removal and River Restoration — Online

Mass Pollinator Network Brown Bag Lunch — Online

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

Family Bird Banding Field Trip — Williamstown

Field & Forest Tai Chi — Williamstown

Plant and Tree Walk — Goshen

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

Volunteer: West Branch Housatonic River Cleanup — Pittsfield

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12

Berkshire Green Drinks: “Tracking: Out-of-Sight, Out-of-Mind” with Daniel Hansche — Pittsfield

See Calendar for More

JOBS

We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.

Berkshire County Postings

Berkshire Clean, Cold and Connected Restoration Coordinator | Housatonic Valley Association | Stockbridge | priority deadline 5/31/24

Seasonal Laborer I (Mt. Greylock) | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Lanesborough

Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor I (Tolland State Forest) | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Otis

Seasonal Recreation Facilities Supervisor I (Beartown State Forest) | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Monterey

Conservation Projects Coordinator | Housatonic Valley Association | Stockbridge

Assistant Director – Williams Outing Club | Williams College | Williamstown

Seasonal Trail Crew 2024 | Berkshire Natural Resources Council | Lenox

Hopkins Memorial Forest Manager | Williams College | Williamstown

Conservation Commission Agent | Town of Lenox | Lenox

Postings with Deadline

Climate Programs Associate | Second Nature | Remote | 5/31/24

Environmental Nonprofit Campaign Jobs | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston, MA | deadline 5/31/24

Environmental Field Organizer | Green Corps | Boston, MA | deadline 5/31/24

Shareholder Advocate | Green Century | Boston, MA | deadline 5/31/24

Environmental Community Organizer | Community Action Works | Amherst, MA | deadline 5/31/24

Natural Resource Specialist | Columbia County Soil & Water Conservation District | Ghent, NY | deadline 5/31/24

GIS Coordinator | American Bird Conservancy | Remote | deadline 5/31/24

Project Manager | Agricultural Stewardship Association | Greenwich, NY | deadline 5/31/24

HR Senior Generalist | Conservation Legacy | Remote | deadline 6/1/24

Adventure Trips Leader | South Shore YMCA – Camp Burgess & Hayward | Cape Cod, MA | deadline 6/1/24

Vermont State Parks Seasonal Temporary Employee | Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation | Various park locations, VT | deadline 6/1/24

Adventure Trips Leader | South Shore YMCA – Camp Burgess & Hayward | Cape Cod, MA | deadline 6/1/24

NEON Field Technician – Temporary – Domain 01 (Massachusetts) | National Ecological Observatory Network | Fitchburg, MA| deadline 6/3/24

Philanthropy Coordinator | Conservation Legacy | Remote | deadline 6/7/24

Regional Director | Community Action Works | Boston, MA | deadline 6/7/24

Field Campaign Director | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston, MA | deadline 6/7/24

Environmental Organizer | Student PIRGs | Boston, MA | deadline 6/7/24

USGS Science Needs Assessment Fellowship | US Department of the Interior (DOI) | Remote | deadline 6/7/24

Digital Communications Manager | The Wildlife Society | Remote | deadline 6/9/24

Internal Affairs Writer | The Wildlife Society | Remote | deadline 6/9/24

Environmental Analyst – Water Quality Division | NEIWPCC | Lowell, MA | deadline 6/9/24

Program Manager – Protecting Ocean Wildlife | Sustainable Fisheries Partnership | Remote | deadline 6/14/24

Invasive Species Technician | Windham County NRCD | Brattleboro, VT | deadline 6/14/24

Ecological Stewardship Technician | Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Inc. | Nantucket, MA | deadline 6/14/24

Durable Freshwater Protection Advisor | The Nature Conservancy | Remote | deadline 6/17/24

Global Renewable Energy Program Coordinator | The Nature Conservancy | Remote | 6/17/24

Go Solar Advocate | Environment America | Amherst, MA | deadline 6/21/24

Content Writer | Public Interest GRFX | Boston, MA | deadline 6/21/24

NetSuite Grant Administrator | American Bird Conservancy | Remote | deadline 6/21/24

Agricultural Technical Assistance Manager | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston, MA | deadline 7/1/24

Land Acquisition & Farm Development Manager | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston, MA | deadline 7/1/24

Fundraising Director | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston, MA | deadline 7/1/24

Executive Assistant | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston, MA | deadline 7/1/24

Program Manager | Navigation Games | Cambridge, MA | deadline 7/31/24

Program Associate | Navigation Games | Cambridge, MA | deadline 7/31/24

Development Manager, Hilltown Land Trust | Trustees of Reservations | Ashfield, MA | deadline 7/31/24

Climate Action Leaders | Campus Climate Action Corps | New Britan, CT | deadline 8/9/24

Recent Postings

Executive Director | New England Forestry Foundation | Littleton, MA

Stream and River Biologist Project Leader | MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife | Westborough, MA

Land Stewardship Technician | Orleans Conservation Trust | Orleans, MA

Education & Access Communications Manager | Mass Audubon | Lincoln, MA

Executive Assistant/Trustee Liaison | The Nature Conservancy | Boston, MA

Executive Director | Madre Brava | Remote

Director of Development and Community Engagement | North and South Rivers Watershed Association | Norwell, MA

Development Director | Regenerative Organic Alliance | Remote

Executive Director | The Middlesex Land Trust, Inc. | Middletown, CT

Senior DevOps Engineer | The Nature Conservancy | Remote

Offshore Wind Communications Coordinator | Environmental League of Massachusetts | Boston, MA

Communication Associate | Nantucket Conservation Foundation | Nantucket, MA

Strategic Coordinator for CCITT | Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy | Remote

Adirondack Trail Crew | NYS Department of Environmental Conservation | Warrensburg, NY

Invasive Species Technician | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation | Staatsburg, NY

Watershed Operations Technician | Albany Department of Water | Albany, NY

Field & Lab Technician | Hudson Carbon | Hudson, NY

Executive Director | Open Environmental Data Project | Remote

Lead Teacher Naturalist | Puddlestompers Nature Exploration | Newton, MA

Natural Resources Assistant (Seasonal) | Plymouth Department of Energy and Environment | Plymouth, MA

Campaign Strategist & Planner | The Nature Conservancy | Remote

Senior Director of Finance and Compliance | American Conservation Experience | Remote

Outdoor/Nature Educator | Lexington Montessori School | Lexington, Ma

Farmer Engagement Manager | Carbon A List | Remote

Contracted Student Intern – Wastewater Program | MassDEP | Worcester, MA

Contracted Student Intern – Watershed Planning Program, Nonpoint Source Management Section | MassDEP | Worcester, MA

Contracted Student Intern – Watershed Planning Program, Total Maximum Daily Load Section | MassDEP | Worcester, MA

Contracted Student Intern – Bureau of Air & Waste Air Quality | MassDEP | Springfield, MA

Contracted Student Intern – Environmental Justice Environmental Analyst | MassDEP | Springfield, MA

Contracted Student Intern – PFAS Source Discovery Initiative | MassDEP | Springfield, MA

Seasonal Laborer I (Mt. Sugarloaf) | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Deerfield, MA

Connecticut/New York Restoration Coordinator | Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) | Cornwall Bridge, CT

Senior Conservation Manager | Connecticut Farmland Trust | Hartford, CT

Municipal Assistance Coordinator | Mass DEP | Melrose, MA

Executive Director | Sustainable CT | Storrs, CT

Principal Environmental Planner | Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District | Taunton, MA

State of the Waters: Cape Cod Internship | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA

Senior Project Staff/Project Manager (based on experience) | Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) | Hybrid/Boston

Click Here for More Jobs

Environmental Monitor

May 22, 2024

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:

• North Adams – Mount Williams Reservoir Dam and Notch Reservoir Dam Improvement Projects – Environmental Notification Form – comments due 6/21/2024

• Richmond – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Ecological Restoration Project – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The proposed project is seeking approval for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, associated landowners, and contractors under DFW’s supervision to use several vegetation management techniques in the wetlands associated with Fairfield Brook. Fairfield Brook Wildlife Management Area supports a complex of calcareous wetlands that support a diverse flora, including many rare and imperiled species. Calcareous wetlands are very unusual in Massachusetts, and the Black Ash-Red Maple- Tamarack Calcareous Seepage Swamp Community on the property is considered to be one of the best examples in the state. The goal of this project is to restore and maintain these communities through the use of vegetation cutting, invasive species control, beaver mitigation, grazing, and prescribed fire. These actions are necessary to restore/enhance the important landscape features at the site that have been degraded due to the disruption of natural processes. – published 5/22/2024

• Monterey – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Ecological Restoration Project – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The proposed project is seeking approval to implement a dredging plan at the small pond located at 98 Stevens Lake Road in Monterey, MA. This project is being filed as an Ecological Restoration Project to restore the integrity of the pond. This project aims to protect the interests of the Wetlands Protection Act & Local Wetlands Protection Bylaw by slowing eutrophication and improving habitat value. – published 5/22/2024

• Becket – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Aquatic Plant Management Program- (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Sherwood Forest Lake District is proposing to implement a vegetation management program at Big Robin Lake, Little Robin Lake, Excalibur Lake, Nottingham Lake, and Lancelot Lake to manage dense growths of nuisance aquatic plants. Management actions may include herbicide treatments and harvesting. The anticipated public hearing date is May 28, 2024 – published 5/8/2024

CT River Valley Index:

• Erving – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments)- 401 Water Quality Certification application for the replacement of Bridge #E-10-011, Church Street over the Keyup Brook in the Town of Erving, Massachusetts. The purpose of the project is to upgrade the existing bridge condition to a satisfactory state over Keyup Brook. Removal and replacement of the existing bridge superstructure, as well as a repair of existing retaining walls adjacent to the bridge is proposed. – comments due 6/12/2024

• Northampton – Downtown Complete Streets Corridor and Intersection Improvements on Main Street (Route 9) – FEIR Rollover – comments due 6/7/2024

• Holyoke – Holyoke Long Term CSO Control Plan – ExNPC – comments due 6/7/2024

• Northampton – Downtown Complete Streets Corridor and Intersection Improvements on Main Street (Route 9) – Secretary’s Certificate EENF – published 5/8/2024

• Blandford – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate- (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For Borden Brook Reservoir Culvert Replacement Project in Blandford by the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (SWSC), on property owned by SWSC. The project involves the replacement of an existing culvert. – comments due 5/29/2024

• Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Pioneer Valley Railroad to treat rights of way with herbicides in 2024. – comments due 6/7/2024

Public Notices

Public Notices listed on BEAT's website 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.

BEAT Public Notices PAGE

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Berkshire Environmental Action Team

20 Chapel St, Pittsfield, MA 01201

(413) 464-9402

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