At Issue & In Focus

Brownfields Covenants

Recently, the Attorney General’s Office entered into a Brownfields Covenant Not to Sue Agreement with the Town of Acton.  This agreement protects the Town of Acton from certain liability as it cleans up historic contamination found on a 10-acre farm, in order to preserve it for agricultural use and to develop publicly-available open space. 

Brownfields Covenants, which provide liability protection to those willing to clean up and redevelop contaminated property, are developed through close coordination between the Attorney General’s Office and MassDEP.  Thirty-six Brownfields Covenants have supported commercial and industrial development, housing, open space and other redevelopment projects at sites around the Commonwealth since the program went into effect in 2000.  For more information, visit the Brownfields Covenant Program section of the Attorney General’s website. 

Buyer Beware: Know Your Pesticides Before You Spray

Mosquitoes are inescapable at this time of year and sometimes bug repellant just doesn’t cut it.

Many who want to enjoy the great outdoors during the summer months and reduce their exposure to mosquitoes to prevent mosquito-borne viruses, like Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV), are opting to go beyond just applying bug repellant and are tackling the issue with the use of pesticides in their backyards.

This week, AG Coakley entered into agreements with two companies that sell backyard mosquito misting devices in Massachusetts. The settlement addressed alleged misleading claims the companies made about the safety and efficacy of the pesticides used in the misters. 

Under the terms of the agreement reached with BuzzOFF Mosquito, LLC, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and BuzzOFF of Central Massachusetts, LLC, the companies are now required to educate consumers who are considering purchasing the misting system about non-chemical alternatives and to post signs to notify neighbors and passersby that the system is being used there.

If you are considering pest control methods, the AG’s Office offers the following information about residential pest control:

• Massachusetts law requires that anyone who commercially applies pesticides have a currently valid license to do so. The license indicates that the operator has been trained and is knowledgeable about pesticide applications.
• Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, describes pest control practices that stress prudence and minimization of chemical use when responding to pest problems. IPM practices include closely monitoring the need for pest control, improving sanitation, installing physical barriers where appropriate, using natural pest enemies, and, when appropriate, judiciously using the lowest-risk pesticides capable of addressing the need.
• A cornerstone of proper pest management, either in your home or your yard, is to correctly identify the sources of your pest problems so you can treat them. When it comes to mosquitoes, standing water in your yard (such as in blocked rain gutters, planters, wheelbarrows, and debris like old tires) provide an environment for mosquitoes to breed, and a good first step in addressing a mosquito problem is to remove these sources of standing water.
• Before hiring, make sure that the pest controller can demonstrate to you a working knowledge of current methods of integrated pest management.
• For more information on integrated pest management, you can access the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Program website: www.mass.gov/agr/pesticides.  

The Attorney General’s Office enforces environmental laws that protect our air and water, preserve our wetlands, tidelands, and public open space, require the cleanup of contaminated sites, and govern the use of pesticides and the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous waste.

To learn more about the Buzz Off settlement, please view the press release announcing the agreement.

Lead Paint Safety in Massachusetts

The Attorney General’s Office Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention grant program, which concluded last month, supported public health programs across the Commonwealth in their efforts to provide lead poisoning education, outreach and testing to underserved populations statewide. Using funding from a national, multi-state settlement agreement with Mattel, Inc., and its subsidiary, Fisher-Price, Inc, the AGO awarded $433,000 to nine public health programs across the Commonwealth to provide education, outreach and testing to underserved populations.

Overall, the grantees distributed more than 15,000 pieces of educational material to families and individuals at risk for lead poisoning. Over 4,000 people learned about the affects of lead poisoning and how to protect children and others. The AGO grantees also participated in 230 different health fairs and education sessions over the course of the year. In addition, the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupation Safety and Health (MassCOSH) co-produced a play exposing the dangers of lead poisoning for day laborers and their families. The program was a onetime funding opportunity, but for the AGO and our community partners, the work goes on.

In addition to education and prevention, the AGO continues to prosecute lead paint violations, largely arising from the discriminatory refusal of landlords to rent an apartment to families with children. 

To learn more about the AGO grantees visit the AGO website. For more information on childhood lead paint testing and activities as part of the Massachusetts Lead Poisoning Prevention week, visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

Summer Energy-Savings Ideas

It's time to make sure you're ready for hot weather and think about any energy-saving steps you can take now to both reduce your energy use this summer and also save money over the long term.

Cooling Systems:

• If you have central air conditioning, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees and change the filters frequently for maximum efficiency.
• Consider installing a ceiling fan or a whole-house fan. A ceiling fan will create a cool breeze and keep the air circulating in your home and a whole-house fan will push hot air out of the attic area.
• Close blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day to keep strong sunlight from heating your home.

Cooking and Appliances:

• Use your microwave or countertop appliances for cooking instead of the oven or stove or fire up the outdoor grill.
• Keep a full fridge. Having lots of food in your fridge keeps it from warming up too fast when the door is open.
• Turn off appliances, lights and equipment when not in use.
• Postpone laundry and dishwashing until nighttime to avoid use during peak hours.
• Set your dishwasher to have dishes air dry and consider taking advantage of the warmer air and dry your laundry outside.

Your Car:

• Get your car ready for summer and any vacations by keeping tires properly inflated.
• Drive Less! Combine errands, use public transit, bicycle and walk when possible.
• Drive the posted speed limit or the minimum allowed.
• Consider using air conditioning only when traveling at 40 mph or faster – for speeds under 40 mph - you will use less fuel by simply opening car windows.
• Avoid car idling.
• For more tips on saving energy and money, visit EnergySavers.gov.

Earth Day – 40 Years of Activism for Sustainability

April 22nd will mark the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day – a day dedicated to international activism to advance climate policy, increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy year-round. The Earth Day Network (EDN) is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to protecting our environment.

The EDN defines "environment" to include all issues that affect our health, our communities and the earth, such as air and water pollution, deteriorating schools, public transportation and access to jobs, rising rates of asthma and cancer, and lack of funding for parks and recreation.

Some Earth Day Ideas to Get You Started:

• Volunteer.
• Go to a festival.
• Organize an event where you live.
• Change a habit.
• Help launch a community garden.
• Communicate your priorities to your elected representatives.

The possibilities are endless!

To learn more, go to the Earth Day Network’s website and see if you can help create a Billion Acts of Green TM.

Going Green May Net Some Green

When you invest in energy-efficient products or make energy efficient improvements to your home, you not only will be saving money on your energy bills, you may also see some green when you file your taxes.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website lists six energy-related tax credits created or expanded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Some Examples:

• Homeowners who make energy efficient improvements to their existing homes can receive a credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500.
• Recent car buyers who purchased a hybrid, fuel cell, alternative fuel or advanced lean-burn technology vehicle, you may qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500.

To learn more, check out the IRS website.

Preparing For The Flood

As the Commonwealth braces for another 3 to 5 inches of rain over the next 48 hours, many residents and businesses should be prepared to once again deal with the affects of localized flooding. For many of us, still dealing with the cleanup from the mid March storm, this next round may be prove to be just as damaging. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has posted precautions that all residents should consider in situations of residential and/or commercial flooding.

Looking ahead to the continued cleanup, all Massachusetts consumers should be aware of how these incidents of flooding may affect them financially and if you have flood insurance, what may or may not be covered. Homeowners should be aware that most flood insurance policies have coverage limitations for basements and crawl spaces. According to an article in the Boston Globe after the last storm, most policies generally cover only major systems damage in basements, such as ruined water heaters or boilers (Many Must Fend For Themselves, March 17, 2010).

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) provide a general overview of what homeowners, renters and business owners should expect in relation to flood insurance. For tips on dealing with an insurance company relating to flooding damage visit the AGO website.

Renovate Right

Starting next month, federal law will require contractors renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces (for interior projects) or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces (for exterior projects), in homes, child-care facilities and schools, built before 1978, to be certified and to follow specific work practices. These practices include the requirement that all contractors provide a copy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Renovate Right brochure to homeowners, tenants and those who work or spend time in buildings affected by the renovation.

This new law is important because projects that disturb lead paint can have harmful effects on the health and development of young children and can also have harmful effects for adults.

To learn more about childhood lead poisoning, go to the Department of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and to understand your rights under Massachusetts Lead Paint and Antidiscrimination laws, go to our website.

Save The Environment: Know Where to Ditch Toxic Trash

Though taking out the trash and recycling is probably already a weekly chore designated to someone in your household, do you know how to safely dispose of your toxic trash like batteries and plastic rings from soda bottles?

The lack of clear instructions that come with how to dispose of these items may leave many yearning environmentalists frustrated and tempted to throw the junk out in the trash. However, this can have many harmful effects on the environment, including polluting drinking water and contaminating ground soil.

Below are common household items that can release toxins into the environment. For a list of where to recycle them, visit http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reducere.htm.

Aluminum Foil
Batteries
Aerosol Cans
Wine Corks
Beverage Rings
CD’s and DVD’s
Light Bulbs
Plastic Bags
Motor Oil

You should also ask the store where you purchased the good from if they offer a recycling program.

Winter In New England

Whether you are new to New England winters or a seasoned veteran, we all know that winter storms bring a host of emergency conditions.  Every household should make sure to prepare for whatever “Old Man Winter’ will throw at us this season.

 

Emergency conditions – which will likely include heavy snow accumulation, extremely cold temperatures as well as icing on roadways, trees and power lines – have the potential for serious health and safety risks including automobile or other transportation accidents, exhaustion and heart attacks caused by overexertion as well as fires and asphyxiation from the use of improper heating sources.

 

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reminds us to get ready for winter by putting together a Disaster Supply Kit now and to prepare a Family Emergency Communications Plan in the event family members are separated from one another during a winter storm and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) advises us all to drive carefully and suggests we keep these winter car supplies on hand.

 

As they used to say on Hill Street Blues, “let’s all be careful out there.”