October Node Meeting!
The next 350Mass Berkshires Monthly Node meeting is on Wednesday, October 19 at 6pm (5:30 for potluck snacks) at the UU Church at 175 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. Senator Ben Downing will join us for an "exit interview." Senator Downing has a great deal of knowledge around energy policy and the workings of the Massachusetts legislature and will present his suggestions for future legislation and the ideas he has for us going forward.
A rich discussion will follow! Every month our meetings offer an opportunity for Berkshire residents to get involved with the growing climate change movement.
We're looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate the fall season, and the work we all do!
News and Actions!
New Statewide Campaigns!
It’s that time again: Nodes all around the state are gathering to vote on the statewide campaigns 350 Massachusetts will be getting behind for the coming year, so get your ideas in now!
Last year’s campaigns were ReNEWable Massachusetts, Divest from Fossil Fuels, and Fair Carbon Pricing. We may keep some or all of these (and even if they’re not the primary campaigns, we’ll still be working for them). But this is our chance to decide what our priorities will be for the coming year.
Proposals for campaigns are being gathered on our Google Drive; you can add new proposals or comment on existing papers at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9bjhYiOmuC0V0szT2NlOV9qM00
The deadline for campaign proposals is coming up quickly (October 15th), so get your thoughts in!
180+ Organizations from 35 States Call for Congressional Review of FERC!
Delaware Riverkeeper Network, along with more than 180 organizations representing communities across America (including BEAT and NoFrackedGasinMass) called on leaders in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee to hold congressional hearings into the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) extensive history of bias and abuse. The groups are also requesting reform of the Natural Gas Act, which the groups say, gives too much power to FERC and too little to state and local officials.
“The time has now come for Congress to investigate how FERC is using its authority and to recognize that major changes are in fact necessary in order to protect people, including future generations, from the ramifications of FERC’s misuse of its power and implementation of the Natural Gas Act,” says Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and a primary organizer of the effort.
“FERC is corrupt and needs to be reformed,” said Paul L Gierosky, cofounder, Coalition to Reroute Nexus. “The evidence is overwhelming and clear as is set forth in the request for Congressional Hearings. It is time for Congress to hold FERC accountable.”
»Click for more information
Harvest of Hope Festival Brings Pittsfield Together
The Harvest of Hope, a multi-cultural, community-building, awareness-raising festival rocked the Common in Pittsfield on Saturday, October 1st. Manos Unidas/Hands Helping Hands Multicultural Educational Cooperative was the lead organization behind the event, and volunteers and speakers from the 350MA Berkshire Node, BEAT, and Living the Change helped pull it off.
Saturday’s event was an all-day affair, according to Anaelisa Jacobson, one of the co-founders of the event. From noon to 5 p.m., there were performance artists, dancers, clinics, booths, storytelling and social, economic and environmental information tables.
“This brings people together,” said Robert O’Brien, a co-director of the festival. “Especially the unheard members of our community.”
“It’s here so people can come together,” said Warren Davis of Pittsfield. “So people can learn about each other.”
»Click here for more information
New Massachusetts Energy Storage Report, “State of Charge”
According to a new Massachusetts energy storage report, titled “State of Charge,” the next wave of clean energy policy making will be focused on energy storage. The study, co-funded by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), represents a major new policy direction for the state on how to capture the economic and environmental benefits of emerging energy storage technologies.
The 200-page report, supported by detailed economic analysis, lays out how Massachusetts can use a smart combination of procurement, financial incentives, market economics, and economic development strategies to expand storage deployment and help grow the storage industry. It is a road map showing how energy storage can save money, increase penetration of renewable power and address climate change in Massachusetts — and, by extension, in other states.
The report proposes that the state invest millions in storage deployment incentives and market development, with the goal of incentivizing 600 MW of new advanced storage capacity by 2025, resulting in an anticipated $800 million in system benefits to ratepayers.
»Click for more information!
Help Us Help You Save the World!
Our node is currently working through our membership list and would like to get a better sense of what types of emails you would like to receive. We don't want to be clogging your inbox! We also want to know how you would like to engage with the node. We have tons going on and are looking for more motivated people to get involved with work and actions that speak to them.
»Please fill out this form!
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