Clean up the Housatonic River! That was the battle cry of the Housatonic River Watershed Association (HRWA) back in the 1980’s. I was on the Board at that time and I agreed. That was until GE presented a plan which basically channelized the river from Pittsfield to Woods Pond in Lenox Dale. That’s when I said, leave it alone. Don’t wreck it by trying to save it.
Over the years, a Consent Agreement was developed by GE, City of Pittsfield, State and Federal environmental agencies and others. Subsequently, different sections of the river were “cleaned up”, if one can call it that as well as Silver Lake. After that, it was time to clean the “Rest of the River”.
During this time, I think it is safe to say that the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS) the umbrella organization representing approximately 3,000 sports folks felt that the river should be left alone. It was concerned that the flood plains, river banks, back waters, trees, etc., and their inhabitants such as fish, flora and fauna would be destroyed or severely impacted. The BCLS felt that we will never be able to eat the fish out of the river anyways, not while PCB’s are still leeching into Silver Lake, Unkamet Brook and ultimately into the Housatonic River. Many of the PCBs were buried, why dig them up and resuspend them in the water column or into the air. Trees will have to be cut and one of the most beautiful and environmentally sensitive areas west of the Connecticut River, full of fish, game and rare and possibly endangered species will be destroyed or altered for the remainder of our lifetimes, our children’s and grandchildren’s.
Several environmental organizations wanted a stringent clean-up which would remove all of the PCB’s in the river and along its banks and flood plains and there seemed to be an impasse. The BCLS softened its position somewhat by backing the most environmentally sensitive clean-up possible. It supported the MA DEP’s position of basically just cleaning up the “hot spots”, Woods Pond and areas behind the dams and shipping the PCB’s out of state to a licensed landfill. I believe it was the MA DEP’s position that no toxic landfills would be allowed in Massachusetts.
Then some big things happened in early 2017. The new administration in Washington started messing around with the EPA by changing its leadership and putting the clean-up on a fast tract. At about the same time, GE was talking about moving its headquarters to Boston. Oh, oh, trouble ahead. Next will come strangers to the towns carrying big checkbooks to try to sway the town officials to go along with their plan of putting a toxic dump in the Dale. Hey, $25,000,000 is a lot of money to a small town like Lenox or Lee.
Some time later there was a meeting at the Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley Sanctuary barn and we were introduced to the new EPA regional boss. I didn’t like what I was hearing and voiced concern that the EPA couldn’t be serious about creating a PCB toxic dump practically in Lenox, the home of Tanglewood, Canyon Ranch, Cranwell and other organizations which were investing $millions in the town. A town where tourism is so important. You should have seen the look that she gave me.
Well sorry, I just didn’t want Lenox Dale becoming the “Love Canal” of New England.
As you probably know, thanks to secret meetings of town officials, GE, EPA and some environmental organizations the dump will be placed a couple of hundred yards from the village. Only one environmental organization, Tim Gray’s Housatonic River Initiative, refused to sign the document. (Noticeably, the DFW, which owns most of the land along the Pittsfield/Lenox stretch of the river, (thanks to funds derived from hunters, fishermen and trappers), and the MA DEP were not represented).
The announcement of the pact was made at the Lenox Dale train station on February 10. US Senator Markey was there and commented on how nice it was that the community came together to form the pact (or words to that effect). I found those comments ironic when there were placards opposing the dump along the back and sides of the room. US Rep Neal was there, too, speaking positively about it.
State Rep Smitty Pignatelli directed our attention to the beautiful Woods Pond and nearby October Mountain saying that it was the perfect place for this meeting (or words to that effect). But he didn’t point to the southeast, 1,500 feet away, and say this is where the 20-acre disposal facility will be located, across the river from the village. In fact, I don’t believe any of the speakers even mentioned Lenox Dale in their speeches.
A few days later in the Berkshire Eagle of February 11 we learned how safe the upland disposal facility will be. It will be lined by thick plastic and we were assured that it wouldn’t affect the ground water because the bottom would be 10-15 feet above it. Heck, nothing to fear right? That plastic liner should last forever, right? Oh yes, GE must pay to connect nearby homes that use private wells to town water. What’s that tell you?
Don’t worry, they say, the sludge with PCB’s greater that 50 ppm will be shipped out of state (some 100,000 cubic yards of it). The rest of the sludge, about 900,000 cubic yards which will have lower concentration levels of PCBs, perhaps 25 ppm will go into the disposal facility. Well, some of us say if the levels are that low then leave them where they are. Why dig them up from the river/flood plains and risk their spreading into the air and resuspending them in the water.
In last week’s column, I requested comments from the sportsmen about the clean-up. I cannot print many of them. All I can say is that there are some angry sportsmen, paddlers and bird watchers out there who do not want to see such a beautiful, environmentally important area ruined, much less establish a toxic waste facility. There were some interesting comments. One made reference to 30 pieces of silver……you know where he was going with that. Another one, a dentist said, “They wouldn’t allow fluorides in the Lenox water supply, but they allow this”. The BCLS hasn’t taken a formal vote yet, but I would be willing to bet that most, if not all of the club delegates oppose the PCB landfill in the Dale.
I suspect I will get some nasty letters and e-mails as a result of this column and possibly people trying to change my mind. Please understand this, no matter how much sugar coating, there is nothing that can be said to me that would justify the environmental destruction and the consequences to the folks of the village of Lenox Dale. There is no way that I can rationalize a toxic landfill placed a couple hundred yards from Lenox Dale, or any town for that matter, as being anything but a bad deal. I suspect there are a few people who agree with me.
Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Ice Fishing Derby results
The winners of the 34th annual Harry Bateman Derby which was held on February 9 are as follows:
Children age 12 years old and younger
1st. Place: Khloe Koldys – Pike – 12lbs. 6oz.
2nd. Place: Levi Koldys – Pike- 12lbs.
3rd. Place: Tessa Matarazzo – Largemouth Bass – 2lbs.
Young Adults age 13-17 years old
1st. Place: Owen Paquette – Pike- 7lbs. 8oz.
2nd. Place: Asher Hotson – Pike – 6lbs. 14oz.
3rd. Place: Owen Leach – Yellow Perch 4oz.
Adults 18 years old and over.
1st. Place: Fran Poplaski – Catfish – 9lbs. 5oz.
2nd. Place: Eric Lee -Pike- 7lbs.
3rd. Place: James Greer – Catfish- 4lbs. 10oz.
Hunter Education Course
The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club will be conducting a 6 session Hunter Education Course at its clubhouse on 310 Curran Road, Cheshire. The sessions will run Mondays and Fridays for three weeks from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on February 24, 28, and March 2, 6, 9 and 13. Instructor Wayne McLain says they still have some openings. To enroll, call (508) 389-7830 or show up.