SU — FYI

1. Found the Stockbridge Cane — see next issue of SU for the exciting story — now we have to find Mary Fynn's broach
2. Tuesday August 2 Zoning Board of Appeals hearing — 8 Hawthorne variance — scheduled as hybrid meeting if the second Zoom equipment is set up
3. Very Important Message from Community Television South Berkshire (CTSB): Since Spectrum switched CTSB channel numbers to 1301, 1302 and 1303, many people think CTSB is no longer available. If Stockbridge Updates could mention our channel numbers and website www.ctsbtv.org that would be fantastic! Thank you. Rich Frederick, CTSB
4. Special thank you to the beautifiers of Stockbridge: To the Red Lion Inn and their lovely Main Street and South Street gardens; the Laurel Hill Association with a special nod to the gardenia-garden at the post office, the exceptional garden path at Stockbridge Library, and all the Main Street and Elm Street merchants who dress up for holidays and special occasions.

Staging flowers behind the Red Lion Inn. Photo: Patrick White

With respect to Stockbridge Bowl Association (SBA):

When SU sent out the News Alert, SU promised more information. Here it is.

Is there a difference between "No herbicides in Stockbridge Bowl" and no fluridone in Stockbridge Bowl — practically speaking — no — because that is the only process for which SBA had an Order of Conditions (OCC). At the July 9th meeting SBA voted not to proceed — to vacate — the OOC and has no other permission from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

As background, in the 4/1/2022 issue, SU reported that SBA wanted to change — not vacate — the approved Final OOC by:

1. Selecting new test sites in May 2022 and
2. Selecting an extra site as back-up if once again SBA cannot find milfoil (Town precluded from harvesting in test areas)
3. Changing the proposed herbicide to be used from Fluridone to ProcellaCOR

All three require change to the final OOC. The final OOC can only be changed by the grantor, DEP. DEP only grants changes warranted by conditions: Go to https://www.mass.gov/guides/wetlands — search for conditions to change an OOC. It is a time-consuming process, and permission to amend the OOC is not guaranteed.

It is now July and requested changes — hoped for in May — are not approved. Because DEP does not allow harvesting in test areas, harvesting has been limited. Also, in the preceding seasons, testing did not find Eurasian Milfoil in the amounts required by DEP to approve whole lake treatment. Any other suggested approach might also require DEP approval.

SU invited SBA to make a submission and is delighted that they did (see below). You will note their submission is over the 400-word limit. However, it was submitted as an official document not properly subject to editing — SU is pleased to post it as written.

Editor's notes:

1. Description of ProcellaCOR at https://www.walpa.org/waterline/june-2019/procellacor
2. With respect to ProcellaCOR use, "Recommendations and Massachusetts Use Restrictions" for use as follows:
   • The maximum permissible application concentration should be 10 ppb, applied no greater than three times per year.
   • Florpyrauxifen-benzyl should not be applied to estuarine and marine waters or to freshwater systems with direct outflow to estuarine/marine waters.
   • Methods for application of this product in Massachusetts are restricted to in-water applications and foliar applications from a boat or ground equipment.
   • Florpyrauxifen-benzyl should be excluded from use in State-listed aquatic species habitats, unless otherwise authorized in writing on a case-by-case basis by the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to MA Endangered Species Act (321 CMR 10.14 or 10.18).

Stockbridge Bowl. Photo: Blue Moon Images/Dana Goedewaagen