Tanker Accident Shuts Down Mystic Valley Parkway In Arlington

ARLINGTON (CBS) — A gasoline tanker-truck overturned on the Mystic Valley Parkway, leaving fuel running down the roadway.

Friday afternoon, a tanker-truck owned by JP Noonan was on its side at the intersection of the Mystic Valley Parkway and Medford Street.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Bernice Corpuz reports

State Police say the driver of the tanker, a 65-year-old Framingham man was ejected. He was taken to Beth Israel Hospital with serious injuries.

According to Arlington Police Chief Fred Ryan, the tanker was coming on to Route 60 from Medford into Arlington when it failed to negotiate the rotary and flipped.

The fire department and haz-mat teams set up booms to contain the spill, which was running toward the Mystic River in the minutes after the crash.

Mystic River Watershed Association’s Ekongar Singh Khalsa tells WBZ, quite a bit of gasoline has gone into the river.

Listen to the interview with EkOngKar Singh Khalsa

A member of the association who was kayaking on the river at the time of the tanker crash saw gas in storm drains and said the amount flowing in was “significant.”

A tanker-truck can hold up to 10,000 gallons of fuel.

A nearby bank was evacuated and tests were done to surrounding homes to make sure air-quality was not compromised.

No charges have yet been filed against the driver.

Mystic River Watershed Named as new Urban Waters Federal Partnership Location

The Mystic River Watershed is one of eleven newly selected locations for the nation’s Urban Waters Federal Partnership. This partnership will reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts to improve our nation’s water systems and promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership will focus on improved water quality as well as increased access to public open space in the watershed. This Partnership greatly enhances and strengthens the ongoing efforts of the Mystic River Watershed Initiative Steering Committee and leverages more support for EPA’s Initiative. EPA will be working with USGS, HUD, ACOE, and FEMA.

More information about the Mystic River Partnership:

http://www.urbanwaters.gov/pdf/UWFPMysticRiverBackgrounder.pdf

Read more about the Urban Waters Federal Partnership at http://www.urbanwaters.gov/

Read the full press release (May 10, 2013) about the 11 new Federal Partnership locations.

Special Guest Presentation June 4

On Tuesday, June 4th, join the Mystic River Watershed Association for the monthly Committee Meeting to hear from Pallavi Mande, Director of Blue Cities®, at the Charles River Watershed Association. Pallavi will discuss their work in Chelsea in collaboration with MyRWA. The meeting is free and open to the public. June 4, 7-9pm, Tufts University, Lincoln Filene Center, Rabb Room, Medford.

Flatbread Pizza Fundraiser Set For June 18

Enjoy Pizza and Bowling for a Cause!

On Tuesday, June 18  head to Flatbread Pizza at Sacco's Bowl Haven in Davis Square for a MyRWA fundraiser. That’s right, the more flatbread you eat the more money will be raised to support the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) and our efforts to protect and restore the Mystic River Watershed!

Eat at or get take-out from Flatbread Pizza, 45 Day Street, Somerville, between 5pm and 11pm and a portion of your flatbread will automatically be donated to MyRWA.

Reservations are accepted for groups of 10 or more.

RSVP to this event on Facebook.

Join Somerville to DePAVE the WAY!

DePAVE the WAY!

Please note the corrected address: 88 Bartlett St.

Join Cador & Lenni from Somerville Climate Action: 

Saturday May 11 from 12:30 to 3:00pm

Steve Langdon's house at 88 Bartlett St. (between Macoun Sq. & Winter Hill)

Rain date: Sunday, May 12 from 12:30 to 3:00pm

If you haven't already, please sign up on this Google Groups form to let us know you'll be there. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFFZbE1OS05XblFXYl9EQUc2UzVKcmc6MQ

See "Depaving the Way to a Safer Climate in Somerville"

http://vimeo.com/22830594

In Spanish: ¿Qúe Es Depaving?

http://talkingaboutsomerville.blogspot.com/2011/04/que-es-depaving.html

WHAT WE HAVE

Impervious surfaces prevent rainwater from entering the soil and instead divert it to nearby waterways. Along the way, the rainwater carries pollutants such as oil, antifreeze, plastics, pesticides, and heavy metals from the roads into local streams and rivers, devastating habitats and polluting local waterways.

BEA PARTOFTHE SOLUTION

The removal of pavement allows for the revegetation of land with trees and plants. The benefits of urban vegetation include:

* Storm water becomes purified naturally when water soaks into the soil and returns to the water table

* Climate change is decreased when plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen

* Green spaces reduce the "urban heat island effect" which results when dark-colored asphalt absorbs summer heat, decreasing the need for electricity to power fans and air conditioners

* Shade trees and bushes cool homes and outdoor spaces by shading of the sun’s rays

* Evapotranspiration of rain on the leaves results in further cooling

* Trees and bushes protect against harsh winds

* Green areas provide much needed beauty to urban areas

* Air quality is enhanced when particulate pollutants are removed from the air 

* Trees and bushes provide visual privacy and reduce noise from the street

* Green spaces restore local habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife

* Vegetable gardens provide homeowners with local nutritious food

Three Towns, One Forest Forum

Three Towns, One Forest
Thurs. April 25th, 7pm-9pm
Lesley University hall, 1815 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA

Lesley University, Green Cambridge, and Friends of Alewife Reservation are hosting an environmentally timely Forum to save the Silver Maple Forest from 7pm-9pm.
Speakers on the Forum include: Scott Horsley of Horsley and Witten Co., John Reinhardt of the Mystic River Watershed Association, Geophysicist Lucia Lovison, Quinton Zondervan of Green Cambridge, Minka vanBeuzekom, Cambridge City Council, Scott Horsley of Horsley and Witten Co. and David Morimoto, head of Natural Science and Mathematics Dept. at Lesley.

The Forum is moderated by Amy Mertl, biology professor at Lesley.

http://www.friendsofalewifereservation.org/2013-04-25-Silver-Maple-Forum-Poster.pdf

Arlington DPW offers discounted rain barrels

The Arlington DPW has partnered with the Great American Rain Barrel Company in Hyde Park, MA to offer recycled barrels to residents as part of a community wide water conservation program.  

Each UV protected polyethylene rain barrel is manufactured in the USA from a recycled shipping drum that stands 39" tall by 24" wide and weighs 20 lbs. empty with a wall thickness of 3/16", resulting in a rigid, heavy duty rain barrel that will last virtually forever. The barrel comes complete with overflow fittings, drain plug, screw on cover, and a threaded spigot with a choice of two ports to use with either a watering can or a garden hose. The rain barrel arrives with simple instructions for fast and easy installation. For additional water storage simply link two and three barrels together.

Arlington is offering the Great American Rain Barrel in three colors; Forest Green, Earth Brown or Nantucket Gray at the low cost of $69 versus the retail price of $119.  

To take advantage of this community program discount please visit www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com, email info@tgarb.com or call (800)251-2352, or call (800)251-2352. Purchase online at  www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com look for “Shop Local Programs” left side bar and find “Arlington”.

Barrels will be available for pick up on Saturday, May 4th between 9:00am- 11:00am at the Arlington Public Yard, 51 Grove Street. Deadline for ordering is Friday, April 26th


Don't forget to sign up to help plant two rain gardens May 4 & May 11!!