Letter: Accessing Benefits From Recent Climate Legislation

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To the Editor:

The Berkshire chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby and its partners are hosting a free public forum on the evening of Monday, April 3, that will highlight recently passed climate legislation and the opportunities available to local governments and their constituents.

The Berkshire chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby and its partners are hosting a free public forum on the evening of Monday, April 3, 2023, at the Berkshire Innovation Center, at 45 Woodlawn Ave. in Pittsfield. The event is open to the community, and the reception with appetizers will begin at 5:30 p.m., and panelists will begin at 6:15 p.m.

The panelists are Massachusetts state Sen. Paul Mark, former Undersecretary of Energy and Climate Solutions Judy Chang, Executive Director of Green Energy Consumers Alliance Larry Chretien, and Congressman Richard Neal with a brief message.

The forum, sponsored by The Berkshire Eagle, Berkshire Innovation Center, Ener-g-Save, and Citizen's Climate Lobby, will highlight recently passed climate legislation and the opportunities available to local governments and their constituents. The panelists will explain the benefits of these new laws including job creation, access to immediate rebates, generous tax credits, and more, and will appeal to businesses and individuals alike. The event will be live-streamed on Pittsfield Community Television. Moderated questions from the audience will be posed to the panel.

"I am excited to join local leaders, community members, and climate activists to discuss state and federal legislation recently signed into law and how these new policies can benefit us in the Berkshires," declared Senator Paul Mark. "Climate change is one of the most important issues we face as a state and as a nation and how we respond to this challenge and work to proactively mitigate the negative consequences is going to impact all of us in a tangible way for years to come."

Uli Nagel of Lee, liaison to Congressman Richard Neal's office, shared her concern, "Lack of snow cover in the winter is hurting our local ski resorts, and the drought-like conditions in the summer are difficult for local farmers. Events like these help educate our community; these new laws can help to slow that trend."

Christine Kelly
Sheffield, Mass. 

 

 

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BRPC Submits Grants for Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission recently submitted grant applications on behalf of the county's municipalities. 

On March 5, the BRPC agreed to submit four grants to the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Grant Program.

One was for the Clarksburg Bank Stabilization Project in partnership with the town. This will address the aggressive bank erosion where the former Briggsville Dam was removed, mitigating property loss for residents in the Carson Avenue area of Clarksburg. The area was graded and naturalized on the removal of the old dam but was scoured out by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. 

Another is for "Ghost Dams Inventory Mapping." This will help address numerous unmapped nonjurisdictional dams throughout the county, many of which are not maintained and no longer serve a purpose. "Ghost dams" can often be an unknown safety hazard and are a barrier to fish and wildlife. 

The Housatonic Road Stream Crossing Management Plans grant will help to complete a fully mapped and assessed inventory of culverts in the towns of Lee, Cheshire, Hinsdale, Dalton and possibly Lanesborough. Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Greenagers, Housatonic Valley Association and Mass Audubon will also work with the towns to identify priority culvert replacements based on culvert condition, environmental priority, and climate risk. 

The Berkshire Climate Career Lab in partnership with Ethos Pathways, a climate readiness coach, to create a High School career program to prepare students interested in climate careers, explore opportunities, and build skills. 

Also submitted were two applications to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center's EmPower Implementation Grant Program.

A $150,000 Housing Energy Efficiency Rehabilitation grant would create a more cohesive pipeline for residents within the Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation program to receive funding and support through the MassSave Program, which supports energy efficiency, and Berkshire Community Action Council.

A $150,000 Air Quality Monitoring grant would fund the rest of the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air quality monitoring grant. It will help to ensure that the indoor and outdoor air quality sensors will provide valuable data not seen before in Berkshire County.

The BRPC board also accepted $25,000 from The Nature Conservancy, which will be used to help support culvert replacements for municipalities in the county.

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