Senator Mark Announces July Staff Office Hours

Print Story | Email Story
BOSTON — State Senator Paul W. Mark announced that his staff will host office hours at five locations in Berkshire County in July. 
 
Residents of any of the 57 municipalities in the Senator's Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District are encouraged to share ideas on current or potential state legislation, or to ask for assistance with issues involving any state agency.
 
Appointments are not required.
 
Adams: Tuesday July 2 and Tuesday July 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. Town Hall, 8 Park St., Adams.
 
Dalton: Monday, July 1 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Senior Center, 40 Field St., Dalton.
 
Great Barrington: Monday, July 1st and Monday, July 15th from 9 a.m. to noon. Town Hall, 334 Main St., Great Barrington.
 
North Adams: Tuesday, July 2nd, and Tuesday, July 16th, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. MCLA Alumni Relations Building, 228 E. Main St., North Adams.
 
Pittsfield: Thursday, July 11th and Thursday, July 25th from 9 a.m. to noon. District Office. 773 Tyler St., Pittsfield.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

MassDEP Talks Pollution Plans for Pontoosuc Lake

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The state Department of Environmental Protection has some options for restore a polluted Pontoosuc Lake back to health.
 
These were reviewed last Wednesday at a public information session.
 
Holly Brown, an analyst with MassDEP's Watershed Planning Program, said the lake is showing signs of nutrient pollution and eutrophication — a condition which promotes algae blooms, fish kills and dead zones — and cited recent algae blooms that resulted in public health advisories.
 
Matt Ladewig, principal scientist with TRC Companies of Windsor, Conn., explained the two different avenues Pittsfield and Lanesborough can take to help restore Pontoosuc Lake.
 
The two potential avenues include determining the lakes capacity for pollution (Total Maximum Daily Load) and developing a Nine Element Wastershed-based plan.
 
"The TMDL process is more formal and allocates pollutant loads to contributing point and non-point services in a way that will allow the water body to meet water quality standards," said Ladewig. 
 
A TMDL plan would identify the impairment, the causes and the pollutant load reductions. Following public comments, it would have to approved by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency to be eligible for grants. 
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories