Berkshire County Green Teams Recognized

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BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) today acknowledged students from 475 classrooms across the state who participated in the Green Team program, making the 2024-2025 school year the highest registration in the program's history.

Among the 94 Green Teams recognized statewide for outstanding environmental stewardship and educational activities, several Berkshire County schools received particular accolades.

"Congratulations to all of the participating Green Team teachers and students for their accomplishments," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "Their initiative and leadership provides an excellent example of how we can raise environmental awareness and promote waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting in our schools, homes, and communities."

Lee Elementary School's Garden program (grades K-5) and Pittsfield High School's Compost Program (grades 9-12) were specifically recognized for going "above and beyond" with their efforts to promote sustainability and responsible leadership in their communities. These schools, along with 30 others across the state, will receive a gift card to celebrate their hard work or to support their Green Team initiatives.

Additionally, Green Teams from Pine Cobble in Williamstown and Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School in Adams were among the 62 participating classes whose students will receive a "Bee the Change" pollinator seed packet for their work this school year.

The Green Team is a statewide program sponsored by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and MassDEP, empowering students and teachers to help the environment by acting in their communities.


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Lanesborough OKs Open Space Plan, Short-Term Rental Forms

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday set fees for short-term rentals and adopted an Open Space and Recreation Plan.
 
Town Administrator Gina Dario discussed the draft for STR registration and certificate of inspection since the new bylaws were passed at the annual town meeting.
 
The draft shows the process to file for inspection through Permit Eyes, the town's online permitting system that includes the state building code and safety requirements. Dario said members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and the building commissioner looked at other town models to come up with the best process for registration.
 
Inspections will be annually for non-owner occupied units and five years for owner-occupied. The inspection fee is a flat $50. The last suggestion discussed was the posting requirements for key information.
 
Dario said they looked at about four other communities on how they used non-sensitive information on owner contacts. Chair Deborah Maynard motioned to have the information posted both inside and out to help with law enforcement if needed.
 
"I'm going to make a motion that we put that relevant information not only on the inside of the short-term rental but on the outside, so if the police need to respond, ambulance needs to respond, fire especially needs to respond, all that information is there, nobody has to go searching for it," she said. "If push comes to shove, and it's a matter of minutes, that's going to make a big, a big difference in the outcome of the incident."
 
The board then heard a presentation from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's community planner Andrew McKeever and Open Space and Recreation Committee Vice Chair Mark Hawthorne.
 
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