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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Dalton Considers Allowing 'Green' BurialsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:30AM / Sunday, January 14, 2024 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — Residents may have the option of so-called "green" burials in the future. Also referred to as "natural burials," green burials are a way of returning bodies to the earth after death without a metal casket, burial liner or vault, or embalming, according to the nonprofit Green Burial Massachusetts. The cemetery trustees are still very early on in the process of establishing green burials. There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the service they need to explore first, the trustees said. This excludes someone who wants to be buried in their yard, which would be a separate process. "It's gonna be a long >> Read More |
Dalton Green Committee Seeks to Improve Relationship with CBRSDBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:18AM / Monday, January 08, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee is looking to improve its relationship with the Central Berkshire Regional School District. School Committee member Richard Lacatell agreed at the last committee meeting to be the its point person as it considers green initiatives that have the potential to help the school district, including but not limited to solar array options and electric buses. Central Berkshire's building and grounds manager Jason Dion and Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino also attended the meeting to clarify district funds and green initiatives. One thing the Green Committee is interested in reviewing is the data >> Read More |
Pittsfield names 'Cadwell Woods Conservation Area'By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:25PM / Monday, December 18, 2023 | |
Map of the three parcels from Joe Durwin's report. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The so-called Saw Mill property has a new name that honors its origins as a family farm.
On Thursday, the Conservation Commission voted to rename the more than 50-acre parcel "Cadwell's Woods Conservation Area." The property dates back to the Cadwell family years before Pittsfield was founded and remained with them for 175 years.
In the early 1900s, it was referred to as the "Cadwell's Woods."
Last year, the city acquired the conservation land along the southwest branch of the Housatonic River to permanently protect it from development. It can be used for
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Dalton Green Committee Creates Compost Program SubcommitteeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:15AM / Friday, December 08, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee established a Compost Program subcommittee during its meeting on Wednesday night. The subcommittee is made up of three Green Committee members, Antonio Pagliarulo, Thomas Irwin and Todd Logan. They will also be staying in communication with Highway Superintendent Edward "Bud" Hall who runs the transfer station. The subcommittee will be responsible for spearheading the initiation of a compost program. Although members of the Green Committee agree a composting program is needed, they are split on the best type of program to establish. The program in Williamstown has residents >> Read More |
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