No Drought Conditions in Berkshire County

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BOSTON —Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared there are no drought conditions in Massachusetts except the Cape Cod Region, which has been upgraded to a Level 2.
 
Drought is a look back on conditions over a period of time. July was notably warm in Massachusetts, with average temperatures 2 to 5 degrees above normal. Precipitation levels vary in the state, with some areas getting above-normal rainfall amounts, while areas north of I-90, and the Northeast, Southeast, Cape Cod, and the Islands Regions have seen below-average rainfall. Regions that are currently not in a drought are starting to see some indices impacted by the low precipitation. More precipitation is needed to improve hydrological systems, especially groundwater and fire danger indices, in areas that are lagging.  
 
Observed groundwater levels have begun to decline once more in the Cape Cod Region. Due to a lack of precipitation and prolonged higher temperatures, the risk for outdoor fires has elevated. These weather conditions have resulted in drier soil and reduced water levels in rivers, streams, and ponds, which have impacted fish passage, particularly in the Cape Region.
 
The Drought Management Task Force (DMTF) collected and analyzed data from August 2024 through July 2025.
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Lanesborough OKs Open Space Plan, Short-Term Rental Forms

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday set fees for short-term rentals and adopted an Open Space and Recreation Plan.
 
Town Administrator Gina Dario discussed the draft for STR registration and certificate of inspection since the new bylaws were passed at the annual town meeting.
 
The draft shows the process to file for inspection through Permit Eyes, the town's online permitting system that includes the state building code and safety requirements. Dario said members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and the building commissioner looked at other town models to come up with the best process for registration.
 
Inspections will be annually for non-owner occupied units and five years for owner-occupied. The inspection fee is a flat $50. The last suggestion discussed was the posting requirements for key information.
 
Dario said they looked at about four other communities on how they used non-sensitive information on owner contacts. Chair Deborah Maynard motioned to have the information posted both inside and out to help with law enforcement if needed.
 
"I'm going to make a motion that we put that relevant information not only on the inside of the short-term rental but on the outside, so if the police need to respond, ambulance needs to respond, fire especially needs to respond, all that information is there, nobody has to go searching for it," she said. "If push comes to shove, and it's a matter of minutes, that's going to make a big, a big difference in the outcome of the incident."
 
The board then heard a presentation from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's community planner Andrew McKeever and Open Space and Recreation Committee Vice Chair Mark Hawthorne.
 
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