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Hi Team,
We at BEAT are proud to have been featured in a recent Spectrum News 1 segment which highlighted the ongoing work of the volunteers who have helped us in managing the invasive hardy kiwi at Burbank Park in Pittsfield. If you watch the video and are inspired to take action, consider joining our next Invasive Hardy Kiwi Removal. This volunteer opportunity takes place every Friday, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. We'd love to see you there!
These past two weeks, our eyes have been drawn to the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Particulate Matter set by the EPA. This new rule tightened the primary annual PM2.5 standard from the previous 12 micrograms per cubic meter to the current 9 micrograms per cubic meter. Among other impacts, this new rule will restrict soot emissions from many industries. We look forward to seeing how this affects the work being done to improve air quality across the country, and the limit will be a factor in reviewing the findings of our Breathe Easy Berkshires team's ambient air quality assessments.
Thank you to all those who joined last week's Green Drinks with our very own Chelsey Simmons, who shared her knowledge on how to read the clues found in the buds, twigs, and bark of our local trees to identify species in these winter months. If you missed it, don't worry! A recording of the talk will be coming to BEAT's Youtube channel soon.
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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 | "PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Volunteers in Berkshire County are fighting a battle against hardy kiwi, an invasive plant growing in many local forests. What You Need To Know: Volunteers in Berkshire County are fighting a battle against hardy kiwi, an invasive plant growing in many local forests. The concern is it can overwhelm other vegetation in the area and destroy a healthy forest. The Berkshire Environmental Action Team is working to take these plants out, even in the winter. Volunteers with B.E.A.T. have been working hands-on in eliminating hardy kiwi since 2012. While the plant may look harmless to some, the concern is it can overwhelm other vegetation in the area and destroy a healthy forest. In the woods of Burbank Park in Pittsfield, many trees are entangled in hardy kiwi vines. The plant can grow to take over the entire ground of the park. The Berkshire Environmental Action Team is working to take these plants out, even in the winter. 'There’s a lot growing up the trees, so being able to focus on vines growing up the trees in the winter is great because there’s a lot of ground cover and you can’t really pull the roots out right now because of snow and ice and the ground being frozen,' said B.E.A.T's program director Chelsey Simmons. The plant can be harmful to the environment in the ways it grows up and across wooded areas, even wrapping around trees and pulling them down. 'It will sometimes be like multiple feet high of ground cover and it keeps growing on top of itself and tangling up which kills the ground cover of the forest floor," Simmons said. "And then eventually vines will get really large and start growing up trees, and then it will eventually just pull down these trees.' Volunteers with B.E.A.T. have been working hands-on in eliminating hardy kiwi since 2012, cutting vines and removing hardy kiwi by the root. Many volunteers, like Jeff Turner, are hoping it can make a difference for the natural wildlife in the area. 'We try to do our best to restore habitat that other animals can make good use of,' Turner said. For anyone interested in joining the fight against hardy kiwi, B.E.A.T. holds volunteer sessions every Friday at 10 a.m. at Burbank Park." WATCH |  | "Cornwall Bridge, CT – The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), the only conservation organization working across the entire 2,000 square-mile Housatonic Watershed, announced Erik Reardon as its new Berkshire Watershed Director effective February 1, 2024. Reardon brings a longtime love of the outdoors and appreciation for wilderness spaces. Earning a PhD from the University of Maine focused on the historic dimensions of dam removal and fisheries restoration in New England, he later served as a visiting assistant professor of history and environmental studies at Colby College and Bates College in Maine. In July of 2021, his book, Managing the River Commons: Fishing and New England's Rural Economy, was published by the University of Massachusetts Press. Recently, Reardon worked with the Adirondack Experience Museum, the Wild Center, the Nature Conservancy, and the Adirondack Diversity Initiative to develop and direct a collaborative, public-facing project series titled 'Adirondacks for All,' which explores the region’s history and present-day reality through an expansive lens of environmental justice. A documentary of the same name will soon air on Mountain Lake PBS. 'I’m thrilled to welcome Erik to the team,' said HVA’s Watershed Conservation Director, Michael Jastremski. 'His knowledge, expertise, and commitment to protecting and improving our environment and the health of the Housatonic River Valley will make him a valuable asset to our efforts in the Berkshires.' With experience in both academia and the environmental non-profit sector with project management, program development, and public outreach, Reardon’s work centers on a professional and personal commitment to land and water conservation, environmental stewardship, and expanding access to outdoor recreation..." READ MORE |  | |
Georgina Gustin | Inside Climate News
| "On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack helped unveil his agency’s Census of Agriculture, a huge quinquennial report that covers 6 million data points and gives the current state-of-the-state of American farms and farmers. In a presentation at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Vilsack underscored his main takeaway: The number of American farms and farmers continues to decline, a fact that has broad consequences, he argued, beyond farming itself. 'I’m concerned about the state of agriculture and food production in this country,' he said, before ticking off a few numbers to make his point. In 2017, the year the previous report covered, the country had 2,042,220 farms. In 2022, it had 1,900,487. In that same span, the number of farmed acres dropped from almost 900 million acres to 880 million—a loss in area the size of all the New England states, minus Connecticut, Vilsack noted. The drop, Vilsack argued, has caused ripple effects across rural America, resulting in the loss of schools, businesses and healthcare infrastructure, and the overall hollowing out of farming communities. One way to reverse the trend, he said, is to boost support for agricultural methods and practices that have climate benefits so farmers can earn money for them. "It’s important for us to invest in climate-smart agriculture,' Vilsack said, 'because that creates an opportunity for farmers to qualify, potentially, for ecosystem service market credits, which is cash coming into the farm for environmental results that can only occur on the farm. The farm then creates a second source of income.' In other words, Vilsack argued, climate action could help save the American farm. The problem, the census data suggest, is that American farms, especially big factory farms that generate significant greenhouse gas emissions, are growing in size. The data also show that, overall, more government support is flowing to larger or more profitable operations. According to the census, these farms are using more of the precious and drought-depleted water supplies that climate change is projected to deplete even more, especially in the West..." READ MORE | |  |
 | "Grafton - A gift of time spent in nature can benefit a child for years to come. The Friends of the Dyken Pond Center are proud to announce that scholarships are available to youth and to schools for 2024. Rensselaer County schools can apply anytime for scholarships to cover the costs of bus transportation and fees for their classes to come to the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center for a day of STEAM exploration. For summer, the Friends of Dyken Pond will sponsor youth aged 11 – 17 to attend a DEC youth overnight camp. Youth may apply for a DEC camp scholarship by contacting the Center for an application; deadline is March 8. DEC Camp registration opens on March 24; for more information on DEC camps, visit https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/summer-camps. Beginning April 1, youth ages 6 - 13 can also apply for a scholarship to attend our own Dyken Pond Center’s Outdoor Adventure Camp. This week-long day camp runs from mid-July through mid-August and provides age appropriate activities in ecology, wildlife and outdoor living skills. Games, hikes and hands-on discoveries will give campers a lifetime full of memories. Scholarship applications, camp schedules and details can be found at www.dykenpond.org or by contacting the Center at (518) 658-2055 or dykenpond@gmail.com. Funds for scholarships are provided in part by McCarthy Charities, WGY Christmas Wish and Stewart’s Holiday Match. READ MORE |  | |
Jennifer Hijazi | Bloomberg Law
| "States will need to tighten up their compliance with soot limits under a new rule finalized by the EPA on Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency decreased the amount of allowable particulate matter, or PM 2.5, permitted in the ambient air. Under the final rule, the EPA tightened the allowable threshold from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter daily, the first change in the limits since 2012. This 'action is a critical step forward that will better protect workers, families and communities from the dangerous and costly impacts of fine particle pollution,' EPA administrator Michael Regan told press on Tuesday. 'The science is clear, soot pollution is one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution and it’s linked to a range of serious and potentially deadly illnesses.' Particulate matter is one of six harmful pollutants that administrations regulate through National Ambient Air Quality Standards. States submit plans for approval for each of the limits, which are supposed to be regularly reviewed and updated to protect public health. Environmental and health groups hailed the finalized limits, which they say is a crucial update for a pollutant that is getting worse with global warming impacts. 'This will help save lives today and improve the health of generations to come,' Natural Resources Defense Council president Manish Bapna said in a statement. 'Soot puts tens of millions of Americans at risk, disproportionately harming low-income communities and people of color.' Exposure to PM 2.5 can result in a gamut of adverse health effects, from short-term lung distress to heart disease. The EPA estimates $46 billion in net health benefits in 2032 stemming from the new rules. Increased wildfires made worse by climate change spread PM 2.5 across the US every year, which advocates say necessitates stricter standards—while industry argues the opposite. Largely GOP-led states and industry trade groups will likely wage legal war over the standards, which they have fought hard to quash in public commentary, reports, and even national television ads. Critics say stricter limits in addition to uncontrollable fires will push big chunks of the country out of clean air law attainment. 'The EPA’s decision to significantly lower the current standards will have wide ranging negative implications well beyond the mining industry -- impeding permitting for factories, energy and infrastructure projects,' according to a statement from Rich Nolan, president of the National Mining Association." READ MORE |  | |
"Indigenous peoples have shaped and managed vast rainforest territories for millennia. These rainforests regulate rainfall, store carbon, and shelter immense biodiversity and sociocultural diversity. In recent years, several studies have provided statistical evidence confirming that lands legally titled to Indigenous peoples are the most efficient models for forest protection. Forests managed by Indigenous Peoples capture more carbon. A report published in 2023 [1] demonstrates how Indigenous peoples’ lands in the Amazon act as robust carbon sinks, capturing significantly more carbon than they emit. This contrasts sharply with areas under public and private management, which often struggle to maintain their ecological balance and can even become a source of carbon emissions. Areas of the Amazon managed by Indigenous peoples with documented or formal land claims have been some of the most secure and reliable net carbon sinks over the past two decades, according to the report. Between 2001 and 2021, these forests emitted around 120 million metric tons of CO2 annually while removing 460 million metric tons, resulting in a net total of 340 million metric tons removed from the atmosphere—equivalent to the U.K.’s annual fossil fuel emissions. A separate report [2] from 2023 indicates a positive advancement in formal recognition of Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local communities’ lands, with an increase of 102.9 million hectares (254 million acres) between 2015 and 2020. This news was well received by Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS). As one of a handful of global organizations that directly support Indigenous communities to gain title for their customary lands, we understand the effort involved in landback initiatives. This data underscores that community advocacy efforts are working; these communities now hold more than 11% of the Earth’s terrestrial land of the 73 countries analyzed in the report—covering 85% of global land.
However, these gains are not without their challenges, and there is a long way to go. The same report notes that at least 1.3 billion hectares (approximately 3.2 billion acres) of ancestral lands remain unrecognized under national laws, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and degradation. Moreover, as many countries in the Global South push for speedy economic and industrial development, the demand for land—including Indigenous peoples’ territories—intensifies..." READ MORE
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VOLUNTEER: INVASIVE HARDY KIWI REMOVAL
Fridays from 10 AM to 11:30 AM
at Burbank 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
BERKSHIRE GREEN DRINKS: POLLINATOR PARADISE LAWNS WITH RICH LASSOR OF NATURE WORKS LAND CARE
Wednesday, March 13 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
at Barrington Brewery, Great Barrington, MA
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
We list events from a variety of local and regional organizations and individuals.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Senior Snowshoes — Goshen
Winter Break Snowshoe Hike at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Tree Walks with BEAT + TOURISTS — North Adams
Land as Climate Solution for the Berkshires — North Adams
Specimen, Sport, and Spirit: Collectors and the Varied Interpretations of Bird Art — Online
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield
Kidleidoscope Story Hour: Beavers (Great Falls Discovery Center) — Turners Falls
Nice and Easy Walk at Great Falls Discovery Center — Turners Falls
Winter Tree Identification Hike — Mount Greylock State Reservation
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Guided Bird Walks on the Riverfront Trail with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington
10 x 10 Festival: Winter Tree Identification Walk — Pittsfield
Who's Been Here? A Tracking Adventure (Great Falls Discovery Center) — Turners Falls
Family Friendly Outdoor Activities — Mount Greylock State Reservation
Full Moon Owl Prowl — Williamstown
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Waterfall & Boreal Forest Snowshoe at Tamarack Hollow — Windsor
Foods, Farms, and Factories: Sunday Matinee Documentary Series — Turners Falls
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Tuesday Trek at Dyken Pond — Cropseyville
Lenox Funds for Home Repairs Information Session — Lenox
Nature by the Yard: Conserving Nature Close to Home Series — Online
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Anaerobic Digestion and Other Solutions for Wasted Food — Online
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Homegrown National Park — Online
National Forest in New England: Management for Climate Resilience That Incorporates Sociopolitical and Economic Pressures — North Adams
Living With Black Bears in Massachusetts — Cummington
FRIDAY, MARCH 1
Volunteer with BEAT: Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal — Pittsfield
Nice & Easy Trail Hike at Mount Greylock State Reservation
SATURDAY, MARCH 2
Guided Bird Walk on the Riverfront Trail with Ben Nickley — Great Barrington
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
Pollinator Conservation 101 — Online
Forest Bathing Walk — Mount Greylock State Reservation
Dam Busters 101: Engineering and Design — Online
Mass Pollinator Network Brown Bag Lunch — Online
The Secret Lives of Native Bees — Online
See Calendar for More
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JOBS
We list jobs related to the environment from a variety of organizations.
Berkshire County Postings
Assistant Director – Williams Outing Club | Williams College | WilliamstownSeasonal Trail Crew 2024 | Berkshire Natural Resources Council | Lenox | deadline 4/9/24
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
Schaefer Research Intern | Mohonk Preserve | New Paltz, NY | deadline 2/22/24
Part Time Community Engagement Assistant | North and South Rivers Watershed Association | Norwell, MA | deadline 2/23/24
Director of Development | Boston Food Forest Coalition | Jamaica Plain, MA | deadline 2/23/24
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
Antarctic Rights Campaign Lead | The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature | Remote | deadline 2/26/24
McLaughlin State Trout Hatchery Technician II | MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife | Belchertown, MA | deadline 2/26/24
Odum Internship in Field Ecology | E. N. Huyck Preserve, Inc. | Rensselaerville, NY | deadline 2/26/24
Assistant Field Coordinator | Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program | Barnstable, MA | 2/26/24
Technician I/Marine Technician | Cornell University | New Paltz, NY | deadline 2/27/24
Technician I/Field Technician – Fisheries | Cornell University | New Paltz, NY | deadline 2/27/24
Director of Development Partnerships – New England | League of Conservation Voters | New England or New York State | deadline 2/28/24
Environmental Analyst – Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist | NEIWPCC | Warrensburg, NY | deadline 2/28/24
Field Crew Leader | Great Pond Foundation | Edgartown, MA | deadline 2/28/24
Cyanobacteria Monitoring Intern – summer to fall | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA | deadline 2/29/24
Summer Cyanobacteria Monitoring Intern | Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Dennis, MA | deadline 2/29/24
Manager of Adult Education | New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill | Boylston, MA | deadline 2/29/24
Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Coldwater Stream Conservation Decisions | Evan Grant and Jamie Ashander (USGS) | Turners Falls, MA | deadline 2/29/24
Horticulturist | Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy | Boston | deadline 2/29/24
Director of Programs | The Venture Out Project | Northampton | deadline 2/29/24
Community Science Coordinator | Native Plant Trust | Wayland, Ma | deadline 3/1/24
Vegetation Technician | Duxbury Beach Reservation | Duxbury, MA | deadline 3/1/24
USFS Climate Communications Fellowship for Established Professional | U.S. Department of Agriculture | Remote | deadline 3/1/24
Agricultural Technical Assistance Manager | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston | deadline 3/1/24
Seasonal Water Stewardship Intern | Barnstable Clean Water Coalition | Osterville, MA | deadline 3/1/24
Ecological Field Technician | Mohonk Preserve | New Paltz, NY | deadline 3/1/24
Land Acquisition & Farm Development Manager | Boston Farms Community Land Trust | Boston | deadline 3/1/24
Dr. Marc J. Taylor Intern | Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition | Woodbury, CT | deadline 3/1/24
Trustees Camps Seasonal Positions | Trustees of Reservations | MA locations various | 3/1/24
Land Steward | Kestrel Land Trust | Amherst, MA | deadline 3/1/24
Climate Action Leader (Half-time AmeriCorps Member) | Campus Compact | Bedford, MA | deadline 3/1/24
Programs Intern | Lake George Land Conservancy | Bolton Landing, NY | deadline 3/1/24
Summer Land Steward | Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy | Albany, NY | deadline 3/1/24
Paid Media Associate | League of Conservation Voters | Location Flexible | deadline 3/3/24
ACE Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager | American Conservation Experience | Remote | deadline 3/3/24
Regional Property Manager | Mass Audubon Metro West | Lincoln, MA | deadline 3/3/24
Restoration Partnerships Coordinator | MA Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) | Boston/Hybrid | deadline 3/4/24
Operations Coordinator | MA Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) | Boston/Hybrid | deadline 3/4/24
Recent Postings
Seasonal Biological Technician | National Audubon Society – Audubon NY | Remote, NY
Nursery Propagation & Production Manager | Arthur’s Point Farm | Ghent, NY
Research Coordinator | Sea & Shore Solutions | Remote
Research Director | Hudson Carbon | Hudson, NY
Outdoor Educator | The Ashokan Center | Olivebridge, NY
Development Assistant | Agricultural Stewardship Association | Greenwich, NY
Teacher-Naturalist Residential | Dennis Yarmouth Regional School District | Truro, MA
Land Steward | Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust | Dartmouth, MA
Visitor Services Member – Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge |American Conservation Experience | Chatham, MA
Technical Instructor | Earth Forward Group | Boston, MA
Lead Seasonal Shorebird Technician | The Trustees of Reservations | Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Program Coordinator | TerraCorps | Lowell, MA
Trail Crew Leader – Connecticut Woodlands Conservation Corps | Connecticut Forest & Park Association | Rockfall, CT
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
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
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:
• Lanesborough – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the replacement of Bridge No. L-03-010 carrying Bridge Street over Town Brook in the Town of Lanesborough by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The project includes bridge replacement including removal of the existing superstructure and abutment walls, approach guardrail, new sidewalk and drainage structures, and streambank restoration. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Pittsfield – Notice of Ecological Restoration Project under 301 CMR 11.01(2)(b)4.– (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – The proposed project is a Dam Removal Project as listed in 310 CMR 10.13(2), and proposes removal of the entire Bel Air Dam structure, restoration of a natural stream channel in the area of the current impoundment, establishment of adjacent floodplain, and installation of native herbaceous and woody species. Bel Air Dam is classified as a HIGH (Class I) Hazard Potential dam. The proposed project will also remove contaminated sediment that has accumulated upstream of the dam and includes elevated levels of chromium, arsenic, lead, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and extractable petroleum hydrocarbons (EPHs) – comments due 2/27/2024
• Williamstown – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the replacement of Bridge No. W-37-015 Route 2 (Main Street) in Williamstown. The main objectives of this project are to remove the existing bridge and install a new two-span structure with integral abutments, Northeast Extreme Tee (NEXT) F Beams, and replace the existing center concrete pier. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Great Barrington – Notice of Application and Issuance of a Draft Groundwater Discharge Permit – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Application for an Individual Groundwater Discharge Permit is being processed for Berkshire Hills Regional School District to discharge 35,000 gallons of treated sanitary wastewater per day. – comments due 3/8/2024
• Otis – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate- (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the replacement of Bridge O-05-007 carrying Tannery Road over the West Branch Farmington River. The project involves the complete replacement of the existing bridge structure and realignment of Tannery Road at the bridge approaches. The proposed bridge structure will be constructed on a new alignment approximately 28 feet south of the existing bridge. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Pittsfield – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the replacement of an existing bridge crossing the Sacket Brook on New East Lenox Road. The design replaces the existing 22.5-ft span bridge with a wider single-span structure providing two traffic lanes, one in each direction, to match the lane configurations of the existing roadway approaches. The project also includes replacement of existing guardrail and resurfacing of approximately 229 feet to the north of the bridge and 126 feet to the south of the bridge on East New Lenox Road. – comments due 2/28/2024
CT River Valley Index:
• Northampton – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate- (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the replacement of Bridges N-19-059 {100 & 101) & N-19-060 {102 & 103), 1-91 over US 5 & BMRR and Hockanum Road. The main objectives of this project is to replace the existing superstructures and substructures of these four (4) bridges. U.S. Route 5 will be widened to include turning lanes at both signalized ramp locations as well as a sidewalk on one {1) side and a bike lane on both sides. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Buckland & Charlemont – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate – (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the placement of scour countermeasures at Bridge B-28-009 = C-05-013, Route 2 (Mohawk Trail) over Deerfield River in the Towns of Buckland and Charlemont. The main objectives of this project are to replace the existing concrete deck, to rehabilitate the steel superstructure, and to modify the existing concrete substructures. There will also be some minor roadway approach reconstruction. Scour countermeasures are proposed at the easterly bridge pier within the river and involves dredging of more than 5,000 cubic yards of material. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Holyoke – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Aquatic Plant Management Program– (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – Proposed invasive water chestnut control project consists of installing a benthic barrier on a portion of the bottom of the Third Level Canal. The project is anticipated to take approximately a week to complete, and is scheduled to be conducted at the end of March 2024. – published 2/7/2024
• Hadley – Notice of Application for a 401 Water Quality Certificate- (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – For the reconstruction of Route 9 from Middle St to Maple/South St. – comments due 2/28/2024
• Longmeadow – Notice of Intent to Initiate an Aquatic Plant Management Program– (click on the link, then at the top, click on attachments) – To implement a nuisance aquatic vegetation management program of a pond located at the Longmeadow Country Club. The focus of this management will be on reducing and controlling nuisance and invasive aquatic vegetation using USEPA/MA registered aquatic herbicides & algaecides. – published 2/7/2024
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
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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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