Hi Team,

Please join us next Wednesday, May 8 for Green Drinks at the Williams Inn with Linda Merry: "Northeastern Cliff Swallows: A Conservation Adventure Part II". Some may remember Linda from the August 2022 Pittsfield Green Drinks, where she and Mara Silvers took us on their first conservation adventure: artificial nesting and habitat remediation. We’re excited to welcome back Linda for a discussion of the natural history of the cliff swallow, the current conservation status, efforts to conserve populations, and her ongoing research. Register here to attend the talk in person or online.

Are you a handy person? We want your skills! BEAT is looking for a volunteer to help mouse-proof our Environmental Leadership and Education Center. Contact Jane with your interest, or call our office at (413) 464-9402.

The Story of Stuff Project is seeking participation in the campaign for an updated bottle bill and refill targets in Massachusetts. Submit photos here of littered bottles and cans (including liquor 'nips') to be shared with legislators. Go for a walk in your neighborhood and keep an eye out for the unfortunately very common sight of discarded beverage containers. If you're feeling extra inspired, bring a bag with you and have your own mini cleanup! Learn more about about the Story of Stuff campaign and other actions you can take here.

Finally, a special thank you to all of the volunteers who made our Earth Day great! We are so appreciative to all who came to support our work on restoring our riverbank and advocating to legislators.

If you missed out on the day of volunteering, don't worry! BEAT has plenty of upcoming events for you to mark on your calendar, and we will be seeking volunteers to help out at each of them.

May 25 - Kids in Kayaks

June 1 - Native Plant Swap & Giveaway

June 8 - Berkshire Pride Festival

June 9 - River Cleanup

June 16 - Juneteenth

June 22 - Booth at Pittsfield Farmers Market

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

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

COMING UP WITH BEAT

SPRING TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK WITH BEAT + TOURISTS

Thursday, May 2 from 12 PM - 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

BERKSHIRE GREEN DRINKS: "NORTHEASTERN CLIFF SWALLOWS: A CONSERVATION ADVENTURE - PART II" WITH LINDA MERRY

Wednesday, May 8 from 5 PM to 7 PM (Presentation starts at 6 PM)

at The Williams Inn, Williamstown, MA + Online via Zoom

COMMUNITY CALENDAR 

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

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Dam Busters 101: Scoping the Dam Removal Projects and Managing Consultants — Online

Mass Pollinator Network Brown Bag Lunch — Online

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Tree Walk with BEAT + TOURISTS — North Adams

Bird Walks with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington

FRIDAY, MAY 3

Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield

Housatonic Valley Association Meet & Greet at Red Lion — Stockbridge



SATURDAY, MAY 4

Sheep to Shawl Festival — Williamstown

Stroll Along the Housatonic Guided Walk & Talk — Great Barrington

SUNDAY, MAY 5

Guided Wildflower Walk at Field Farm — Williamstown

Garden Warfare: Invasive Plants with Opal Raven — Pittsfield

MONDAY, MAY 6

Pittsfield Community Meetings – Trash & Recycling — Pittsfield

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Understanding the Massachusetts MOR-EV Rebate for Electric Cars — Online

Berkshire Green Drinks: “Northeastern Cliff Swallows: A Conservation Adventure – Part II” with Linda Merry — Williamstown

Gardening Among Hungry Mammals — Online

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Bird Walks with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington

Pittsfield Community Meetings – Trash & Recycling — Pittsfield

Understanding the Massachusetts MOR-EV Rebate for Electric Cars — Online

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield

Fire Making Workshop — New Marlborough

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Birding at Sheep Hill: Spring Migration — Williamstown

Wild Acres Fishing Derby —Pittsfield

Kestrels, Owls and Migratory Birds in the Berkshires with Ben Nickley — Tyringham

See Calendar for More

JOBS

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

Berkshire County Postings

Nature & Science Director | Camp Watitoh | Becket | deadline 5/15/24

Adventure Staff/Fishing Specialist | Camp Watitoh | Becket | deadline 5/15/24

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

Short Term Seasonal Visitor Services Supervisor (Savoy Mtn State Forest) | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Florida

Conservation Projects Coordinator | Housatonic Valley Association | Stockbridge

Senior Teacher Naturalist | Mass Audubon | Lenox

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

Grant Accountant | Stand.earth | Remote | deadline 5/1/24

UDRCC Field Tech | Friends of the Upper Delaware River | Various Locations, NY | deadline 5/1/24

Project Manager – Half-Time Independent Contractor | Vermont Biodiversity Alliance | Remote, Vermont | deadline 5/1/24

Director of Development | Mohonk Preserve | New Paltz, NY | deadline 5/1/24

NY Breeding Bird Atlas Point Count Temporary Technicians | Cornell University | Statewide NY | deadline 5/1/24

Sustainable Manufacturing Researcher | ReImagine Appalachia | Remote | deadline 5/1/24

Landscape Crew Member | New Leaf Eco Landscapes LLC | Hudson, NY | deadline 5/1/24

Seasonal Shorebird Technician | The Trustees of Reservations | Martha’s Vineyard, MA | deadline 5/1/24

Seasonal Shorebird Technician | The Trustees of Reservations | Nantucket, MA | deadline 5/1/24

Development Associate | Columbia Land Conservancy | Chatham, NY | deadline 5/2/24

Marine Biologist (ASM) | A.I.S. Inc. | Gloucester, MA | deadline 5/2/24

Summer Property Attendant | Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission | Edgartown, MA | deadline 5/2/24

Summer Ranger Manager | Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission | Edgartown, MA | deadline 5/2/24

Campaign Jobs to Protect the Environment | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston, MA | deadline 5/3/24

Environmental Campaign Organizer | Green Corps | Boston, MA | deadline 5/3/24

Environmental Community Organizer | Community Action Works | Amherst, MA | deadline 5/3/24

Vernal Pool Data Entry Assistant | MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program | Westborough, MA | 5/3/24

USDA Northeast Hub Climate Mitigation Fellowship | U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Remote | deadline 5/3/24

USGS Arctic Rivers Project Research Internship | US Geological Survey/ORISE | Remote | deadline 5/3/24

Seasonal Trail Crew | Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission | Edgartown, MA | deadline 5/3/24

Recreation Assistant Intern | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Newburyport, MA | deadline 5/4/24

Policy Fellow | Second Nature | Remote | deadline 5/5/24

Racial Justice and Equity Coordinator (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice) | League of Conservation Voters | Remote | deadline 5/5/24

Restoration Ecologist (Research Support Specialist II) | Cornell University | Albany, NY | deadline 5/5/24

Seasonal Forest Inventory Technician | Albany Water Department | Albany, NY | deadline 5/6/24

Island Ranger | Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program | Barnstable, MA | deadline 5/6/24

Field Assistant | Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program | Barnstable, MA | deadline 5/6/24

Policy Associate | BPI | Remote | deadline 5/8/24

Invasive Species Technician | NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation | Saratoga Springs, NY | deadline 5/10/24

Grants Manager | Sustainable Harvest International | Remote | deadline 5/10/24

Canvass Field Office Director | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston, MA | deadline 5/10/24

State Advocate, Clean Energy | Environment America | Boston, MA | deadline 5/10/24

ECO AmeriCorps for Climate Resiliency | ECO AmeriCorps | Statewide, VT | deadline 5/10/24

Field Organizer | Student PIRGs | Boston, MA | deadline 5/10/24

Field Organizer | Student PIRGs | Hartford, CT | deadline 5/10/24

Information Officer – Contracts Administration | NEIWPCC | Lowell, MA | deadline 5/12/24

Trustees Summer Camp Educators (Counselors) | Trustees of Reservations | Various Locations, MA | deadline 5/15/24

Conservation Assistant | Saratoga PLAN | Saratoga, NY | deadline 5/15/24

Adirondack Trail Crew Member | New York State Department of Environmental Conservation | Warrensburg, NY | 5/17/24

Adirondack Trail Crew Supervisor | New York State Department of Environmental Conservation | Warrensburg, NY | deadline 5/17/24

Recent Postings

Conservation Project Manager | The Nature Conservancy | Albany, NY

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

Part-Time Summer Water Quality and Ecology Internships | Neponset River Watershed Association | Canton, MA

13-Month Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship | Neponset River Watershed Association | Canton, MA

Part-Time Summer Greenway and River Access Internships | Neponset River Watershed Association | Canton, MA

Eastern Member Manager | American Conservation Experience | Remote

Corporate Engagement Advisor, Food & Water | The Nature Conservancy | Remote

Land Steward | Town of West Newbury | West Newbury, MA

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

Research Assistant in Ecology & Field Botany | Hudsonia Limited | Annandale, NY

Research Technician in Ecology | Hudsonia Limited | Annandale, NY

Senior Conservation Manager | Connecticut Farmland Trust | Hartford, CT

Vice President Conservation Programs | Island Conservation | Remote

Marine Spatial Planning Specialist | The Nature Conservancy | Remote

Buildings and Grounds Assistant | Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Inc. | Rensselaerville, NY

Seasonal Ranger | Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Inc. | Rensselaerville, NY

HR & Benefits Coordinator | American Conservation Experience | Remote

Board & Philanthropy Administrative Assistant | Island Conservation | Remote

Development Officer – Major Gifts | Island Conservation | Remote

Associate Attorney | Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy | Remote

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

Municipal Assistance Coordinator | Mass DEP | Melrose, MA

Deputy Regional Director – Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup | Mass DEP | Springfield, MA

Regional Planner IV | MA Department of Environmental Protection | Boston, MA

Executive Director | Earthworm Recycling | Somerville, MA

Executive Director | Sustainable CT | Storrs, CT

Park Interpreter | Department of Conservation and Recreation | Newburyport, MA

Part-Time Wildlife Technician | Meridian Bird Removal | Hartford, CT

Outdoor Education Specialist Teacher | Attleboro Norton YMCA | Attleboro, MA

Environmental/Outdoor Educator | Taconic Outdoor Education Center | Cold Spring, NY

Invasives Strike Force Member/Leader | New York-New Jersey Trail Conference | Hudson Valley, NY

Trail Crew Member/Leader | New York-New Jersey Trail Conference | Hudson Valley, NY

Trail Steward Member/Leader | NY-NJ Trail Conference Conservation Corps | Hudson Valley or Catskills, NY

Landscape Crew Member | New Leaf Eco Landscapes LLC | Hudson, NY

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

Summer Educator | Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Inc. | Rensselaerville, NY

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

Click Here for More Jobs

Environmental Monitor

April 24, 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:

• Florida, North Adams, Monroe, Adams – E131 Asset Condition Refurbishment (ACR) Project – Final Environmental Impact Report – comments due 5/10/2024

• Hancock, Lanesborough, Hinsdale, Cheshire, Dalton – WT-02 Transmission Right-of-Way Reliability Project – Final Environmental Impact Report – comments due 5/10/2024

• Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Housatonic Railroad Company, Inc. to treat rights-of-way with herbicides during 2024 calendar year. – published 4/10/2024

• Monterey – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Ecological Restoration Project – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Berkshire Regional Planning Commission project to include live staking, bank erosion mitigation and establishing a riparian buffer garden at 10 Riverwood Way. Aiming to enhance water quality and mitigate nonpoint source pollution in the Lake Garfield Watershed. – published 4/10/2024

• Adams, Deerfield, Florida, Holyoke, North Adams, Williamstown – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Berkshire & Eastern Railroad to treat rights-of-way with herbicides in 2024 – published 4/10/2024

CT River Valley Index:

• 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

• Conway – Notice of Application for a 401 Water quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Application for the replacement of the North Poland Road Bridge over Poland Brook in Conway, Massachusetts by the MassDOT. The proposed work consists of removing a temporary bridge installed in 2023 (which replaced the pre-existing three-span, 65 feet long, 17′-2″ wide bridge) and replacing the bridge with a new single-span structure having a span length of 83′-2″ and a width of 27′-3″. New concrete stub abutments will be constructed immediately behind the existing abutments. – comments due 5/1/2024

• Ludlow – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Application for the replacement of Bridge #L-16-026, Piney Lane over Broad Brook in the Town of Ludlow, Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The main objective of this project is to improve the existing crossing over Broad Brook. The project is needed since, according to the latest bridge inspection report the culverts are rated in serious condition due to rust, holes and settling within the culverts, erosion due to undermining, scour and poor condition of the pavement and guardrail. – comments due 5/1/2024

• Chicopee, Holyoke, South Hadley – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Areas identified in the YOP as locations where treatment of Rights of Way with herbicides will be carried out by City of Holyoke Gas and Electric Department in calendar year 2024 are: Electric transmission and distribution lines in Holyoke and Chicopee, steam and condensate lines in Holyoke, gas distribution vaults in Holyoke, canal system in Holyoke and the pathways in Lower Riverside Park and Gatehouse Park in South Hadley. – published 4/10/2024

• Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Chicopee, Conway, Deerfield, Easthampton, Erving, Greenfield, Hatfield, Holyoke, Montague, Northampton, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Springfield, Wendell, Whately – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Berkshire & Eastern Railroad to treat rights-of-way with herbicides for the 2024 calendar year. – published 4/10/2024

• Palmer, Ware – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – A Yearly Operational Plan has been submitted by Massachusetts Central Railroad for the treatment of rights-of-way with herbicides during the 2024 calendar year. – comments due 5/6/2024

• Longmeadow, Springfield – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – A Yearly Operational Plan has been submitted for AMTRAK National Railroad Passenger Corporation to treat rights-of-way with herbicides during the 2024 calendar year. – comments due 5/6/2024

• Amherst, Belchertown, Erving, Leverett, Monson, Montague, Northfield, Palmer, Sunderland – Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – New England Central Railroad Company intends to treat rights-of-way with herbicides for the calendar year 2024. – comments due 5/6/2024

Statewide Index:

• Notice of Information Sessions Draft Massachusetts Statewide Total Maximum on Draft statewide TMDL for Pathogen-Impaired Waterbodies – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Watershed Planning Program (WPP), announces the availability for public comment of the Draft Massachusetts Statewide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Pathogen-Impaired Waterbodies. A TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards. The TMDL serves as the regulatory and technical basis for developing integrated water resource management plans designed to restore the water quality of impaired waterbodies. MassDEP will conduct two public information sessions: one in person on May 8th and one virtual on May 9th. – published 4/10/2024

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. 

Our work wouldn't be possible without the help of our supporters. Thank you for empowering us to continue to fight for the protection of the environment in western Massachusetts and beyond!

Berkshire Environmental Action Team

20 Chapel St, Pittsfield, MA 01201

(413) 464-9402

team@thebeatnews.org

www.thebeatnews.org