SAVE THE HOUSATONIC

THE HOUSATONIC RIVER WINS

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:18:56 +0000

STATE GRANTS THE HOUSATONIC ACEC STATUS

Save The Housatonic is proud to announce that 13 miles of the Housatonic River and the land that surrounds it have been declared an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The designation covers a total of 12,276 acres of river, floodplain, and upland.

On March 31, 2009 Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles announced:

The new designation promises greater protection for the region’s unique natural and cultural resources.
The new ACEC includes a 13-mile corridor of the Housatonic River, adjacent floodplains, tributary streams, and the western slopes of October Mountain State Forest. It augments more than 2,000 acres within two other ACECs – Kampoosa Bog Drainage Basin and Hinsdale Flats Watershed – in the towns of Lee and Washington.
“During the extensive public process that led up today’s designation, my office heard from hundreds of Berkshire residents, organizations and public officials,” Secretary Bowles said. “The community and regional support for this ACEC was overwhelmingly positive, and this designation will help create an important framework for the long-term preservation and stewardship of these outstanding resources.”

Upper Housatonic River ACEC

The 30-page decision document specifically declines to exempt the EPA and the various industrial and municipal properties that sought exclusions.

It quotes the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife’s endorsement which states that “the Housatonic River watershed is one of the most biologically rich and unique regions of the Commonwealth supporting one of the highest densities of state-listed species in the state.”

And it notes that 93% of the ACEC is delineated as an area representing the highest priority for biodiversity protection in Massachusetts.

This is a victory for the River, for those who live beside the river, for those who hike, canoe, hunt and fish and bird-watch. It is a victory for the varied forms of plant and animal life that make the Upper Housatonic their home.

It is a victory for citizen participation and for the combined power of ordinary Berkshire-ites and their representatives. Together, we demonstrated an overwhelming consensus for protecting the environment we regard as precious and irreplaceable.

Our great thanks go out to the many organizations who joined together to save the Housatonic, to all of you who took the time to attend public meetings, to write letters and contact your state representatives and state senator and Secretary Bowles, and to those of you who signed our petition.

Green Berkshires will be celebrating the ACEC (and its own fifth birthday) with an Open House at our office on Earth Day, April 22, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. We’re on the second floor at 292 Main Street, Great Barrington. Save the date! Please join us.

Note: you can download Secretary Bowles’ press release, the designation document, and his letter to Save The Housatonic on our Documents page.

SAVE THE ACEC

admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:55:35 +0000

We need your help now to secure the
Upper Housatonic River ACEC!

Here are 2 things we need you to do!

1. Sign our online petition. A few powerful people are working behind the scenes to scuttle the nomination of the upper Housatonic River and its surrounding landscape as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. It will take a lot of us to stop them. Don’t delay in signing the petition. Even if you have signed a paper petition, please sign this one now.

For your name to appear, you must use a valid email address. After you have entered your information into this petition, an e-mail will be sent to your email account to confirm your signature. You must respond to the e-mail by clicking on the blue link otherwise your name will not be added to the petition. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check to see whether it has been diverted to your Spam folder or “Suspect Email” folder. Thank you.

PETITION
Supporting designation

of the Upper Housatonic River

Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC)

I strongly support the Upper Housatonic River ACEC, without any boundary changes. The boundaries were chosen based on all the criteria of the ACEC regulations and on the studies and ecological resource maps done by state agencies and other researchers. The boundaries respect the integrity of the ecosystem to be protected by the ACEC, and help to preserve the fisheries, wildlife, recreation, tourism, and neighborhoods that depend upon the Housatonic River and its surroundings. The experience of the many towns across the Commonwealth with ACECs shows that designation will not impede economic development, but will enhance the ecological and economic value of the area for all of us into the future.

Gregory Whitehead, Lenox, MA, 01240

Kirt Mayland, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Morgan Bulkeley, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

Preston McClanahan, Savoy, MA, 01256

Meryl H. Joseph, Gt. Barrington, MA, 01230

Maria Nation, Sheffield, MA., 01257

Caroline Scully, , ,

LAura Chester, Alford, MA., 01230

Lauren R. Stevens, Stamford, 05352,

Evan Hardcastle, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Andrew Breslin, Lenox, Ma., 01240

sue knoll, monterey, ma, 01230

David Baumann, Richmond, MA, 01254

Mark Jester, Pittsfield, MA , 01201

Kevin Sprague, Lenox, MA, 01240

Ben Hillman, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Daniel Kruszyna, Cheshire, Ma, 01225

James Nicoll Cooper, S. Egremont, MA, 01258

Janet Elsbach, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Karen Kruszyna, Cheshire, MA, 01225

sarah flynn, pittsfield, MA, 01201

Matthew Carone, Lenox, MA, 01240

Millie Chan, Ashley Falls, MA, 01222

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, 01230

Sarah H. Bell, Lenox, MA, 01240

John R Trimarchi, Adams, MA, 01220

Patrice Mullin, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Ronald Smith, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Christopher Blair, Monterey, MA, 01245

Karin Paras, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

James Ferris, Alford, MA, 01266

Chris Magee, Richmond, MA, 01254

Trina Sears Sternstein, Hawley, MA, 01339

Patricia Peters, Lenox, MA, 01240

Jane Iredale, Great Barrington, MA, MA, 01230

Bill Shein, Alford, MA, 01230

rudi bach, housatonic, ma, 01236

xxxxxxxx, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Mary Ann Norris, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Tim Prentice, West Cornwall, CT,

Martin Greene, South Egremont, MA, 01258

Jamie Cooney, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Janice Cullen, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Louis R. Santoro, Norwood, MA, 02062

Herb and Paula Rod, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Jim Smith, Franklin, Ma., 02038

B. E. Spandorf, New York, NY, 10016

Susan Crofut, Sandisfield, MA, 01255

Michael Tiedemann, Boston, MA, 02132

Evelyn T. Jones, Dalton, MA, 01226

Robert Feuer, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

harold nelson, pittsfield, MA, 01201

Narain Schroeder, Housatonic, MA, 01236

DR. JEFFREY KOCHMAN, LENOX, MASS., 01240

Paul G. Marier, Franklin, MA, 02038

Melinda Gardiner, Hillsdale, NY, 12529

Ray Kasevich, Mt Washington, MA, 01258

Bruce Mandel, OTIS, MA, 01253

Lawrence S. Martz, South Egremont, MA, 01258

Bruce J. Tycks, Mendon, MA, 01756

Jim Lovejoy, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

Doug Goudey, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

geoffrey young, gt. barrington, MA, 01230

Roberta Gardner, Salisbury, CT, 06068

Franck de Chambeau, Lakeville, CT, 06039

Richard Reinhart, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

joan Kopperl, West Stockbridge, ,

Carolyn Newberger, Lenox, MA, 01240

ira kaplan, great barrington, MA, 01230

Karen Shreefter, Monterey, MA, 01245

julie scott, Alford, MA, 01230

Jessica Dezieck, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Christine Ward, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

lucy Holland, lenox, ma, 01240

charles schulze, lenox, ma, 01240

Jane Winn, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Richard Ladd, Dalton, Mass, 01226

John H. Hart, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Oskar K Hallig, Mt Washington, MA, 01258

Denton Smith, Lee, Ma, 01238

Dana Bishop, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Peter Murkett, Monterey, MA, 01245

Michael J. Mawn, East Walpole, MA, 02032

Joseph H. Nolan, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Paul K Gloger, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Sheffield, Massachusetts, 01257

Rebecca Ohm, Williamstown, MA, 01267

Barry R. Shapiro, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Meagan Ledendecker, Lenox, MA, 01240

Gayle Tardif-Raser, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Mary Patricia Gloger, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Dana Dapolito, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Anthony Dapolito, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Brian S. Lane, Walpole, Ma., 02081

Laura Walters Keenan, Lee, MA, 01238

Lannie Moore, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Mike Cunningham, Lenox, MA, 01240

janice braim, south lee, ma, 01260

George Shippey, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Rachel Fletcher, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Mickey Friedman, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Bill Allen, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, williamstown, ma, 01267

Eleanor Tillinghast, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

richard celli, lenox, ma, 01240

Kim Saul, Glendale, MA, 01229

J. Martin Salvadore, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Christopher Laney, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Katie Keenan, Lee, MA, 01238

Marshall Rosenthal, Savoy, MA, 01256

David Dempsey, Monterey, MA, 01245

xxxxxxxx, glendale, mass, 01229

John B. Hefele, Jr., Franklin, Massachusetts, 02038

Robert Bott, Mt. Washington, MA, 01258

Nancy Bott, Mt. Washington, MA, 01258

Gary Davis, randolph, ma, 02368

Amanda Plaine, pittsfield, ma, 01201

susanna banks baum, great barrington, ma, 01230

Jenny Russell, Sheffied, Massachusetts, 01257

Cindy Bell-Deane, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

james schumacher, great barrington, mA, 01230

john tuke, millerton, NY, 12546

David Francis, Quincy, MA, 02170

Mark Shapp, Lenox, MA, 01240-2537

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Jennifer Shapp, Lenox, MA, 01240

Dr. Wayne Klug, Lanesboro, MA, 01237

Greg Ward, Gt. Barrington, MA, 01230

L. Kirsten Keenan, Lee, MA, 01238

Betsy McTiernan, Gt. Barrington, MA, 01230

Beth Zeiter-Chan, Bethesda, MD, 20814

Mary Cane, mount washington, ma, 01258

Jon Swan, Southfield, MA, 01259

Judith Friedlander, NYC, NY, 10025

Arva Deris, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, CT, 06470

ALEXANDER H.. HOLMAN, MILL RIVER, MA, 01244

Enrico Ferorelli, Norfolk, CT, 06058

Helen Gasparian, Lee, MA, 01238

Marc Fadding, Glendale, MA, 01229

Bobbie Hallig, South Egremont, MA, 01258

Brian Tenney, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, Lenox, MA, 01240

Barbara K. Greenfeld, Pittsfield, MA, 01201-7420

Megan Reisel, Lee, MA, 01238

jackie ling wong, lenox, ma, 01240

Noreen Anderson, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Gary Wilk, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 01201-4430

Chip Elitzer, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Ann Getsinger, Mill River, MA, 01244

mary acton adams, lenox, ma, 01238

Mark Thorne, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Daniel Bellow, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, Monterey, MA, 01245

TIm Newman, Southfield, MA, 01259

Deb Fox, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

anni crofut, housatonic, ma, 01236

Tad Ames, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 01267

Ann M Connors, Lanesboro, MA, 01237

Stephen Booth, Lenox, MA, 01240

Holly Hamilton, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Gary A. Soucie, Williamstown, MA, 01267

Jon Piasecki, West Stockbridge, MA, 01236

xxxxxxxx, new york, NY, 10010

Ken De Loreto, Southfield, MA, 01259

Theresa F. Anello, Sheffield, Ma, 01257

Donna Gamble, Blandford, MA, 01008

Steven Picheny, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Mary Jo Lichvar, Lee, MA, 01238

Lo-Yi Chan, Ashley Falls, MA, 01222

Alan Papscun, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

anna stanton, great barrington, massachusetts, 01230

todd farina, lee, ma, 01238

Hester Velmans, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Marilyn Wiley, Washington, MA, 01223

Govane Lohbauer, Lee, MA, 01238

mary pat akers, great Barrington, ma, 01230

Carl Sprague, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Seth Nash, Lenox, MA, 01240

Richard Andrus, Monterey, MA, 01245

Katharine Wiencke, Williamstown, MA, 01267

Christine Papadakis, West Hartford, Connecticut, 06107

Barbara Zheutlin, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Brian Mikesell, Mill River, MA, 01244

Jane Ryan, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Kate Wenner, SOuthfield, MA, 01259

Sherry Macdonald, Sheffield, Massachusetts, 01257

Laura Gratz, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Patricia Curley, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Sharon Gregory, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

anne undeland, richmond, ma, 01254

Debra Herman, Mill River, MA, 01244

xxxxxxxx, Norfolk, CT , 06058

David Adler, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

John Weinstein, Mill River, MA, 01244

Baukje and Noel Cohen, Ashley Falls, ma, 01222

Robert , Stockbridge, MA, 01262

xxxxxxxx, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Jonathan Sylbert, Monterey, MA, 01245

Lisa Smyle, Monterey, MA, 01245

martha saxton, New York, New York , 10001

Alan Silverstein, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Laura Purcell, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

Laurily Epstein, Monterey, MA, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Dalton, MA, 01226

Marianne Swan, Southfield, MA, 01259

Gregory Haywood Simpson, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Muriel Lazzarini, Monterey, MA, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Sharon, MA, 02067

Bettina Montano, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Wendy T. Linscott, Egremont, MA, 01258

kathryn Roberts, Monterey, MA, 01245

Geri Rybacki, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Annette Grant, Housatonic, Ma., 01236

Gael Hurley, Dalton, Ma, 01226

catherine and Matt Mandel, stockbridge, MA, 01262

Rene Wendell Jr, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Rene Wendell Sr, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Georgeanne Rousseau, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Gina Hyams, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Karen W. Smith, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Emma & David Micklewright, MONTEREY, MA, 01245

Christine Goldfinger, Monterey, MA, 01245

Teena Parton, New Marlborough, MA, 01230

Deborah H. Greene, Gt. Barrington, MA, 01230

RIchard J. Kozik, Fall River, MA, 02720

Julie Shapiro, Monterey, MA,

Philip Johnson, Beacon, NY, 12508

Rhoda White, Stockbridge, Ma, 01262

B Carter White, West Stockbridge, Mass, 01266

James Sharkey, Tyringham, MA, 01264

xxxxxxxx, Middletown, NY, 10940

Sheryl Lechner, Sheffield, MA, 01257

charles sawyer, pittsfield, ma, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Lanesboro, MA, 01237

Neil McGinnis, Monterey, Ma., 01245

Michael, Pittsfield, Mass, 01201

barbara dahlman, monterey, ma, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Charles Jones, Dalton, MA, 01226

xxxxxxxx, monterey, mass, 01254

mike zippel, mount Washington, mA, 01258

Jim Frangione, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Peter S. Vallianos, Monterey, MA, 01245-0276

xxxxxxxx, Lee, MA, 01238

Louise Yohalem, Mill River, MA, 01244

Neil Goldstein, Southfield , MA, 01259

French Clements, Lee, MA, 01238

Jane S. Burke, New Marlborough, MA, 01230-2050

Kay Sadighi, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Christine Burbank, Pittsfield , MA, 01201

Diane Laurin, Lenox, MA, 01240

Joseph Poindexter, Southfield, , 01259

Gayle Mazursky, Southfield, MA, 01259

Theodore Glockner, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Daniel Seitz, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Ellen Lanciano, Lenox, MA, 01240

John Sellew, Monterey, MA, 01245

Elizabeth Kasevich, S. Egremont, MA, 01258

Philip Knowles, Lenox, MA, 01240

Mundi Smithers, Pownal, VT , 05261

Marcia Brolli, Sheffield, m,

Barbara Kellogg, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Betsy Spears, Mt. Washington , Ma. , 01258

Susanne King, Richmond, MA, 01254

elizabeth neale, hinsdale, MA, 01235

Lee Backer, Mill River, MA, 01244

xxxxxxxx, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Richard M Parison Jr, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Marion F. Adler, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Charles H. Tirrell, Norfolk, CT, 06058

Vlada Rousseff, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Monica Webb, Monterey, MA, 01245

Richard A. Zimmerman, Sheffield, MA, 01257

zuzana& Jan Wiener, lenox, mass., 01240

John G. Wightman, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Linda Day, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Kirven Blount, LA, CA, 90029

Bristol County League of Sportsmen\'s Clubs, Fall River, MA, 02722

Ursula Cliff, South Egremont, MA, 01258

Wendy A. McCain, south egremont, MA, 01258

Susan Kirshenbaum, Glendale, Ma., 01229

Robert R. Putnam, Alford, MA, 01230

Robin Ban, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Joanne Paladino, Sandisfield, MA., 10255

xxxxxxxx, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Alan Gewirtzman, Mill River, MA, 01244

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, Ma., 01201

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Bruce Arrington, Acushnet, MA, 02743

Donald Gangemi, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, 01230

Jeramy Vallianos, Monterey, MA, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Margareta Thaute, Alford, MA, 01230

liz thompson, west stockbridge, MA, 01266

xxxxxxxx, New Marlborough, MA, 01230

Anne O\'Dwyer, Housatonic, MA, 01230

Alice Schick, Monterey, MA, 01245

Eugenie Sills, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

June Wolfe, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Sanjiban Sellew, Nwe Marlborough, MA, 01230

Patricia A Sokolowski, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Monterey, MA, 01245

Laura Persily, Richmond, MA, 01201

xxxxxxxx, New Marlborough, MA, 01230

Elizabeth Olney, Housatonic, MA, 01236

xxxxxxxx, MONTEREY, MA, 01245

chuck mongue, hancock, ma, 01237

xxxxxxxx, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Edith Velmans, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Christine Erb, Lanesboro, MA, 01237

Mike Bissaillon, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Edmund Kobus, Dalton, MA, 01226

William Finn, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Kathy Korte, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Gary Quadrozzi, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield , MA, 01201

Morgan Bulkeley Sr., Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Diane Reuss, Stockbridge, Ma, 01262

pam burno, pittsfield, mass, 01201

Christina Vallianos, Monterey, MA, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Southfield, MA, 01259

Ginny Akabane, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

xxxxxxxx, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Christine M Tobin, W Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Simon Shaw, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Judith Blak, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Patty Spector, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Joel Schick, Monterey, MA, 01245

Susan Moore, Dalton, MA, 01226

Joan Griswold, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Kate Vallianos, Monterey, MA , 01245

Laura Walton, Richmond, MA, 01254

Craig Walton, Richmond, MA, 01254

Robert Zuber, Lenox, MA, 01240

xxxxxxxx, Raleigh, NC, 27609

Brian S Kelley, Quincy, MA, 02169

Thom Whaley, Ashley Falls, MA , 01222

Susan Casey, Lenox Dale, Ma, 01242

xxxxxxxx, Milton, MA, 02186

Juliet Emery, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Douglas McTavish, Monterey, MA, 01245

marilyn hickey, pittsfield, ma, 01201

rena zurofsky, stockbridge, massachusetts, 01262

Eileen Taft, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Shirley Blanchard, Stockbridge, MA, 01266

robbin emerson, pittsfield, ma, 01201

Leslie Shatz, Stockbridge, MA, 01262-1435

Laura Endacott, Mill River, MA, 01244

Marilyn Hansen, Lee, MA, 01238

Walter C. Cliff, South Egremont, MA, 01258

Alice Wislocki, Pittsfield, Ma, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Lee, MA, 01238

Victoria Strange, West Cornwall, CT, 06796

Paula A. Wells, Clarksburg, MA, 01247

Ashley Nelson, Sheffield, MA, 01257

elise pettus, Cornwall, Connecticut, 06753

Tonya Kalmes, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

Aline Sosne, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

xxxxxxxx, West Cornwall, CT, 06796

Kimberly Schneider, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Heidi Kearns, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

Bernard A. Drew, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Rita Mathews, Southfield, Ma, 01259

John H. McCabe, Canton, Ma, 02021

Jean J. Rousseau, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Una Elias, New York, NY , 10024

katherine Freygang, Cornwall, CT, 06753

jane barnet, cornwall, ct, 06753

jonathan berger, sheffield, ma, 01257

lila berle, stockbridge, Ma, 01262

Jay Baver, Lenox, MA, 01240

anne skakel, lenox, ma, 01240

mollie Allen, East Kingston, NH, 03827

Roy Blount Jr., Mill River, MA, 01244

Anne Frederichs, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

David Scribner, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Tricia Collins, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

KAREN SKELTON, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, 01230

Barbara Stone, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

xxxxxxxx, Cornwall, Connecticut, 06753

Marion Cimini, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Bonny Flower, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Dennis Regan, South Lee, Ma, 01260

George F. Himmel, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Jim Fulton, W. Stockbridge, MA, 01266

joanna buckner, NYC, NY, 11231

Jorja-Ann P. Marsden, Stockbridge, ,

Lawrence Bravo, Tyringham, MA, 01264

Merton Flemings, Richmond, MA, 01254

Elizabeth ten Grotenhuis, Richmond, Mass., 01254

Patrick Hare, Cornwall, CT, 06753

Katherine Keenum, Richmond, MA, 01254

Marilyn Konefal, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Bess Hochstein, Tyringham, MA , 01264

Brian Killeen, Southfield, ma, 01259

xxxxxxxx, west cornwall , ct, 06796

Susan Truta-Sabo, Richmond, MA, 01254

Alex N. Sabo, Richmond, MA, 01254

benno friedman, sheffield, MA, 01257

Carol Bosco Baumann, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Emily Shaw, H, ,

xxxxxxxx, North Adams, MA, 01247

Chris Hopkins, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

Zoe Canellakis, West Cornwall , CT, 06753

Peter Demos, West Cornwall, CT, 06796

Arlene V Jennings, Brooklyn, NY, 11201

Susan Josephson, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

roman montano, n. egremont, ma, 01252

James Gladstone, Wesr Cornwall, CT, 06796

Stuart Dunbar, lenox, MA, 01240

Willliam F. Bell, Lenox, Massachusetts, 01240

xxxxxxxx, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

David Barrett, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Barbara Palmer, Tyringham, MA, 01264

Sandra Walters, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Georgia and Duke Douillet, Housatonic, MA, 01236

Thomas Smith, Dalton, MA, 01226

Tracy Johnson, Lee, MA, 01238

Sara Burke, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Tim Ertl, Dalton, MA, 01226

xxxxxxxx, New Lebanon, NY, 12125

Ian Hooper, Canaan, NY, 12029

Rodney Parlee, Bolton, CT, 06043

martha bryan, mill river, ma, 01244

xxxxxxxx, Hinsdale, MA, 01235

Richard Sirella, Shelton, Conn, 06484

Georgene Poliak, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Phillip M. Gallup, Brockton, Ma., 02302

Peter kalmes, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

jim chervenak, lenox, ma, 01240

Brian C. Tobin, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

paul mcBride, mt washington, MA, 01230

Stephanie Kearns, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Jennifer C. Archer, Lenox, MA, 01234

Vincent Pafumi, Cambridge, MA, 02140

Julia Sedlock, Hillsdale, NY, 12529

Tim Gray, Lee, Ma, 01238

Tim Minkler, Stockbridge, Ma, 01262

Marjorie Cohan, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

John Galt, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Sarah Gardner, Williamstown, MA, 01267

Patty Crane, Windsor, Massachusetts, 01270

Chris derby Kilfoyle, Stamford, VT, 05352

John Yuill, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Linda Kaye-Moses, Dalton, MA, 01226

Gene Chague, Lenox, MA, 01240

May Lee, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

John Hall, Mount Washington, MA, 01258

Gloria McMahon, Richmond, Ma, 01254

Tim Crane, Windsor, MA, 01270

John P. DeVillars, Boston, MA, 02116

Gail Cariddi, North Adams, MA, 01247

Vaunie Graulty, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Ellen Boyd, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Dorothy P. Smith, Pittsfield, MA, 01202

Joseph Creedon Jr., Norfolk, MA, 02056

Alan Inglis, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

bob tutnauer, otis, ma, 01253

walter Cudnohufsky, Ashfield , Massachusetts, 01330

chris minkler, stockbridge, ma, 01262

Dominick Villane, Lanesborough, Ma., 01237

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Christopher Vlcek, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Jennifer Clark, Greast Barrington, MA, 01230

Judith Bach, Monterey, , 01245

Jason Miner, New Marlborough, MA, 01230

Donald Pulfer, AIA, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Robert J. McDermott, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Hilary Somers Deely, Stockbridge, Ma., 01262

Sara Parrilli, Monterey, MA, 01245

Larry Lane, Lenox, MA, 01240

Eugene & Maria Cleary, New Marlborough, Ma., 01230

Susan Sheridan, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Robert Raser, Lenox, Ma, 01240

Cheryl Luft, , ,

John Stookey, Sheffield, MA, 01257

MaryBeth Merritt, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Timothy Liponis, Lenox, MA, 01240

Richard D. Spoor, Lakeville, CT, 06039

Elena Traister, North Adams, Massachusetts, 01247

William Conklin, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Ahron Lerman, Falls Village, CT, 06031

xxxxxxxx, Richmond, MA, 01254

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Allen Rossiter, Lincoln, MA, 01773

Pamela Bloodworth, Ashley Falls, MA, 01222

Emily Chasse, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Raina Weber, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Amy Cotler, West , Massachusetts, 01266

Richard Zona, North Adams, MA, 01247

Katie Watson, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Karen Lyness LeBlanc, Hillsdale, NY, 12529

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Jody Soules, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, new york, new yoek, 10021

xxxxxxxx, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Jeff Gifford, Brookline, MA, 02446

jamie purinton, ancram, new york, 12502

xxxxxxxx, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Emily H. Fisher, Sheffield,, Massachusetts, 01257

Jamie Mullen, New Marlborough, Ma., 01230

Susan Witt, South Egremont, Massachusetts, 01258

Bridghe McCracken, Great Barrington, MA , 01230

Richard Ryan, Tyringham, MA, 01264

susan austin, sheffield, ma, 01257

Judy Isacoff, S. Egremont, MA, 01258

bob denley, lee, ma, 01238

Marilyn Moran, Adams, MA, 01220

Bob Norris, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

Kathy Sferra, Stow, MA, 01775

Lawrence Bronstein, Great Barrington, MA, 01230

xxxxxxxx, Mt. Washington, MA, 01258

Bruce Detwiler, Mt. Washington, MA, 01258

John Hall, Mt Washington, MA, 01258

Daniel Schwartz, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Tom Tyning, Pittsfield, Ma, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Windsor, MA, 01270

xxxxxxxx, Lenox, MA, 01240

Lois Cooper, Williamstown, MA, 01267

cathy dargi, pittsfield, ma, 01201

Chantal Rhind, Pittsfield, MA, 01262

Dane Wested, Pittsfield , MA, 01201

Gretchen DeBartolo, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

lorraine schulze, lenox, ma, 01240

kristin lathrop, brooklyn, ny, 11217

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Edie Ross, Monterey, Ma, 01245

xxxxxxxx, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

xxxxxxxx, Lanesboro, MA, 01237

Pamela Dutton, Becket, MA, 01223

Raymond E. Risley, Pittsfield, MA, 01201

Allison Lassoe, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Jim Antal, Framingham, ma, 01702

Amy Lafave, Lenox Dale , MA, 01242

Michael Costerisan, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Tim Hickey, Stockbridge, Ma., 01262

Richard L. Woller, Lenox, MA, 01240

Steve McMahon, West Stockbridge, MA, 01266

Elizabeth Tillinghast, Alford, MA, 01266

John Veague, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Aaron Bieniek and Antoinette Alizio, Adams, MA, 01220

David Colbert, Cornwall Bridge, CT, 06754

Christopher Sherwood, New Marlborough, MA, 01230

Bryan Emmett, Lee, MA, 01238

Robert Thomas, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Kathy Orlando, Sheffield, MA, 01257

Susan Pitman, Sheffield, ,

Diane Cote, Canaan, ,

Sean Cowhig, Stockbridge, MA, 01262

Micharl Svelnis, Florida, MA, 01247

Walton Wilson, Lenox Dale, MA, 10242

James Larimore, pittsfield, Ma, 01201

Patricia Hubbard, Sandisfield, MA, 01255

Keith O\'Neil, Lee, MA, 01238

carol mack, lenox, ma, 01240

Carolina Reid, Sherman, CT, 06784

xxxxxxxx, Lenox, MA, 01240

Joan Embree, Glendale, Ma. , 0l229

Gale Hartel, Cumberland, MD, 21502

2. Please send a short email to Secretary Bowles about your support for the ACEC. It can be as brief as a sentence or two. Our emails will be going to the director of the ACEC program who will be compiling them for Secretary Bowles, but please add the following to the subject line: Secretary Bowles: Upper Housatonic ACEC. Email her at: Elizabeth.Sorenson@state.ma.us. All public comments are due within 10 days after the public hearing, by February 9th.

Please distribute paper versions of our petition.
Click here to download a Word document version of the petition:

Click here to download a PDF version of the petition:

Please keep track of everyone who has copies of the petition so that we can collect them at the end of the petition drive. Paper petitions can be faxed to Save The Housatonic at (413) 528-6854, or mailed to P.O. Box 501, Great Barrington, MA 01230.

The online and paper petitions will be submitted to the state’s Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs on February 9, 2009. (Duplicate signatures will be eliminated.) Please help us get as many signatures as possible.
Please call us at (413) 528-9363 or email us if you have any questions: etillinghast@greenberkshires.org

Save the Housatonic!

admin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:43:50 +0000

Until recently, General Electric (GE) had a major industrial facility in Pittsfield, the largest city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. At its Pittsfield site along the Housatonic River, from the mid-1930s to the mid 1970s, GE used the man-made toxic chemical polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) as an insulating fluid in its electrical transformers. PCBs are poisonous to people, animals, birds, fish, and other wildlife.

During those years, a massive amount of PCB-contaminated oil ended up in the Housatonic River. This contaminated oil has adhered to riverbank soils and the river sediment, and has severely compromised the health of the Housatonic River ecosystem.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP), has been charged with working with GE to clean the river. Under a Consent Decree signed by the parties, GE cleaned the first half-mile of the river adjacent to the former GE industrial facility. EPA cleaned the next mile and a half downstream from the plant.

Under the terms of the Consent Decree, GE was charged with developing a Corrective Measures Study (CMS) to investigate the need for, and possible alternative ways of, cleaning the Rest of the River – that section of the river from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the Housatonic down through Berkshire County, Massachusetts into Connecticut to the Long Island Sound.

GE is proposing a 10-year construction and restoration project involving the excavation and disposal of over 225,000 cubic yards of sediment and soil, at an estimated combined cost of $184 million for the Housatonic River.

Many concerned citizens are worried about what this might mean for the River. While we strongly support the clean-up of PCB contamination from the river sediments to make the river safe for wildlife and humans, we have strong reservations about the GE proposal.

Some would like GE to clean more of the River; some would like GE to use new and innovative technologies to break down the PCBs rather than dredge the River and landfill contaminated sediment and soil; and some are very concerned that they may live near a PCB-dump like the one adjacent to the Allendale School in Pittsfield. Everyone wants the process to end with a clean and beautiful Housatonic.

Mass Audubon has written that the GE proposal:

… contains insufficient information to evaluate the feasibility and cost of restoration of remediated areas. Given the sensitivity of the habitat along the Housatonic River and its floodplain, GE must be held to accordingly high standards for this clean up, which should begin with avoidance and minimization of adverse impacts to critical habitats. Where there is no alternative but to destroy habitats, restoration of affected areas to fully functional habitats must be required by EPA.

One important step we can take to protect our River is to designate the 12.9-mile corridor of the Upper Housatonic River as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). This stretch of the Housatonic is comprised of a complex and rich ecosystem that includes the river itself, adjacent wetlands and floodplains, several tributary streams, abundant wildlife, concentrations of rare species, and the steep, forested, western slopes of October Mountain State Forest.

You can read the Nomination of the Upper Housatonic River as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, submitted by Save The Housatonic to Ian A. Bowles, Secretary, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, August 29, 2008. Download the entire ACEC Nomination Document [180 pages, 27.6 MB]

To download individual sections of the ACEC Nomination Document go to our Documents Page.