Letter: Accessing Benefits From Recent Climate Legislation

Letter to the EditorPrint Story | Email Story

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. 

 

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Council Sees Traffic Petitions

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Several traffic requests were made at the City Council's last meeting, including a query about the deteriorating Dalton Avenue overpass and an ask to fix the raised crosswalk on Holmes Road.  

On April 14, the City Council handled petitions from Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham requesting an update on the current condition of the Dalton Avenue bridge overpass and rehabilitation plan, and a petition from Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso and Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn requesting the "timely removal" or reconfiguration of the speed bump on Holmes Road between Elm Street and William Street. 

Parts of the Dalton Avenue bridge's concrete sides appear to be crumbling, exposing rusted steel supports and requiring a barrier in the eastbound lane. Warren and Cunningham's petition was referred to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which is leading the replacement. 

According to the MassDOT's website, the bridge replacement over the Ashuwillticook bike trail is in the preliminary design phase and will cost more than $9 million. A couple of years ago, a raised crosswalk was installed on the corridor as part of road diet improvements to slow traffic and foster safety.  

The councilors said they are understanding and supportive of the bump's intentions, but the current design and condition "present more significant safety concerns rather than effectively addressing them."  The petition was referred to the commissioner of public works. 

Wrinn said they have spoken to "many, many" constituents about it, and they feel the speed bump is pretty egregious. 

"It's causing more problems than actually helping people, and we want to explore other options with something similar to Tyler Street, a brightly colored crosswalk, more signage," he explained. 

Amuso's goal is to do some kind of reconfiguration, because as she has been told, it is up to code, but "when you're going up that street, and your car is coming off the road, that's not safe either."

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories