Dalton Green Committee Aims to Obtain Data for Town Solar PV ArraysBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:29PM / Saturday, March 30, 2024 | |
 DALTON, MASS. — The Green Committee is working to obtain information from Eversource to inform the possibility of developing solar polar photovoltaic arrays in town. The committee approved using $250 during its meeting last week for a pre-application to Eversource. This application will provide data that will inform how to develop a solar PV array in town. The efforts to develop PV arrays is supported by the state Department of Energy Resources' Green Communities initiative and has been part of the town's master plan since 2016. One of the master plan's goals in the infrastructure section is to improve the town's energy >> Read More |
EPA Lays Out Draft Plan for PCB Remediation in PittsfieldBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:40AM / Friday, March 29, 2024 | |
Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requested the meeting be held at Herberg Middle School as his ward will be most affected. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have a preliminary plan to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls from the city's Rest of River stretch by 2032. "We're going to implement the remedy, move on, and in five years we can be done with the majority of the issues in Pittsfield," Project Manager Dean Tagliaferro said during a hearing on Wednesday.
"The goal is to restore the (Housatonic) river, make the river an asset. Right now, it's a liability."
The PCB-polluted "Rest of
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Dalton Committee Seeks Funding for Invasive SpeciesBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:37PM / Wednesday, March 27, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Open Space and Recreation Committee discussed addressing the invasive species at the Pines trailhead during its meeting last week. There will possibly be a money article on the annual town warrant requesting voters allocate $20,000 from free cash so that the committee can apply for a Community Forest Stewardship program grant. The Select Board placed it on the annual town meeting warrant on Monday. During a walkthrough of the Pines, Jess Toro, co-owner of Native Habitat Restoration, urged the committee to apply for the program. According to Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson, although the grant would be reimbursed, the town needs >> Read More |
Pittsfield Grappling With Possible Zebra Mussell Infection at Onota LakeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:23AM / Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After an alarming detection of zebra mussel DNA in Onota Lake, the city continues to grapple with a possible infection.
Last week, the Conservation Commission saw a notice of intent application for the application of EarthTec QZ pesticide within a specified treatment area of the lake.
After a detection of DNA in the fall, the water has tested negative in two subsequent samples but the city is preparing for a possible confirmation of the invasive species with a treatment plan.
"In the fall of 2023, the state alerted the city that a recent water sample taken to the public boat launch at Onota Lake contained a positive detection for the presence
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EPA Administrative Order Closed in Pittsfield | 02:00PM / Friday, March 08, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield announced an environmental milestone in its commitment to water quality and sustainability. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially lifted the Administrative Order (AO) 11- 007, issued to the city on Feb. 11, 2011. This action recognizes the city's successful efforts to meet stringent phosphorus limits in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and to enhance its Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) program. "The City of Pittsfield extends its heartfelt gratitude to the previous administration, community, the Massachusetts Department of >> Read More |
Dalton Board OKs Talks for EV StationsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:52PM / Tuesday, March 05, 2024 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board has approved negotiations between the town and Livingston Energy Group for the installation of Direct Current Fast Chargers. Green Committee member Tony Pagliarulo presented to the board last month a proposal from the energy equipment and solutions business that would install dual-port 180-kilowatt, direct current fast chargers at Pine Grove Park, the Senior Center and Greenridge Park. This initiative would take two years to complete. "If we get into the queue the very least we're ahead of the game of some other communities," Pagliarulo said. The project would install two chargers each at Pine >> Read More |
Heart & Soil Collective Connects Farmers, Food and FamiliesBy Kim McMann, iBerkshires correspondent
08:09AM / Sunday, February 18, 2024 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The pandemic brought food security to the attention of many people across the globe — including in the Berkshires. It was a surprise to many to realize how significant the need was despite the many farms, grocers and local restaurants in the region. Once that need became apparent, people like Kristen Tool and Chris Wheeler stepped in to remedy things. Heart and Soil Collective is one of the Berkshire nonprofits formed during that time with the goal to connect people to the farmers and land and increase food security from every angle. The Community Supported Agriculture project also helps reduce waste and ensure a market for >> Read More |
Pittsfield Council OKs Battery Energy Storage RegulationsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:38PM / Saturday, February 17, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city planner says battery energy storage guidelines will protect the land and residents and councilors agree.
The City Council approved Tuesday a proposal to add a battery energy storage system overlay, or BESS, district. City Planner Jacinta Williams said the district "seeks to protect the health, safety, and well-being of Pittsfield while allowing for responsible growth and development. ...
"Essentially, battery energy storage systems are just that. Storage systems that use batteries to store and distribute energy in the form of electricity for later use."
This provides regulatory procedures for BESS and BESS facilities, outlines the
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Buds, Twigs, and Bark: How to Identify Trees and Shrubs in Winter| 08:01AM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in the New England landscape. It may be surprising, but winter is actually 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 tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful hints on >> Read More |
North Berkshire Waste District Interested In Hydrogen Facility Project By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:50PM / Monday, January 22, 2024 | |
ADAMS, Mass.— Members of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District (NBSWMD) were intrigued by a plan by Local Power to work towards community-wide decarbonization through a waste hydrogen facility in Western Massachusetts. In a presentation on Jan. 11, Local Power President Paul Fenn told the district members that Local Power helps local governments set up community-wide decarbonization with a focus on localization "as a core strategy in an industry defined by centralized energy and capital sources." He said the community choice aggregation firm helped usher in community choice power supply programs to many towns and cities in Berkshire
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