Help De-Pave Somerville on October 11

DE-Pave the Way to a Safer Climate!
Monday, October 11, 2010 10:00 to 4:00
a 350.org Global Work Party
and Somerville Climate Action event
co-sponsored by Mystic River Watershed Association and Groundwork Somerville

Next Monday, October 11th from 10:00am to 4:00pm, we will be De-Paving the Way to a Safer Climate! We invite you to join us in what we hope will be the first of many "de-pavings" in Somerville. This event is part of the 350.org Global Work Party. As the planet heats up and the world awaits for heads of state to pass a science-based climate treaty that will bring us back to the safe 350ppm atmospheric CO2 concentrations as soon as possible (we reached 392ppm this summer), citizens across the globe will be rolling up their sleeves and getting to work in their communities, sending a message to world leaders that they, too, need to get to urgently get to work on climate change.

In Somerville, we will be de-paving the backyard of 24 Maple Avenue (and possibly another site TBA) from 10:00am to 4:00pm in two hour shifts and will finish off the day with food, music, and cheer!

Please let us know if you can participate (we need an exact head count to make this run smoothly!) by emailing vanessarule@gmail.com, and what shifts are best for you (10 to 12; 12 to 2; or 2 to 4).
Update on 2010-10-13 17:43 by MyRWA

Work of 1,000 Coming to Brookline, MA

Marion Stoddart's "The Work of 1,000" will be shown on Thurs. October 14 from 7pm-8:30pm at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. The film will be followed by a panel discussion on "The Future of Urban Environmentalism."

Panelists include Marion Stoddart, who led the cleanup of the Nashua River and stars in "The Work of 1000"; former Fitchburg Mayor Bill Flynn; current Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong; and Colin Durrant, the former Communications Director for the Conservation Law Foundation. Introductory remarks by Work of 1000 director/producer, Susan Edwards. The panel will be moderated by Work of 1000 director/writer Dorie Clark.

Work of 1000 is a documentary about the parallel journey of two characters, one a young woman discouraged at her future as a suburban housewife, the other a river - once beautiful and teeming with wildlife - now a hopeless, toxic sludge pit.

Chronicling an important episode in U.S. environmental history, this inspirational story examines the human side of acclaimed environmental pioneer Marion Stoddart.

Marion Stoddart proved that with vision and commitment, an "ordinary" person can accomplish extraordinary things. This film will reveal the secrets of her success and her methods for inspiring change.

2010 Annual Meeting October 28

MyRWA is pleased to announce our 2010 Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 28th. Please join us at the Tufts University Boathouse at 300 River's Edge Drive in Medford at 6:00pm for appetizers or at 7pm for the start of the meeting. We will be joined by guest speaker Curt Spalding, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England. Mr. Spalding will address the Green Economy and Urban Waters. More information coming soon!

DCR RELEASES MYSTIC RIVER MASTER PLAN

DCR Mystic River Master PlanThe DCR's 162 page Mystic River Master Plan provides steps for preserving and restoring the area surrounding the Mystic River. The comprehensive plan, which took years to complete, aims to promote recreational use of the land around the river, preserve wild habitats, develop additional pathways, link open spaces, and develop guidelines for future management of the park.

View the DCR Mystic River Master Plan here.

Help Lead the Way at MyRWA

MyRWA’s Board of Directors is looking for a few dedicated and enthusiastic people to join them as members of the Board to steward this very energized voice for the Mystic River Watershed.  Ideally, Board candidates will have a background in non-profit management, finance, or policy and/or will have a strong background in environmental law, science or community service and advocacy.  What is essential is a desire to help protect and restore the Mystic River Watershed, to improve environmental conditions in the Watershed as a whole, and to represent the interests of all the residents of the Watershed from the environmental justice communities of the Lower Watershed to the flood-challenged Upper Watershed to all those affected by the storm water issues pervading the entire Watershed. 

Upcoming Draft Plan for the Middlesex Fells Reservation

In the latest chapter of the ongoing dispute between users of the Middlesex Fellsway Reservation, the State Department of Conservation and Recreation has indicated that an upcoming draft plan for trail usage will focus on enforcement of existing rules at the Fells, education, trail closures, resource protection, and improving recreational experience for existing users, the agency said in a letter to the Boston Sierra Club.

The trail system plan will not call for an expansion of the trail system, construction of new trails or the expansion of parking at the Fells, according to a copy of the letter provided by the Sierra Club, dated Sept. 2, 2010.

Coming together for clean water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft Coming Together for Clean Water strategy and is encouraging public comment.  This document is regarding how EPA can most effectively pursue our nation’s clean water goals.

Somerville Brownfields Receive $400,000

The City of Somerville will soon be cleaner, thanks to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding. Somerville will receive $400,000 from EPA to help clean contaminated sites known as brownfields. More specifically, brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

“This funding for Somerville will help the local economy and will continue to assist in creating and keeping good jobs in the area. With this additional money the city will be able to fund more local cleanup projects, “said Curt Spalding, regional administrator for EPA New England.

Read about successfully remediated brownfields in New England here.

Water Chestnut Hand-Pulling event a Success!

Volunteers cleaning the Mystic on Aug. 28thOn Saturday, August 28th over 30 volunteers joined Groundwork Somerville,  the Mystic River Watershed Association and the Friends of the Mystic River, in an effort to remove invasive water chestnut from the Mystic River in Medford.   Using canoes, kayaks, and small boats, volunteers pulled the plants out of the water by hand. After 4 hours of working, volunteers removed 372 baskets of water chestnuts - no small feat! That's at least 7,500 pounds of plant material that will be sent to a local compost facility.

Thanks to all who participated! A special thanks to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority crew.

Settlement with Revere Announced

The City of Revere will significantly reduce the amount of untreated sewage discharges (CSO's, SSO's) entering the Mystic River Watershed. This Consent Decree comes after years of reported illicit discharges, and is brought upon by federal and state enforcement agencies.

"Under this settlement, the City of Revere will undertake much needed upgrades to how they manage wastewater, resulting in significant improvements to the waters directly impacted, and to the Mystic River Watershed,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England region. “This will mean a cleaner and healthier environment for the City’s people and those living downstream of Revere.”

Read the EPA Press Release here.