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Hi Team,
Join us next Wednesday, February 14, at 6 PM for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in our New England landscape with BEAT’s own Programs Director Chelsey Simmons. It may be surprising, but winter is an excellent time to learn how to identify woody plant species. The absence of leaves allows for the opportunity to take a closer look at the characteristics that are often overlooked, like the subtle features of a twig, the arrangement of buds, and the overall form and structure of a tree. Chelsey will go over the steps to winter tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful tips on remembering one species from another — all of which will aid in tree and shrub identification year-round. Click here to register.
In other important news, the state Department of Public Utilities is seeking input on energy affordability. The state has opened an inquiry into Energy Affordability and wants input from utility customers - especially those who struggle to keep up with rising rates. This inquiry (DPU docket # 24-15) will allow the DPU to consider improvements to current energy affordability programs to reduce the energy burden that impacts residential ratepayers. Following review of all public comments, DPU will hold a series of technical conferences to explain the potential changes DPU is considering and to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders, and the department will issue a written decision explaining any changes to energy affordability programs. See our Action Guide to learn more.
That's it for now. Thank you for all you do to protect the environment!
Jane, Rose, Chelsey, John, Lucas, Andrew, and Brittany
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Brittany Polito | iBerkshires
| "PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's new outdoor recreation website connects residents and visitors with the county landscape while promoting the region. On Monday, BerkshiresOutside.org was launched with more than 550 access points to trailheads, boat launches, parks, and more. It will serve as a companion to 1Berkshire's tourism website Berkshires.org. 'I think the idea here is to try and make available information about everything that there is to do outdoors in the Berkshires,' BRPC's Assistant Director Laura Brennan said. 'There's a lot more than people realize.' Built by Gemini Creative of Stockbridge, the user-friendly website allows filtering by location, activity, and preferences and includes an interactive map of the county. Filters allow users to tailor their search for specific needs such as dog-friendly locations or places near public transit. Most of the experiences are free but some, such as golf facilities, have charges. Brennan explained that being a region with so many outdoor recreation options can be a part of a person's decision to make a life here and is an increasingly large part of why people vacation in the Berkshires. 'We've had a reputation of course for arts and culture for a long time but that's always been in the beautiful natural setting of the region and as the marketing of the Berkshire's evolved, it has included more and more about what there is to do actively outdoors,' she said. 'And that helps that helps us to attract visitors that maybe come with families or stay longer and do lots of different things.' With this, visitors can have a well-rounded trip filled with theaters, museums, and fresh air. Berkshires Outside includes more than 400 parks owned and managed by almost 100 organizations from New Marlborough to Williamstown..." READ MORE |  | "More than 100 residents joined lawmakers on Monday, January 22, 2024 to push necessary action on plastics legislation. Plastic Free Mass co-hosted an event at the Massachusetts State House with the MA Zero Waste Caucus. Over 100 people attended the event, which included a panel of speakers, including Dr. Ana Soto, and a screening of We’re All Plastic People Now. Plastic Free Mass is a coalition of organizations working together to protect our state’s residents and natural resources through policies that move us toward a cleaner future. The evidence is clear: Plastic is toxic and polluting at every stage of its lifecycle – from extraction and manufacturing, to use, recycling, and disposal; Despite decades of investment in recycling infrastructure, very little plastic – between 5-6% in the United States – has been recycled, and plastic recycling does little to support broader environmental protection goals; Nearly 40% of the plastic produced annually is for single-use plastics and packaging; Many single-use plastics are unnecessary and can be eliminated; Safe and reusable alternatives to single-use plastics exist. Accordingly, Plastic Free Mass supports legislation, policies, and programs that: (1) phase out and avoid the production and use of any unnecessary single-use plastics, (2) reduce and eliminate plastic whenever possible, (3) modernize our state’s beverage container deposit system to include refill targets, and (4) promote sustainable reuse..." READ MORE |  | |
Amanda Gokee | The Boston Globe
| "A new study shows for the first time that human-driven climate change is responsible for snow loss. Scientists say the Northeast, including New Hampshire, is hurtling towards winters dominated by rain, rather than snow. CONCORD, N.H. — Climate change is responsible for the sharp drop in snowpack since the 1980s, according to a new study published in Nature by researchers at Dartmouth. Snowpack has shrunk significantly in the last 40 years, and that change has been particularly pronounced in the Northeast. For the first time, researchers were ableto attribute that decline to human-driven warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. 'We were able to really unambiguously identify a human fingerprint on long-term snowpack trends across the Northern Hemisphere,' said Alex Gottlieb, a PhD candidate at Dartmouth and lead author of the paper. The Merrimack River watershed was among those areas that saw the most pronounced decline, losing more than 40 percent of spring snowpack in the period from 1981 to 2020, as did watersheds around the Connecticut, Hudson, Susquehanna, and Delaware rivers. Gottlieb said that’s because the region is at what he called a 'snow loss cliff.' When the average winter temperature is around 17 degrees Fahrenheit, snow loss starts getting much worse, and an area will lose snow more quickly. In colder temperatures, there’s a wider margin for fluctuating temperature before it starts to have a noticeable difference on the snow. But at around 17 degrees, small temperature changes have a significant impact on snowpack. 'Snow is really sensitive to small increases in temperature,' said Gottlieb. 'On average, even a modest amount of warning can wipe out a really substantial portion of our snowpack.' One reason it’s been historically difficult to study the impact of warming on snow is that areas hadn’t yet reached that threshold where scientists could start to observe warming temperatures diminishing the snow. But now, they say, we have. Once regions reach this snow loss cliff, 'snow loss accelerates rapidly,' said Justin Mankin, associate professor of geography at Dartmouth, and a senior author of the paper. That means once scientists are able to document it, 'The damage is done,' he said. 'It’s not a warning. It’s an accounting of what already occurred...' "READ MORE | |  |
 | "LANESBOROUGH — A 178-acre parcel on the east side of Route 7 has been sold to Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which plans to cut a hiking trail through to the Farnams Hill ridgeline near the Cheshire town line and eventually link to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. An anonymous gift helped Berkshire Natural Resources Council make the $630,000 purchase, as did funds raised for the High Road, a trail system Berkshire Natural Resources Council is developing that links town centers to trails throughout the Berkshires. The seller was Matthew Kurlan of Carlsbad, Calif. The parcel at 310 N. Main St. provides a critical link for Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which owns 303 acres across Route 7 called Constitution Hill and has an agricultural preservation restriction on Square Roots Farm on the east side of Route 7. The nonprofit also has a trail easement through Square Roots Farm in Cheshire that would link the Lanesborough parcel to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The L-shaped parcel in Lanesborough encompasses fields, an old orchard, wetlands, vernal pools and seasonal streams. At the top of Farnams Hill, there are views of the surrounding mountains and landscape, said Beth Mills, director of land conservation at Berkshire Natural Resources Council. Hikers are free to begin using the parcel immediately, although there are no marked trails or maps available yet. The trails will be cut in 2025, once a management plan and trail plan have been designed, at a cost yet to be determined..." READ MORE |  | "A recent donation of 132 acres to Hilltown Land Trust will link Williamsburg’s Briar Hill Conservation Area to the DAR State Forest in Goshen, extending hiking trails and wildlife corridors, conservation officials announced Friday. Spread across the towns of Goshen, Conway and Williamsburg, the parcel known as Clary Hill will soon provide hikers with an uninterrupted 9-mile hike from Briar Hill Road to the Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield, and link up with the 19 miles of State Forest trails to boot, the land trust said. The parcels adjoin the 50-acre Briar Hill area to the north and east. On a New Year’s Day public hike at Briar Hill, 30 hikers climbed to the overlook on the boundary with the newly conserved Clary Hill parcel. After taking in views of nearby hills and the distant Holyoke Range, the group gathered to hear about the highlights of the proposed trail connection. 'I’ve been biking up Briar Hill Road for years, and have always been curious about neighboring Clary Hill,' said Williamsburg resident and avid hiker Charlotte Meryman. 'I’m excited to be able to go in and see what’s up there.' Although the largest portion of Clary Hill lies in Goshen, the Williamsburg Woodland Trails Committee plans to help create new trails on the land. 'The opportunity to connect the Briar Hill Trail to Clary Hill, and potentially beyond to DAR State Forest, is all very exciting,' said Paul Jahnige, chair of the all-volunteer committee — and also director of the state’s Office of Outdoor Recreation. 'With the views, old field, and wetlands, it will expand and enhance the trail experience here.' Hikers aren’t the only ones who will benefit from increased connectivity. Clary Hill links previously isolated small conservation parcels to a large swath of conserved land, permanently protecting habitat and travel corridors for wildlife..." READ MORE |  | |
Dharna Noor | The Guardian
| "Despite assurances many living near the site of the train accident do not believe their homes are free of pollutants and feel officials are not listening.It started with the smell: a saccharine, chemical odor. Hilary Flint noticed it as soon as she walked into her home in Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, one day last February. 'It was something like I’d never smelled before,' said Flint, who spoke to the Guardian from her kitchen for a special edition of the Politics Weekly America podcast. 'I describe it as sweet bleach.' On 3 February 2023, a train careened off a track four miles away from Flint’s home in East Palestine, Ohio. Authorities soon learned it was carrying thousands of gallons of hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic petrochemical gas used in plastic production. Three days later, authorities set fire to the vinyl chloride in an effort to prevent a dangerous explosion, producing a huge black funnel cloud. Residents immediately began complaining of strange odors as well as nausea and headaches. Now, a year after the derailment, federal and local officials insist East Palestine and the surrounding regions are safe. 'We’re confident that the residents of East Palestine are not at risk from surface water, soil or air from the derailment,' a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern, the train’s owner, says it has committed or invested more than $103m for the community to rebuild. But many locals remain unconvinced that their homes are free of pollutants, and are still struggling to get their lives back on track. Residents said they had received conflicting information about contamination from the crash, and about their access to aid. And some feel officials aren’t listening to their concerns – both about this disaster and the need to prevent similar ones in the future... " READ MORE | |
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VOLUNTEER: INVASIVE HARDY KIWI REMOVAL
Fridays from 10 AM to 11:30 AM
at Burbank Park, Pittsfield, MA
BERKSHIRE GREEN DRINKS — "BUDS, TWIGS, AND BARK: HOW TO IDENTIFY TREES AND SHRUBS IN WINTER" WITH CHELSEY SIMMONS
Wednesday, February 14 from 6 PM to 7 PM
Online via Zoom
10 X 10 FESTIVAL: CUTTING INVASIVE HARDY KIWI VINES AT BURBANK PARK
Friday, February 16th from 10 AM to 11:30 AM
at Burbank Park, Pittsfield, MA
CLAPP PARK WINTER FESTIVAL
Monday, February 19th from 10 AM to 2 PM
at Clapp Park, Pittsfield, MA
TREE WALKS WITH BEAT + TOURISTS
Thursday, February 22nd from Noon to 2 PM
at Tourists, North Adams, MA
10 X 10 FESTIVAL: WINTER TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK
Saturday, February 24th from 10 AM to Noon
at Hebert Arboretum / Springside Park, Pittsfield, MA
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7
Senior Snowshoes — Ashfield
Dam Busters 101: Assessing Local Impacts Both Historic and Indigenous — Online
Mass Pollinator Network Brown Bag Lunch — Online
Meadowmaking for Beginners — Online
Community Read: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer — Stockbridge
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Wild by Design: From Bombs to Biodiversity (Williams Faculty Lecture) — Williamstown
LEARN! All About Beavers — Online
Adams Bridge Replacement Virtual Hearing — Online
Looking Closely: Connections Between Art and Science — Online
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield
Kidleidoscope Story Hour: Porcupines (Great Falls Discovery Center) — Turners Falls
Nice and Easy Walk at Great Falls Discovery Center — Turners Falls
Mindfulness Forest Walk — Mount Greylock State Reservation
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Guided Bird Walks on the Riverfront Trail with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington
Where are all the Animals Hiding? (Great Fall Discovery Center) — Turners Falls
Beaver Habitat Hike — Otis
Greylock Photography Group Meet-Up — Mount Greylock State Reservation
Snowshoe Hike at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11
Hemlock Monitoring Group Meet-Up — Williamstown
Early Bird Spotting for Families — Great Barrington
Cabin Fever Story Time at Mount Greylock
Foods, Farms, and Factories: Sunday Matinee Documentary Series — Turners Falls
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Tuesday Trek at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
Land to Water: Managing Terrestrial Landscapes to Support Healthy Waterways AND HooRWA's Annual State of the River — Williamstown
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Berkshire Green Drinks "Buds, Twigs, and Bark: How to Identify Trees and Shrubs in Winter" with Chelsey Simmons — Online
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Qi Gong/Tai Chi — Mount Greylock State Reservation
In the Life of Threatened Fireflies — Online
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16
10 X 10 Festival: Cutting Invasive Hardy Kiwi Vines at Burbank Park — Pittsfield
Mosses & Lichens: A Winter Wonderland — Online
Nice and Easy Walk at Great Falls Discovery Center — Turners Falls
Nice & Easy Trail Hike at Mount Greylock State Reservation
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Forest Bathing Walk — Mount Greylock State Reservation
Guided Bird Walk on the Riverfront Trail with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington
The Clues Animals Leave Behind: Wildlife Tracking with Jess Applin — Huntington
Sweeten Up! A Maple Syrup Adventure — Turners Falls
Winter Wildlife Tracking — Lanesborough
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Winter Wonderland Activity Day — Mount Greylock State Reservation
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Winter Festival at Clapp Park — Pittsfield
The Science of Saw-whet Owls — Online
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Tuesday Trek at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Senior Snowshoes — Goshen
Winter Break Snowshoe Hike at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
See Calendar for More
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JOBS
We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.
Berkshire County Postings
Outdoor Educator | Christodora’s Manice Education Center | Florida | deadline 3/25/24
Outdoor Recreation Internship | Berkshire Regional Planning Commission | Hybrid
Trails Manager | Greenagers | Egremont
Farm Crew Coordinator | Greenagers | Egremont
Program Manager VI – Assistant Regional Director, West | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Pittsfield
Hopkins Memorial Forest Manager | Williams College | Williamstown
Conservation Commission Agent | Town of Lenox | Lenox
Postings with Deadline
Environmental Justice Intern | Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance | Boston | deadline 2/6/24
Decarbonization Grants Program Officer | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs | Boston | deadline 2/9/24
Environmental Justice Liaison | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs | Boston | deadline 2/9/24
Land Project Manager/Agricultural Specialist | Scenic Hudson, Inc. | Poughkeepsie, NY | deadline 2/9/24
Consulting Utility Forester | ACRT, Inc | Poughkeepsie, NY | deadline 2/9/24
2024 Atkinson & Lovejoy Plant conservation Internships | Native Plant Trust | Wayland, MA | deadline 2/9/24
2024 Everett Plant Conservation Internship | Native Plant Trust | Wayland, MA | deadline 2/9/24
Campaign Jobs to Protect the Environment | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston, MA | deadline 2/9/24
Natural Resources Technician | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation | Saratoga Springs, NY | deadline 2/11/24
CCAC Connect Science Teaching Assistant (Minimum-time AmeriCorps Member) | Campus Compact | Boston | deadline 2/12/24
Ecological Restoration Engineer | Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 2/12/24
Ecological Restoration Planner | Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston | deadline 2/12/24
Marine Biologist (ASM) | A.I.S. Inc. | Gloucester, MA | deadline 2/12/24
Research Associate (Contractor) | Stand.earth | Remote | deadline 2/13/24
Regional Planner IV – Bureau of Air and Waste | MassDEP | Boston | deadline 2/13/24
Program Manager – Drinking Water Source Protection Program | NEIWPCC | Albany, NY | deadline 2/14/24
Wastewater Infrastructure Project Manager or Environmental Engineer | NEIWPCC | Kingston, NY | deadline 2/14/24
Field Technician – New York Breeding Bird Atlas | NY Breeding Bird Atlas III | Albany, NY | deadline 2/15/24
Environmental Community Organizer | Green Corps | Boston | deadline 2/16/24
Consulting Utility Forester | ACRT, Inc | Worcester, MA | deadline 2/16/24
Environmental Organizer | Student PIRGs | Boston | deadline 2/16/24
Environmental Organizer | Student PIRGs | Hartford, CT | deadline 2/16/24
Applied Ecology Apprentice | Norcross Wildlife Foundation | Wales, MA | deadline 2/16/24
Seasonal Trails Coordinator I | VT Dept of Forests Parks and Recreation | Springfield, VT | deadline 2/16/24
Canvass Field Manager | Fund for the Public Interest | Boston | deadline 2/16/24
Seasonal Botany/Ecology Field Assistant | Nantucket Conservation Foundation | Nantucket, MA | deadline 2/16/24
Deputy Director of Policy and Management | Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies | Millbrook, NY | 2/18/24
Land Stewardship: Internship for the Future of the Adirondacks | Adirondack Land Trust | Keene, NY | deadline 2/18/24
Membership Coordinator | Wildlife for All | Remote | deadline 2/19/24
Applied Ecology Internship | Norcross Wildlife Foundation | Wales, MA | deadline 2/20/24
Contracted Student Interns – Bureau of Air and Waste | MassDEP | Springfield | deadline 2/20/24
Schaefer Research Intern | Mohonk Preserve | New Paltz, NY | deadline 2/22/24
Regional Trail Specialist | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation | Staatsburg, NY | deadline 2/23/24
Review Specialist | Land Trust Accreditation Commission | Saratoga Springs, NY | 2/23/24
Community Organizer for a Healthy Environment | Community Action Works | Boston | deadline 2/23/24
Pond Monitoring Technician | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA | deadline 2/23/24
Grant Proposal Coordinator | Conservation Legacy | Remote | deadline 2/23/24
Seasonal Wildlife Field Assistant | Nantucket Conservation Foundation | Nantucket, MA | deadline 2/23/24
Coatue Ranger/Shorebird Monitor | Nantucket Conservation Foundation | Nantucket, MA | deadline 2/23/24
Seasonal Research Technician | The White Memorial Conservation Center, Inc. | Litchfield, CT | deadline 2/23/24
Refuge Operation Technician (Resource Management and Visitor Services) | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Branford, CT | 2/23/24
Recent Postings
Restoration Coordinator | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA
Forest and Park Supervisor I – Connecticut River Greenway State Park | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Northampton
Program Coordinator II – Adaptive Recreation site Facilitator | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Amherst
Regional Planner IV – Senior Trails and Greenways Planner | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Boston
Regional Planner IV – Landscape Architecture | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation | Boston
MEPA Policy Analyst/Environmental Analyst IV | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs | Boston
Program Coordinator III – Indigenous Peoples Partnership Coordinator | MA Department of conservation and Recreation | Boston
Entomology Learnership/Internship Summer 2024 | Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program | Harlemville, NY
Stewardship Team Leader | The Trustees of Reservations | Leominster, MA
Energy Data Analyst | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs | Boston
Consulting Utility Forester – Duchess County, NY | ACRT, Inc. | Pleasant Valley, NY
Land Care Specialist | Native Land Conservancy, Inc. | Mashpee, MA
Senior Frontend Engineer | Upstream Tech | Remote
Ecological Land Care Intern | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA
Eco-Landscape Audit Program Manager | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA
Communications and Public Relations Manager | Marine Conservation Institute | Remote
Ecological Restoration Engineer | Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston
Ecological Restoration Planner | Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration | Boston
Teacher (Out-of-School) | Mass Audubon | Metro West, MA
Seasonal Instructor | Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center | Boston
Seasonal Conservation Educator | Zoo New England | Acton, MA
Environmental Justice Intern | Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance | Boston
Forestry Technician – Invasive Plant Control | Bay State Forestry Service | Montague, MA
Click Here for More Jobs
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Environmental Monitor
January 24, 2023
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:
• Notice of Intent to Initiate an Ecological Restoration Project (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The Town of Mt. Washington intends to submit an Ecological Restoration Project Notice of Intent to address the threats that nonnative invasive plants pose to native plant communities, rare species, and wildlife habitats within the Town’s boundaries. Proposed work areas will be on a landscape level and include conserved forest land under DCR, TNC and BNRC management and Town owned roadsides and culverts. Priority will be given to controlling invasive plant populations that threaten rare species habitats and riparian habitats that flow into Priority Habitats and the Schenob Brook and Karner Brook Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Invasive control work is anticipated to take place beginning in the summer of 2024. – Filed 1/19/2024
CT River Valley Index:
• East Longmeadow – Arment Trucking Inc. Facility – Secretary’s Certificate ENF – Project requires an Environmental Impact Report - published 1/10/2024
• Ludlow – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Aquatic Plant Management Program -(click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The proposed project is seeking approval to implement an Aquatic Plant Management Program at Alden Pond in Ludlow, MA. The focus of this management will be on reducing and controlling nuisance and invasive aquatic vegetation using USEPA/MA registered aquatic herbicides & algaecides in combination with manual removal. This project aims to protect the interests of the Wetlands Protection Act by slowing eutrophication and improving habitat value. – published 1/10/2024
Statewide Index:
• MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Annual Report- 11202 MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program – (click on link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has prepared this Snow and Ice (S&I) Control Program Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023). This report provides a comparison of deicing material usage relative to the winter weather severity, as well as any changes in program operations and equipment that were implemented this past winter. This Annual Report allows MassDOT to inform agency personnel and other interested parties of annual material usage and S&I Control Program changes during the intervening years between the five year S&I Control ESPR reporting cycle. The next ESPR is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027. – Published 1/24/2024
• Notice of Public Hearing re: Vegetation Management Plan – ( click on line, then click on attachments) – Several listed municipalities are advised that National Grid proposes to utilize herbicides to treat their Rights-of-Way. To provide all interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposed VMP, a public ZOOM hearing will be held at 10:00 AM on January 22, 2024. – Comments due 1/22/24
• Notice of Submission of a Yearly Operational Plan – ( click on line, then click on attachments) – National Grid has submitted and holds a current VMP (see previous index listing), therefore, notice of receipt of a YOP and procedures for public review is hereby given as required by Section 11.06 (3). National Grid has submitted a YOP to MDAR for 2024 identifying several municipalities as locations where they intend to use herbicides to treat their electric Rights-of-Way in 2024. In 2024 National Grid will conduct a selective herbicide treatment program on their rights-of-way as part of an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) program on transmission and distribution lines. – Comments due 1/22/24
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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.
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