Pittsfield City Council: Make Polluters Pay

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The City Council supports statewide efforts to make the largest polluters pay. 

On Tuesday, it voted to back Bill H.1014/S.588, "An Act Establishing a Climate Change Superfund," which is expected to generate $75 billion over 25 years from the largest oil and gas companies.  Councilor At Large Alisa Costa and Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren requested their colleagues' support for the legislation. 

"I think it's really important to hold businesses accountable in ways that we are not able to do right now," Costa said. 

"…We see the impacts of climate on our community every day, whether it's our drought, fires, the increasing cost to just maintain our homes, upgrade, or build now. I mean, it just impacts so much in our community and our ability to thrive, never mind the rising of asthma in children and all those other things. So I think it's really important that we create the tools that will hold businesses accountable, because their goal isn't to protect us. Their goal is to make money. It's our job as city council and as government to protect our citizens and our climate." 

Earlier this month, climate activists gathered at Westside Riverway Park to discuss the Make Polluters Pay bill and how climate change has affected the region. 

Warren explained that municipalities are supporting this, and Pittsfield would be the first in Berkshire County.  He pointed to the city’s struggles with PCB pollution after General Electric vacated the area, and the struggle to mitigate damage even after a legal settlement. 

"So I think the Superfund is a great idea," he said. 

"It leverages pay in from the companies that do this, and all we're doing is approving it so that the state can see that there is interest in this." 

Jane Winn, former executive director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, said those who polluted the atmosphere should pay for the damage.

"Even as climate costs rise, fossil fuel profits continue to soar. The payers into the Climate Superfund will be fossil fuel extractors that were responsible for the most emissions, limiting the total number of payers to the biggest polluters, those who polluted the most," she said during public comment. 

"Community members shouldn't have to pay for the full cost of bigger, better road stream crossings that won't wash away with our more intense storms. We shouldn't have to bear the full cost of fighting wildfires made much more likely by drought caused by climate change. We shouldn't have to pay for retrofitting municipal buildings to add air filters to keep wildfire smoke from polluting our indoor air and add air conditioning, something that wasn't necessary when I was growing up in Pittsfield."

"Municipal resolutions show power. When our city council shows their support for Make Polluters Pay, they send a clear signal along with a literal letter to the State House: We want climate resilience, and the worst polluters should have to pay their fair share." 

The resolution explains that Pittsfield needs additional funding for necessary climate adaptation and resilience projects, and the proposed state legislation allocates 40 percent of the funding to projects

benefitting environmental justice communities.  

"If passed, this bill would establish a climate change superfund into which the largest oil and gas companies would pay $75 billion over 25 years, with each company's share proportional to their contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018 and would provide the means for Pittsfield and other cities like it to adapt to climate impacts more adequately, equitably and meaningfully," the resolution reads. 

Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn voted in opposition.  

"I don't think I know enough, and I've talked to a few of my people that I represent, and this is more of a want than a need, I think, so I don't think I could support it tonight," he explained. 

"But I definitely, personally think this is a good idea in the right direction, but I'm leaning towards respecting my constituents." 

Toys for Tots Bringing Presents to Thousands of Kids This Year

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:21PM / Friday, December 05, 2025

Volunteers organize toys by age and gender in the House of Corrections storage facility. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Plenty of toys are on their way to children this holiday season thanks to Toys for Tots.

Christopher Keegan has coordinated the local toy drive for the Berkshire Chapter of the Marine Corps Reserve since 2015 and said he has seen the need rise every year, last year helping more than 6,000 kids.

"This is 11 years I've been doing it, and the need has gone up every year. It's gone up every year, and I anticipate it going up even more this year," Keegan said.

On Thursday, the Berkshire County House of Corrections storage facility was overflowing with toys making it the county's very own Santa's workshop. 

Keegan said Berkshire County always shows up with toys or donations. 

"This county is outstanding when it comes to charity. They rally around stuff. They're very giving, they're very generous, and they've been tremendous in this effort, the toys for pride effort, since I've been doing it, our goal is to honor every request, and we've always reached that goal," he said.

Keegan's team is about 20 to 25 volunteers who sort out toys based on age and gender. This week, the crew started collecting from the 230 or so boxes set out around the county on Oct. 1.

"The two age groups that are probably more difficult — there's a newborn to 2s, boys and girls, and 11 to 14, boys and girls. Those are the two challenging ages where we need to focus our attention on a little bit more," he said.

Toys For Tots has about 30 participating schools and agencies that sign up families and individuals who need help putting gifts under the tree. Keegan takes requests right up until the last minute on Christmas.

"We can go out shopping for Christmas. I had sent my daughter out Christmas Eve morning. Hey, we need X amount of toys and stuff, but the requests are still rolling in from individuals, and I don't say no, we'll make it work however we can," he said.

Community members help to raise money or bring in unopened and unused toys. Capeless Elementary student Thomas St. John recently raised $1,000 selling hot chocolate and used the money to buy toys for the drive.

"It's amazing how much it's grown and how broad it is, how many people who were involved," Keegan said.

On Saturday, Live 95.9 personalities Bryan Slater and Marjo Catalano of "Slater and Marjo in the Morning" will host a Toys for Tots challenge at The Hot Dog Ranch and Proprietor's Lodge. Keegan said they have been very supportive of the drive and that they were able to collect more than 3,000 toys for the drive last year.

Volunteer Debbie Melle has been volunteering with Toys for Tots in the county for about five years and said people really showed up to give this year.

"I absolutely love it. It's what we always say. It's organized chaos, but it's rewarding. And what I actually this year, I'm so surprised, because the amount that the community has given us, and you can see that when you see these pictures, that you've taken, this is probably the most toys we've ever gotten," she said. "So I don't know if people just feel like this is a time to give and they're just going above and beyond, but I'm blown away. This year we can barely walk down the aisles for how much, how many toys are here. It's wonderful."