Volunteers Needed to Clean Up the West Branch Housatonic River| 02:18PM / Thursday, June 27, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Volunteers are needed to help clean up the west branch of the Housatonic River with Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) at one of their annual river cleanups this Saturday, June 29, from 9 AM to Noon. After the cleanup, volunteers will be provided a free lunch from a local restaurant. Volunteers must RSVP in advance to reserve a free lunch. Participants should meet at Wahconah Park, 105 Wahconah Street, Pittsfield, at 9 AM on June 29. Cleanup teams will disperse to nearby locations, gathering miscellaneous trash from the river banks and bottom. Canoes will be used to transport the trash. Old >> Read More |
Environmentalists Push for Climate LegislationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:27PM / Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | |
 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.
“The whole point of this is Mass legislative sessions last for two years. For the last three sessions, bills have always stalled out until the very last
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Dalton Green Committee Recommends Consultant for Action PlanBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:19PM / Sunday, May 05, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee overwhelmingly recommended having Blue Strike Environmental as the town's consultant for its Climate Action Plan during its meeting on Monday. The town issued a request for proposals on March 27 and received two responses: one from Blue Strike Environmental, a Monterey, Calif., company, and the other from Capsus, an international firm based in Mexico. The committee wants to develop a climate action plan to achieve net zero by 2050 by seeking strategies to decrease the town's dependence on fossil fuels for homes, businesses, municipal facilities, and vehicles. The plan should be detailed enough, so the >> Read More |
BRTA Celebrates 50 Years, Electric BusesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:29AM / Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | |
State Sen. Paul Mark tries out the seating in a new hybrid bus. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is celebrating its 50th anniversary with new hybrid buses that tell a story about its history.
The BRTA was awarded five eco-friendly buses in the past two years as part of President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law under the Federal Transit Administration's Low or No Grant Program. Each is valued at about $800,000 and is decorated to represent different BRTA eras.
"It's not for us, it's for our customers," Administrator Robert Malnati said. "It's the reason we're here. We're here to make
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Pittsfield Celebrates Robert 'Bob' Presutti on Arbor DayBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:33PM / Friday, April 26, 2024 | |
Bob Presutti, right, is presented the Hebert Award in 2017 for his volunteer efforts at Springside Park. He died in 2023 at age 88. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A tree has been planted next to the Berkshire Athenaeum in honor of local "giant" Robert Presutti.
Officials celebrated Arbor Day on Friday by installing a commemorative plaque next to the American elm sapling. This is a tree that James McGrath, the city's park program manager, said Presutti would have been particularly proud of.
"Today is a day where we yes, celebrate trees, but today is also a day where here in the city we intentionally try to acknowledge the good work of folks in our community who
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BEAT: Volunteer Fieldwork| 08:07AM / Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) has been working to survey road-stream crossings and culverts throughout Berkshire County using the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) protocol. These surveys play a crucial role in identifying which culverts and crossings require immediate attention, helping prioritize replacements based on urgency. Thus, addressing these challenges not only supports the conservation of fish and wildlife but also enhances transportation infrastructure and promotes road safety. This spring, BEAT is offering training to anyone interested in conducting volunteer fieldwork by surveying culverts >> Read More |
Community Members Assist in Trout Stocking Onota LakeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
08:04AM / Sunday, April 21, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fish and buckets flew into Onota Lake on Wednesday afternoon, thanks to MassWildlife's annual spring trout stocking event. This is one of the district's most popular stocking events of the year, with more than 200 people enthusiastically releasing about 550 rainbow trout ranging in size from about 9 to 18-plus inches. A majority of the trout were 14 inches, Leanna Fontaine, an aquatic biologist for Masswildlife's Western District, said. The fish, hailing from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife's McLaughlin Hatchery in Belchertown, will provide angling opportunities for community members, >> Read More |
Pittsfield Sets Public Meeting on Mosquito ControlBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:29AM / Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following clashing viewpoints from the former City Council and Board of Health on mosquito spraying, the city has set a community meeting on April 29 to discuss its management plan.
The 6 p.m. presentation at the Berkshire Athenaeum will include the city's current mosquito management plan, a brief history, and an overview of regional mosquito management practices. Residents will have an opportunity to speak afterward.
Mosquito control has been a controversial topic over the last few years after adulticide spraying was discontinued in 2021. A request to repeal that action failed at the council level last year.
In April 2021, the subcommittee on
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Dalton Board of Health Approves Green Burial VerbiageBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:18AM / Monday, April 15, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Board of Health approved wording for the green burial guidelines during its meeting on Wednesday. The guideline stipulates that "Ebola or any other diseases that the CDC or Massachusetts Department of Public Health deem unsuitable for green burials can not be approved by the town Board of Health." The board has been navigating how to include communicable diseases in its guidelines to prevent them from spreading. Town Health Agent Agnes Witkowski has been working to clarify the state's guidelines regarding infectious diseases and green burials. She attended a presentation on green burials and >> Read More |
Pittsfield ConCom OKs Zebra Mussel TreatmentBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:43PM / Sunday, April 14, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Conservation Commission has OKed a zebra mussel pesticide treatment in Onota Lake if the invasive species are confirmed.
On Thursday, the panel approved a notice of intent application for the use of EarthTec QZ within a specified treatment area of the lake.
"We're not entirely 100 percent sure that there is an infestation of zebra mussels at Onota Lake. Last September, a water sample was taken and the DNA of zebra mussel was detected in that water sample. This was a water sample taken near the boat ramp at Burbank Park. Subsequent water samples were taken later in the fall and very early this spring, there were still non-detects in those
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