New Feature!!!

Editor's note: In the nineteenth century every Berkshire newspaper was anchored locally — the Pittsfield Sun, The Stockbridge Evening Star, the Great Barrington Currier, the Valley Gleaner (Lee) and more — but in their pages, each had columns for other towns. If your town has a story to tell, a problem or a solution to share, let us know. So feel free to send SU your news periodically, and we will run a Dateline: Sheffield, Dateline Monterey, Dateline: Lee etc.

Dateline: Lee

Good evening, Town of Lee,

GE has not shared its presentation regarding proposed transportation routes. It has, however, shared slightly revised versions of the figures presented during the June 27/28 meetings with the municipalities (see attached). Based on those discussions GE made two changes:

For material removed on the west side of Reach 5A, they added the option of crossing the River on New Lenox Road, and then continuing down Woodland Road to the UDF.

They also added an option for material removed from Reach 5A to travel out of state for disposal by traveling to Route 20 and heading west to Route 90.

In the attached, EPA also provides a cover page providing some additional information as discussed during the meetings. We will provide this on our webpage for public access.

As was emphasized at the meetings, GE is in the very early phase of investigating potential transportation routes, therefore any additional feedback from municipalities at this time would be extremely helpful. Please provide feedback, comments, and questions to EPA and we will forward along to GE. If it is helpful to have additional meetings to discuss potential transportation routes, please let us know. There will be additional opportunities for municipalities and the public to provide input after GE submits its more detailed plan in October.

Sincerely, Ashlin Brooks

Editor's note: Brooks is the Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA — New England, Region 1. Click here to review the maps of transport routes.

Hanging out on Ice Glen Road. Photo: Patrick White