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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Radon Reading Closes Pittsfield's West Housatonic Fire Station

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The fire station on West Housatonic Street has been temporarily closed after radon levels were found to be more than twice the normal amount.
 
Personnel at the station were relocated to the department's headquarters, located at 74 Columbus Ave., on Sunday out of an abundance of caution, said Catherine VanBramer, director of administrative services/public information officer. 
 
The West Housatonic Street station, built in 1951, has an officer and two firefighters on each shift. The station's apparatus has also moved to reserve bay at the Columbus Avenue headquarters. 
 
All of the city's fire stations and City Hall were tested. Once test results indicated concentrations above the recommended action level, the city promptly closed the station and began assessment and mitigation efforts. 
 
Initial tests found radon levels three to four times higher than normal, and further testing is planned in the coming days, she said. 
 
The department's headquarters is about 1.2 miles away from the West Housatonic Street station. 
 
"There are instances where PFD personnel are on a call in one part of the city and must respond to another call in a different part of the city.  The team continues to be ready to respond to any calls that are within their service area," VanBramer said. 
 
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