SPRINGFIELD — The biomass wars in Western Massachusetts are being watched nationwide, as opponents and proponents of the wood-burning electricity plants duke it out on the local, state, and federal levels. Three industrial-scale biomass plants— in Russell, Greenfield, and Springfield — are currently under review in the Pioneer Valley. But the $150 million, [...]

In a letter to the building commissioner, Angela Plassmann’s lawyer denies the mobile home was illegal and rails against “secret informants” who turned in his client to authorities. NORTHAMPTON – It’s case closed down in the building department, now that former city councilor Angela Plassmann’s unauthorized mobile home has been removed from her property in [...]

The city’s building commissioner has determined that the “trailer” on former city councilor Angela Plassmann’s property is really a mobile home that fails to meet state and local regulations for the floodplain. To say nothing of unpaid property taxes. . .   NORTHAMPTON – The mobile home on former city councilor Angela Plassmann’s property in [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A group formed to advocate for the Mill River wants to create a public-access greenway along its riverbanks — a long-range goal shared by Wayne Feiden, the city’s planning director. The Mill River Greenway Initiative went public on April 1 after 18 months of work. Its membership is open to all. The group’s [...]

The Board of Public Works is considering setting aside $1 million a year in water and sewer enterprise funds to tackle infrastrucure repairs and upgrades that have been ignored over the years. NORTHAMPTON – Water and sewer rates for the next fiscal year could rise from 7 to 12 percent – or even more – [...]

What Can the City Do When the Municipal Landfill’s Largest Customer Stops Hauling In Trash and Starts Its Own Waste Transfer Station? Reduce Prices and Hope Business Picks Up. NORTHAMPTON — The region’s biggest waste hauler has stopped dumping trash at the city’s regional landfill on Glendale Road, and public works officials here are trying [...]

Option One: Keep Glendale Road and Locust Street transfer stations open; households may opt for private collection Supporters: Council President David Narkewicz, Ward 6 Councilor Marianne LaBarge, Ward 6 resident Mimi Odgers, task force co-chairs Wendy Foxmyn and Mark Carmien Option Four: City-wide curbside pickup; keep Glendale Road transfer station open only for bulky and [...]

City Energy Officer Is Waiting for Grant OK from State Agency to Purchase the Charging Units NORTHAMPTON – The city is moving ahead with plans to install seven electric vehicle charging stations in and around downtown, Northampton Media has learned. Last week, Parking Manager William Letendre told members of the city’s Capital Improvements Program Committee [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A task force that’s spent the last five months developing options for handling the city’s trash and recycling in the coming years heard from city residents at a public forum Monday night. Changes are afoot because the city’s regional landfill on Glendale Road is slated to close in mid-2012. Disposal costs for residents [...]

Two public forums this week will focus on future city trash solutions, while one local company is already doing its part. ••• NORTHAMPTON – Even as a task force of mayoral appointees debates proposals for dealing with local trash and recycling after the city’s regional landfill closes next year, a new, privately run transfer and sorting station has [...]

STOCKBRIDGE – When 1Berkshire, a consortium of four countywide development agencies, was formed last April, it described itself in lofty language – “a strategic alliance,” “a single point of service” – offering seamless access to Berkshire resources for business development. From the start it was an odd coupling: Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, Berk­shire Economic Development [...]

If the $1.3 million FEMA grant falls through, the Friends will be ready to jumpstart their stalled anti-demolition activity. NORTHAMPTON – The grassroots effort to save the Upper Roberts Meadow Dam from demolition cost city water ratepayers $19,000 in extra charges from one engineering firm, the Board of Public Works (BPW) learned this week. City [...]

Despite criticism that the land is overpriced, councilors agree to spend Water Department funds and a $302,000 state grant to protect the Mountain Street Reservoir. NORTHAMPTON – The City Council voted last night to spend $500,000 from the Water Department’s free cash account to buy 127 acres of watershed land in Whately, despite dogged opposition [...]

      EXTENSION LIKELY ON TAVERN’S TOILET VARIANCE  REQUEST NORTHAMPTON – The Paradise City Tavern, whose toilet troubles have well-documented by Northampton Media, has been given a Feb. 23 hearing date before the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gasfitters. Earlier this month, William Collins, the tavern’s former manager and now the GM [...]

A $4 million state grant will be spent entirely on Phase One of the 3-County Fairgrounds’ plan to replace the old horse stalls. And there’s no more money for future work, a fair official says. So why did the fair push for the extended permit last month? What were they thinking?   NORTHAMPTON – Demolition [...]