Berkshire Green Drinks Feature BEAT Update

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for their final Green Drinks presentation of 2024, where BEAT staff will talk about the organization's work of this past year and explore what comes next as the new year approaches. 

The virtual gathering will take place by Zoom on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 6:00 to 7:15 PM. 

Be part of the discussion and hear about the ongoing air quality monitoring work BEAT's Breathe Easy Berkshires program is doing, the organization's continued work in improving aquatic and terrestrial wildlife connectivity, progress made on BEAT's Environmental Leadership & Education Center, the continuing campaign to end fossil-fueled peaker plants, the fight to prevent the expansion of the Enbridge Algonquin pipeline through Project Maple, and some of their favorite 2024 highlights from BEAT-organized events.

Registration is required to attend this virtual event. Register at https://tinyurl.com/Dec2024-Berks-Green-Drinks.

Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month that is free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. A guest speaker talks about an environmentally related topic for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM; the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. 

Berkshire Green Drinks is sponsored and organized by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). For more information regarding Berkshire Green Drinks, contact Chelsey Simmons, chelsey@thebeatnews.org, (413) 464-9402.


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Pittsfield Conducting Housing Production Plan with BRPC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will conduct a Housing Production Plan for the city. 

Last week, the Affordable Housing Trust heard some points they are asked to consider in the infancy of this project.  This includes the types of housing missing from Pittsfield, where insufficient housing affects other efforts, and housing wins. 

A housing production plan helps create a pathway for municipalities to build housing through specific goals while contributing public input and a survey of community needs.  It also sets targets for the amount of housing to be produced. 

"We have worked with Berkshire Regional Planning before. I think you all remember where they did a housing needs assessment for us when we first convened," Director of Community Development Justine Dodds reminded the board during its July 22 meeting. 

BRPC will kick off the project this month with data gathering, meeting with city staff to see the metrics, capacity, and what Pittsfield has undertaken so far. 

In December and January, additional chapters will be presented around demographics, housing conditions, and barriers to housing.  In February, they will work on goal setting and setting forth an action plan.

A big part of this, Dodds explained, is community outreach and engagement, which will occur in the spring 

A final plan will be submitted to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities in May. 

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