350Mass Berkshires to Host Climate Action Program at Wander

08:21AM / Wednesday, April 01, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 350Mass Berkshire Climate Action has announced a public program, "Bringing Climate Action Home," scheduled for April 7, 2026, at Wander, located at 34 Depot St., Suite 101.

The event is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. for a community organization showcase followed by guest speakers at 6:00 p.m.

The program is designed to provide resources for individuals involved in home renovations, new construction, or the transition to energy-efficient electrical appliances. The information provided will target a broad demographic, including homeowners, landlords, and renters.

Three featured speakers will present during the session:

Wendy Brown, AIA, CPHD, of Terra Design-Build, will discuss energy-efficient design for new and existing structures, the Mass Save program, and the local impacts of climate disruption.
Joe Carry of Decumanus Green Design-Build will share insights on sustainable building, including net-zero design and construction based on local experience.
Amanda Parker from the Green Energy Consumers Alliance will cover the adoption of residential battery storage, window heat pumps, and plug-in balcony solar. Her presentation will focus on the needs of renters and low-income households, including an outline of currently available financial incentives and rebates.

The host organization, 350Mass Berkshires Climate Action, is a volunteer-led group focused on environmental issues at the local and state levels. The group has recently been involved in efforts to convert Pittsfield's "Peaker Plants" to clean energy and advocating for sustainable school building designs.

Additional information is available via the organization's website at 350maberkshires.org.

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EPA, GE Conducting Vernal Pool Study on Housatonic River

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
11:44AM / Tuesday, August 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A pilot study will determine the best way to remediate PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, from vernal pools in the Housatonic River.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric held an open house for the Vernal Pool Pilot Study on Reach 5A, a five-mile stretch between the river's confluence and Lenox border. Despite the rain, several people attended the event at the Berkshire Athenaeum.

EPA project manager Josh Fontaine explained that it is an evaluation of which remediation method to use for the remaining vernal pools in Reach 5A.

"We're going to be testing two different methods. One is an excavation method, which we already know has been very successful with another vernal pool cleaned up much earlier in the project," he said.

"And then the other is the application of two different carbon amendments. It would be the application of powdered activated carbon and the application of granulated activated carbon."

Ten vernal pools will be cleaned using these methods: five with excavation and five with active carbon; seven additional vernal pools will be monitored as controls. Construction will be complete around October, but the pools will be left to their natural processes and monitored with surveys and sampling for three years.

Fontaine said there is no frontrunner for methodology.

"We know the excavation method is effective, but we would like to see if the less invasive method of using the amendment will be as effective for potential use," he said.

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