Community Activists Respond to EPA Action Plan on PFAS
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TONIGHT Partly Cloudy. Low of 17. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews Search for The Westfield News “TEMPERAMENT IS Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IST THEEMPER ONLY THAT WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUTIS TOO OLD TONIGHT AMBITIONTO SPANK.” .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK— CHARLOTTE Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Search forGREE The WestfieldNWOOD News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org The WestfieldNews “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL. 86 NO. 151 Serving Westfield,TUESDAY, Southwick, JUNE 27, and2017 surrounding Hilltowns 75 cents VOL.88WEATHER NO. 40 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2019 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com CommunityVOL. 86 NO. 151 ActivistsTUESDAY, JUNE respond 27, 2017 75 cents to EPA Action Plan on PFAS By AMY PORTER their regional press conference, where EPA for establishing an MCL. Correspondent Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution • Clean up: EPA has already begun the WESTFIELD – On Feb. 14, the Prevention (OCSPP) Assistant Administrator regulatory development process for listing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – and former EPA New England Regional PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances issued a PFAS Action Plan, about which Administrator – Alexandra Dunn unveiled and will issue interim groundwater cleanup Acting EPA Director Andrew Wheeler said the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances recommendations for sites contaminated in his announcement: “The PFAS Action (PFAS) Action Plan. Dunn then fielded with PFOA and PFOS. This important work EPA New England sign. (Photo submitted) Plan is the most comprehensive cross-agen- questions about the EPA’s plan from will provide additional tools to help states cy plan to address an emerging chemical of WRAFT, and fellow National PFAS and communities address existing contami- • Research: EPA will develop new analytical concern ever undertaken by EPA.” However, Contamination Coalition groups from the nation and enhance the ability to hold methods so that more PFAS chemicals can be community action groups, including mem- affected communities of Merrimack and responsible parties accountable. detected in drinking water, in soil, and in groundwa- bers of the Westfield Residents Advocating Portsmouth, NH. • Enforcement: EPA will use available ter. These efforts will improve our ability to monitor for Themselves (WRAFT) said the plan fails The Action Plan describes long- and short- enforcement tools to address PFAS exposure and assess potential risks. EPA’s research efforts to prevent current and future exposure to term actions that the EPA is taking includ- in the environment and assist states in also include developing new technologies and treat- PFAS in the environment. ing: enforcement activities. ment options to remove PFAS from drinking water “While we appreciate the work that went • Drinking water: EPA is moving forward • Monitoring: EPA will propose to include at contaminated sites. into this document, and the future actions it with the maximum contaminant level (MCL) PFAS in nationwide drinking water monitor- • Risk Communications: EPA will work across promises, today’s announcement changes process outlined in the Safe Drinking Water ing under the next Unregulated Contaminant the agency—and the federal government—to devel- nothing for PFAS victims in Westfield,” said Act for PFOA and PFOS—two of the most Monitoring Program. The agency will also op a PFAS risk communication toolbox that includes Kristen Mello of WRAFT. well-known and prevalent PFAS chemicals. consider PFAS chemicals for listing in the materials that states, tribes, and local partners can Mello said that members of WRAFT trav- By the end of this year, EPA will propose a Toxics Release Inventory to help the agency use to effectively communicate with the public. eled to EPA’s New England Regional regulatory determination, which is the next identify where these chemicals are being Laboratory in North Chelmsford, MA for step in the Safe Drinking Water Act process released. See PFAS Action Plan, Page 6 Westfield Middle School named Celebrating a 2019 NELMS 195 years Spotlight School WESTFIELD – The New England League of Middle Schools announced today of news in that Westfield Middle School, Westfield, MA was selected as a NELMS Spotlight School. Westfield Middle School was one Westfield of two schools recognized by the regional By PETER CURRIER organization this year to receive this presti- Correspondent gious award. According to Kathleen Hill, WESTFIELD- For those who read this paper NELMS Spotlight Schools Coordinator, every day, it’s probably rather easy to take for “The school was selected because of its granted the process through which it got to your ability to create an excellent learning envi- Sarah Goeke and Michael Fell in L.H. Grant’s Double Entendre at Barrington hands so you can see what is happening in your ronment for young adolescents and its con- Stage Company’s 10×10 New Play Festival. (Photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware) community. The reporters find the story, write sistent observance of middle school best the story, upload it to our website, and our multi- practices.” media manager puts the stories and pictures together as you see it each day. He then sends it Review: 10×10 New Play out to be mass printed, after which the papers are delivered to our office and subsequently, your homes. The City of Westfield did not always have the Festival at Barrington Stage luxury of being able to read the news, let alone By MARK G. AUERBACH from sketch comedy to poignant drama being able to read it every day. For 155 years of In January, a team from NELMS visited Correspondent have no common theme, but they’re this city’s history, there was no newspaper that Westfield Middle School, according to Culture and entertainment no longer ten plays with beginnings, middles, and served Westfield. On February 18th, 1824, 195 Superintendent of Schools Stefan hibernate in The Berkshires, where the ends, tied together thoughtfully in stag- years ago, that changed with the founding of The Czaporowski. “The visiting team was very one-time summer theatre season now ing by Barrington Stage Company’s Hampden Register. impressed with the staff and students. The operates year-round. For the 8th con- Julianne Boyd, and Berkshire The first news publication in Westfield was school received fourteen commendations secutive season, Barrington Stage has Playwright’s Lab’s Matthew Penn; a founded by a man named Joseph Root. There are that acknowledged a positive school cul- raised the heat with its ingenious deft sound design by Alexander some aspects of The Hampden Register that are ture, a vibrant after school program, a col- 10X10 New Play Festival: Ten 10- Sovronsky, and terrific set, costumes, quite different than the product that we put out laborative staff that cares about students, minute plays, directed by Julianne and lights by Joseph Martin, Trinity today. The earliest example of a camera had only and an active parent teacher organization. Boyd and Matthew Penn with a sextet Melissa Koch, and Derek Keifer. been invented just eight years before and was not This is an exceptional achievement for the of versatile and talented actors. I’d Some serious themes get explored, yet at the stage where images could be put in a entire Westfield Middle School communi- heard lots of good tihngs about this from racism to pipelines passing newspaper. As a result, it seems to have been ty.” ambitious project, and I’m so glad I through farmlands and forests; to gun organized in a way that maximized the number Criteria for the award included a review went. Opening weekend was sold out violence to dementia. In between are of words that could be put on a single page. We of curriculum and instruction, qualified at the intimate St. Germain Stage, and some hilarious portrayals of wedding know this because The Westfield Athenaeum has middle level teachers, teaming practices, the Festival only runs through March day frenzy, obnoxious customers at a kept microfilm records of most newspapers professional development, democratic gov- 10. So, order your tickets first, then department store’s “returns”desk on throughout Westfield’s history. ernance, leadership, appropriate school read the rest of my comments. The paper at the time was also a weekly publi- environment and the level of involvement The ten plays, which run the gamut See Festival Review, Page 6 cation, a far cry from the daily, and in some cases See NELMS, Page 5 See News in Westfield, Page 6 Town officials discuss options to address road repair By GREG FITZpaTRICK During his discussions with the Capital ing half of that projected cost to do some Correspondent Expenditures Committee in February, repaving and milling instead. SOUTHWICK – During budget season Brown said that he’s been looking into the If the town opts for the $3 million each every year, the taxpayers make the ultimate possibility of implementing a bond in order year, it would take thousands of dollars each decision at the annual town meeting in May to make sure the capital plan becomes a to year to pay off the bond or loan. Although on what the town’s appropriated money reality. Deedy pointed out that the town is seeing should go towards. “If you’re driving around town, it’s not revenue with new developments and other Similar to most communities, there are hard to see that our roads are falling apart,” successes, he’s unsure if that would help multiple needs for the appropriated monies, said Brown. “Think about what they’ll look reduce the financial burden the town would but DPW Director Randy Brown has been like without any more work to them.” have to take on by bonding a large amount trying to make it a point of emphasis to have While there’s been no specific details out- of money. fixing the town’s deteriorating roads near lined on what kind of bond could be possi- “I don’t think you’re going to have enough the top of the list.