PCB-contaminated Silver Lake in Pittsfield (file photo)
Three local environmental groups on Tuesday blasted General Electric's strategy to clean up PCB pollution and protect wildlife along the polluted Housatonic River watershed.
The groups - the Housatonic River Initiative, Berkshire Environmental Action Team and the Housatonic Environmental Action League - argued that GE used skewed data to create their plan.
The groups' joint statement emerged from a public meeting held on Wednesday, October 26 in Great Barrington, where GE presented a report called "Interim Media Protection Goals" for the "Rest of River."
Judy Herkimer, director of the Housatonic Environmental Action League, said that GE's report should serve as a call to action." GE's proposed protection goals seem almost deliberate in their senselessness," she said. "Now is the time for EPA to hear from concerned citizens who care about the Housatonic River."
The joint statement railed against GE's "arrogance" over the years in dealing with PCB contamination.
"The General Electric numbers make a mockery of the three year peer reviewed process set up in the Ecological and Humans Health Risk Assessment," said Tim Gray, executive director of the Housatonic River Initiative. "For fifteen years the Housatonic River Initiative has maintained that goal we should be working towards is a fishable, swimmable river."
Jane Winn of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team said that "People should be outraged" by GE's latest response.
"Now is the time to let EPA know that we want a clean river to swim in and healthy wildlife to share it with," she said. "The public needs to know how much toxic waste GE wants to leave, not only in the river, soil, sediment, and wildlife; but also in our potential food supply."
GE's full Interim Media Protection Goals proposal can be viewed at www.epa.gov/ne/ge . To download the report, first click on "Rest of River," and then scroll down to "GE Reports and Document."
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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