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For Connecticut River Conservancy’s first LiveStream of the season we welcomed Alfred (Fred) Venne, Museum Educator at the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College, for a riveting journey back and forth through time to explore the geological history of the Connecticut River valley. Fred shared major events that shaped the valley & watershed, present-day river and land environments and conditions, and working with mother nature. CRC’s Vermont River Steward, Kathy Urffer, added perspective on building climate resilience through restoration projects, such as dam removals, tree plantings to restore riparian buffers, and overall protection of the river. Check out the full recording here: About LiveStream: CRC brings your rivers to you! Join CRC staff and partners for a series of live lunchtime presentations, on select Wednesdays from Noon-1pm. You get to learn more about the rivers you love, ask questions, and interact with a river-loving community all from the comfort and safety of your home (or wherever you may be). LiveStream will be hosted via Zoom. Please register for each presentation to receive meeting information. Check out CRC’s Events Calendar to learn about other upcoming events.

Connecticut River Conservancy’s end-of-year virtual livestream recording includes an introduction from CRC’s new Executive Director, Rebecca Todd, followed by a 2023 river accomplishments summary from staff. All key areas of work were covered including migratory fish, aquatic invasive species, restoration, dam removal, advocacy, recreation, water quality monitoring, and more. Thank you to those who joined us live, and those who are viewing on their own time! Sign up for our newsletter to receive future Connecticut River updates or volunteer opportunities in your inbox.

Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT OF HB 5218 An Act Concerning the Establishment of Riparian Buffers and Revision of Certain Inland Wetlands Provisions February 26, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing in support of HB 5218 which will provide incentives to protect and conserve riparian buffers that are critical to the health of the Connecticut River. Stormwater runoff transports pollutants from roads, farmland, sidewalks and yards into our river systems – but riparian buffers act as a filter. Stormwater runoff pollutes our rivers and streams with bacteria, nutrients, oil, microplastics and more. The runoff picks up herbicides, lawn fertilizer, farm waste, road salt and without buffer filtration – it ends up directly in the water. This pollution harms ecological habitats and creates unsafe conditions for recreational opportunities like swimming and boating. Nutrient loads lead to harmful algal blooms, toxic road runoff can kill fish, and agricultural waste can end up in people’s favorite swimming holes. Riverbanks with native trees and shrubs filter polluted runoff and provide a crucial buffer zone between our streams and land use. Protecting existing streamside buffers is far more impactful than restoring lost ones. At CRC, we restore riverbank vegetation throughout the Connecticut River watershed. Since 2011, we have planted more than 79,403 native trees in order to filter polluted runoff and provide a buffer zone. However, we believe that it’s far more impactful to conserve and protect these plants from being removed in the first place. There are a number of critical actions that we will need to take to mitigate the impact of stormwater pollution including planting trees, invasive species removal, and green infrastructure. But protecting existing riparian buffers – which is a nature-based solution – is a cost-effective and impactful action. It’s important to note that in addition to filtering runoff, riparian buffers provide critical wildlife habitat, mitigate floods, stabilize banks, capture carbon dioxide and create beautiful places. I urge you to support HB 5218 as it is a step in the right direction to protecting critical riparian buffers which are integral to maintaining clean and healthy water and mitigating the impact of stormwater pollution. Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT of HB 5215 An Act Concerning Municipal Authority to Prohibit the Sale of Nips February 26, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing to support HB 5215, which will help Connecticut’s municipalities curb litter and prevent pollution from entering our waterways by banning the sale of nips. Nips are a top item found during our Source to Sea trash cleanups. CRC has organized the annual Source to Sea Cleanup for 28 years. During this watershed-wide event, over a thousand volunteers get their hands dirty to clean up our rivers. They also tally up their trash – counting the items they find so that we can track trends over time and see what types of trash ends up in our waterways. And every year – our volunteers find and remove thousands of nips from our rivers, riverbanks, roadsides, and parks. Pollution from nips threatens the health of aquatic species, and significantly reduces the aesthetic of, and therefore, attraction to and use of the river, a major economic and environmental resource. CRC has advocated for years for a stronger bottle bill to increase recycling of our beverage containers. However, nips cannot be recycled due to their small size which can clog and contaminate recycling machines. So even if they are properly disposed of, nips will end up in landfills rather than recycled like other types of beverage containers. Therefore, CRC supports municipalities that want to ban the sale of nips in their own communities. That will lead to less plastic ending up in our landfills, and less litter in our rivers. Municipalities in Massachusetts like Falmouth and Mashpee have seen reductions in nip litter after bans.1 Falmouth saw nip litter go from 32% of all litter picked up to only 7% after the sales ban.2 CT’s 5 cent tax currently placed on nips has not done enough to actually reduce nip litter throughout the state. Cleaning up nips isn’t enough, we need to stop pollution before it starts. I urge you to support HB 5215, as it will give Connecticut’s municipalities the authority to make choices about litter and plastic pollution in their communities, reduce the influx of plastic waste into our rivers, and help restore the natural beauty of our ecosystems. Thank you for your consideration. I may be reached at rdrozdenko@ctriver.org or 860-929-8021. Rhea Drozdenko (she/her/hers) River Steward

As River Steward for Connecticut River Conservancy, I can’t stop thinking about rivers.  Since the 2011 Tropical Storm Irene, as an organization we have been racing to get projects done to protect communities before the next big flood. Projects like berm removals that allow our rivers to access floodplains so they can slow down and dissipate the energy of flood waters, projects like the removal of deadbeat dams – all of which are no longer in use and have been blocking our rivers for years – that will lower the flood stage when they are out of the way, projects like planting trees along rivers to help slow the energy of floodwaters and provide a healthy forested buffer for flood waters to infiltrate. We all know that in July and then again in December many of our communities got hammered by floods. We still have neighbors that are waiting for help to “build back better” and we are being schooled about the expense of being reactive instead of proactive. Fortunately, the VT legislature started this session with a healthy dose of urgency and is poised to pass some important climate resiliency legislation. Senate bill 213 (S213) will implement multiple changes that will help us proactively protect our communities before the next flood. These changes include moving the regulation of development in the areas along riverbanks from municipalities to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The volunteers who run most of our municipalities have been burdened with this responsibility. Unfortunately, partly because it puts them at odds with their neighbors it has not been done comprehensively, if at all.  Water advocates agree that the State is the more appropriate entity to have responsibility to regulate flood hazard areas and our river corridors to provide space for our rivers to move, reduce flood energy, and store water in their floodplains. The DEC has expertise and experience dealing with accurately identifying river corridors. There is also a strong focus on protecting and restoring our wetlands. Wetlands enable the storage of huge volumes of water while simultaneously purifying it. According to some estimates, we have lost over 30% of our wetlands and we desperately need that storage capacity back. How our wetlands are managed cannot be at the whim of a specific administration. We need comprehensive mapping to understand where our valuable wetlands are to protect them, and we need to codify in law the intention that the Agency of Natural Resources will structure their work around wetlands to achieve a net gain over time. Some privately owned dams, that no longer have any beneficial use, often fall apart and continue to deteriorate or breach during flooding events. In Vermont and nationally, our dam infrastructure is old and decaying. S213 would make changes to the existing State’s Dam Revolving Loan Fund to provide an easier pathway to access funds to remove dangerous or breached dams instead of using State funds only to repair them.  We need additional support for our Dam Safety staff to increase inspections and provide additional funding to get unused and unsafe dams out of our rivers. Additionally, we need to move the oversight of the few hydro facilities in VT that are not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from the Public Utilities Commission to the VT DEC Dam Safety Program  – who has the expertise and engineers needed to properly inspect dams and protect public safety. Flood resilience costs money up front, so we need to expand the flexibility of our Clean Water Funding to increase implementation of natural resource projects for flood resiliency all over the State.  While we support the Agency of Natural Resources work to address the excess amount of phosphorus affecting Lake Champlain, we also need increased support for projects all over the state that will protect our communities from the excessive and expensive flooding that we know will be coming our way, year after year from now on. This commentary is by Kathy Urffer, resident of Brattleboro and River Steward for Connecticut River Conservancy in VT.

February 8, 2024 Vermont Legislature Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy Via email to: Judith Newman RE: Comments of Kathy Urffer, River Steward for Connecticut River Conservancy Dear Chair Bray and Senators: Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on S213 – An act relating to the regulation of wetlands, river corridor development, and dam safety, which we wholeheartedly support! I am the river steward for Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) in VT and in that role take responsibility for working to support the health of VT’s rivers. I routinely participate in regulatory proceedings affecting our rivers and provide public education about potential impacts to our rivers. Additionally, as an organization we manage the implementation of natural resource projects in partnership with landowners. Many of these projects are vital to community resilience in the face of increased flooding. CRC is supportive of all aspects of this bill. It is vital that regulatory authority regarding development in river corridors and flood hazard areas be managed by the state.  I think the urgency to move quickly and proactively to protect our communities cannot be overstated. As an example, the state is desperately in need of additional housing, but that housing cannot be developed in places that will exacerbate flooding, and our many volunteer municipal leaders cannot be put in the position to have to make that determination.  It is the responsibility of the Agency of Natural Resources to regulate for and protect our environment and it is the responsibility of the State to protect our people. Wetlands enable the storage of huge volumes of water while simultaneously purifying it. According to some estimates, we have lost over 30% of our wetlands and we desperately need that storage capacity back, NOW, to protect our communities. How our wetlands are managed cannot be at the whim of a specific administration. We need to codify in law the intention that the Agency of Natural Resources will structure their work around wetlands to achieve a net gain over time and we need comprehensive mapping to understand where our valuable wetlands are to protect them. We are one of the leading organizations on dam removal in VT and are regional experts on hydropower relicensing. In Vermont and nationally, our dam infrastructure is old and decaying. CRC supports changes to the existing State’s Dam Revolving Loan Fund to provide an easier pathway to access funds to remove dangerous or breached dams instead of using State funds solely to repair them. We adamantly support moving oversight of the few hydro facilities in VT that are not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from the Public Utilities Commission to the VT DEC Dam Safety Program, with additional support for our Dam Safety staff to provide the expertise and engineers needed to properly inspect dams and protect public safety. Finally, thank you very much for adding language to S213 to ban unenclosed polystyrene dock floats. This is an issue that we have been working on in all four of our Connecticut River watershed states for many years.  During our Annual Source to Sea cleanup, (this year will be our 28th year) we typically remove more than 30 tons of garbage from our rivers each year. We routinely have data collection reports that show the removal of on average 20 to 30 large chunks of unenclosed polystyrene dock floats from the tributaries and the Connecticut River on the eastern side of Vermont each year. This amount does not capture all of the polystyrene pieces, any of the millions of disintegrating small pieces, or how many additional chunks might have already floated downstream into our other watershed states. Polystyrene is a plastic and as it breaks apart it is contributing untold amounts of microplastics into our environment.  In addition, animals such as river otters will burrow into the docks further degrading them and reducing the life of the dock (and the otter). The presence of polystyrene leaches chemicals such as benzene, styrene, and ethylene into the water, which are acutely toxic to freshwater aquatic life in small doses. Additionally, the physical degradation of plastic foam floatation threatens wildlife, as plastic beads clog the airways of species and enter their digestive tracts, preventing them from absorbing vital nutrients. It is estimated that plastic foam may NEVER fully break down in the natural environment, remaining a threat to aquatic ecosystems forever. Several years ago CRC began an outreach effort to river communities about the issues of unenclosed polystyrene dock floats in an effort to encourage dock owners to “Swap your Dock.”  As a part of this educational effort we developed an educational video, and both a 30 year and 50 year comparison of overall replacement costs of unenclosed dock floats and various alternatives over time. Spoiler alert – unenclosed polystyrene ends up being one of the costliest options to install. Many of the VT watershed organizations were on the ground leading cleanup efforts in our flooded communities after the July floods.  Climate change predictions tell us that these flooding events are going to be repeated – likely at an increased rate and increased intensity.  Banning unenclosed polystyrene dock floats is an uncontroversial and easy solution to reducing the toxic pollutants entering our waterways. Please pass S213.  It is vital to the safety and the health of our human and ecological communities. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely, Kathy Urffer River Steward, VT

The annual Source to Sea Cleanup is a watershed-wide initiative organized by Connecticut River Conservancy in NH, VT, MA, and CT to remove as much trash as possible from the Connecticut River and tributaries. 2023 was the 27th year in a row that the massive cleanup effort has taken place and once again there was an incredible turnout by over 100 different groups consisting of communities, families, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and diverse volunteers united in their commitment to cleaner, healthier rivers. While the majority of events happened on September 23rd-24th, some groups had to postpone due to rain and others preferred to schedule for October for other conveniences, which means the overall cleanup effort is not yet complete! And it will be some time before Connecticut River Conservancy receives everyone’s photos and the results of all the trash tallies – including details of exactly how much trash was collected, what kind of items were common this year, and everyone’s favorite category: most unusual items found. We will provide a much more detailed summary of activities in this year’s Cleanup Chronicle (here is last year’s for reference) later this fall, but in the meantime we’re sharing some of the highlights and photos recent events. If you have participated this year and have any questions or would like to send us your photos, please contact us at cleanup@ctriver.org. Here is the 2023 summary so far! Several legislators joined cleanups in Massachusetts, including Senator Jo Comerford, Lindsay Sabadosa (State Representative, 1st Hampshire District), Natalie M. Blais (State Representative, 1st Franklin District), and Mindy Domb (State Representative, 3rd Hampshire District). We greatly appreciate the involvement of local leaders who not only support legislation that helps keep our rivers clean, but who roll up their own sleeves to get involved! The Franklin County Rivers Cleanup/Green River Cleanup (consisting of 35 separate events) celebrated their 20th year of being part of the Source to Sea Cleanup, with awards given to David Boles, Michael Pattavina, and Charlie Olchowski to recognize their incredible dedication and hard work through the years. The River Roads Festival cleanup group with Laudable Productions, music artists, volunteers, and Council Member At-Large Owen Zaret had the most impeccable organization system for trash tallies we’ve ever seen! They collected over 1,000 cigarette butts and several hundred nip bottles in just 2 hours. Holyoke Public Schools and the Academy of Charlemont had amazing participation from students, and an independent youth-led group in Easthampton organized by 17-year-old Willa also had young people involved in river cleanups. Eversource Energy, in addition to being a lead sponsor of the overall cleanup, had 3 separate staff volunteer groups in CT, MA, and NH. They were fiercely dedicated to making a big impact and collected an incredible amount of trash. The Deerfield River Watershed Trout Unlimited group found a hot tub! Among many other items removed from the Deerfield River. The Great Meadows Conservation Trust (along with the Wethersfield Dads Club) had a wonderful community turnout in Wethersfield Cove. The Umass Five College Credit Union had a great cleanup and found a message in a bottle! We recommend more sustainable activities for kids and methods of communication, but we’re glad this sweet message was received and appreciated. And of course, SO many other fantastic volunteers have been involved, having spent a precious weekend day (rain or shine) bringing a positive can-do attitude to address a serious problem. Special thanks to our incredible sponsors for supporting this year’s cleanup – we couldn’t do it without you! Stay tuned for the 2023 Cleanup Chronicle to include many more photos, stories, and trash stats.

Greenfield, MA, [9/28/23]. Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the Connecticut River watershed in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut since 1952, is thrilled to announce Rebecca Todd as their next Executive Director, to formally begin on October 9th, 2023. Rebecca has most recently served as the Executive Director of New Hampshire’s Stonewall Farm, a non-profit working farm and education center, however it is her rich experience as an attorney that has shaped most of her career. For over 30 years Rebecca has advised organizations, individuals, and businesses in matters related to environmental, educational, contractual, employment, and non-profit management. She served as General Counsel for Antioch University, as Associate Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General in Washington in the Education and Ecology divisions, and litigated cases for the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Inc. (now Earthjustice) and the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. related to the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and hazardous waste laws. Rebecca also teaches environmental law, legal advocacy, and other subjects nationally and internationally. In addition to these professional accomplishments, Rebecca grew up in the Connecticut River watershed, has raised a family while stewarding farmland along the river in New Hampshire, and is cultivating a new passion for the sport of rowing. “After an incredibly thorough search and evaluation of the needs of our organization, we are thrilled to welcome Rebecca as the next Executive Director. Her robust experience, character, and passion for the Connecticut River and surrounding communities will help implement a strategic and sustainable path in the years to come.” – Bob Sproull, Board Chair of Connecticut River Conservancy “I look forward to supporting the incredibly collaborative network of partners, members, and community members who recreate on the Connecticut River, and to developing solutions dedicated to healthier rivers in our beautiful watershed.” – Rebecca Todd, Upcoming Executive Director of Connecticut River Conservancy The Search Committee, including members of CRC’s Board of Trustees, staff, and executive search firm Eos Transition Partners, received applications from many well-qualified individuals across the country over the last few months and after careful review have determined that Rebecca is the most qualified to become the next great leader of Connecticut River Conservancy. Experience related to operational, fiscal, and human resource management were essential, as well as a track record in successful relationship-building, and experience supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as part of organizational culture. Many excellent candidates were considered, and CRC is grateful for all those who applied. CRC’s previous Executive Director, Andy Fisk, departed in the fall of 2022 after 10 years with the organization and is now the Northeast Regional Director at American Rivers. During this transitional time, CRC has been capably led by interim Executive Director and Director of Restoration Programs, Ron Rhodes who has been a member of CRC staff for over 12 years. The new Executive Director will be welcomed by an enthusiastic Board, knowledgeable staff, and dozens of highly engaged regional stakeholders. CRC has a robust 70-year history of environmental conservation and restoration. The organization was first formed as the Connecticut River Watershed Council in 1952 by a group of concerned citizens, rebranded to the Connecticut River Conservancy in 2017, and has been a voice for the Connecticut River since the beginning. Programs include healthy habitat restoration through tree planting and dam removal, advocacy to prevent pollution, invasive species removal, water quality monitoring, river recreation access, community science to support migratory fish, the annual Source to Sea Cleanup, and more. Rebecca will be available for interviews starting October 9th, and CRC’s direct communications via email and social media will include introductory messages in the weeks and months to come. A series of meet-and-greet events are also being planned. In the meantime, we invite you to share a personal message for Rebecca to send your congratulatory well-wishes or hopes for the Connecticut River and surrounding communities. For any questions, please contact CRC’s Director of Communications, Diana Chaplin, at dchaplin@ctriver.org.

Connecticut River Conservancy, along with colleagues at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently held our annual sea lamprey rescue in Turners Falls. Every year the Turners Falls Cabot Station drains their canal for maintenance purposes. Unfortunately, this process leaves thousands of juvenile lampreys stranded and exposed to harsh elements. We only have a few hours to find and rescue as many as we can before they perish. Because of this tight timeline and the size of the canal, we invite volunteers to help in this effort. We are incredibly grateful to the 50+ volunteers who came to join this community science and migratory fish initiative, and while everyone went home caked in mud it was a very successful event with an estimated over 1,000 live sea lamprey rescued, along with a range of other species such as mudpuppies, carp, perch, and mussels. Here are some of our favorite photos: Sea lamprey are an important native migratory fish of the Connecticut River. Unlike the species we find in the North American Great Lakes, our local sea lamprey are not invasive. You will find adults migrating upriver form the ocean every year to spawn (reproduce). Once they’ve reached the ideal habitat for their lamprey babies, their lifecycle comes to an end, leaving a carcass full of rich nutrients our ecosystem thrives on. The lamprey babies, called ammocoetes grow in our freshwater systems and take 4 to 5 years to migrate to the ocean and grow into adults. Some of them inevitably end up in this canal, and that’s where we can lend a hand to help them continue on their life cycle journey. During the rescue, USFWS staff evaluated all collected sea lamprey to ensure that only living lampreys were gathered and placed them in specialized tanks with clean water as the event went on. The majority of lamprey were later released downriver, with some taken to the Silvio O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory managed by the U.S. Geological Survey in order to continue studying the species and include living lampreys in evaluation of fish ladder design effectiveness. Connecticut River Conservancy’s ongoing work to support cleaner rivers and healthy habitat for migratory fish includes nest surveys, dam removal, riparian buffer plantings, trash removal, and much more. You can learn more about migratory fish or support this work with a contribution today.

Overview of Combined Sewer Overflow Following heavy rainstorms, such as those we’ve had in July and September 2023, water running off of roads and lawns makes its way either into a storm drain, where it is conveyed through pipes to a waterbody, or will go to a treatment plant before being discharged into a river.  This water is know as “stormwater,” which refers to the water that runs off of the land into the drainage system or surface waters during precipitation events, instead of soaking into the ground. In many older cities, the pipes that transport stormwater and the pipes that transport sewage from your house are one and the same. When populations were much smaller and water treatment was nonexistent, it was most efficient to have just one pipe for everything, which would ultimately discharge (untreated) into the river. Thankfully, following the passage of the Clean Water Act, these pipes were diverted to treatment plants, where sewage, and sometimes stormwater, are treated before discharging the liquids (also known as effluent) back into the river. However, as populations in cities and towns expanded, so has the demand on this combined stormwater and sewer infrastructure. Today, in areas where sewage and stormwater pipes are combined, intense rainfall or snowmelt can be too great of a volume for the pipes to convey and for the treatment plants to process. As a result, the mixture of stormwater and sewage “bypass” treatment and are discharged directly into the river. This discharge is called a Combined Sewer Overflow, or CSO. The Massachusetts and Connecticut portion of the Connecticut River is impacted by five remaining CSO communities, all of which have been working to reduce CSO discharges for decades. However, the cost of this work is enormous, which presents significant challenges, especially in cities and towns where increasing water and sewer rates (which is how much of this work is paid for) creates issues of affordability for residents. With the increase in intensity and frequency of floods, as we experienced in July and September 2023, it is critical that we support the work of cities and towns to reduce and eliminate CSOs. Below is a brief description of the ongoing work of each CSO community as well as resources for further reading. The Connecticut River Clean-up Committee, hosted by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, has been pivotal in securing funding for CSO abatement in the three largest CSO communities in Massachusetts. Each of us can support the work of wastewater departments and commissions by reducing our own water use at home. When affordable, water efficient appliances lessen the burden on wastewater systems. If you have a lawn or hard surfaces at your home, consider installing ‘green infrastructure’ to help reduce the amount of stormwater entering the system. Resources: MassDEP Map of CSOsCSO Data Portal The Clean Water Project CT DEEP CSO Bypass map Bringing Green Infrastructure to Your Community Hartford The Metropolitan District (MDC) provides water to the greater Hartford area. They maintain a total of 38 active combined sewer overflow locations within their system that discharge in the Park River and the Connecticut River. MDC has been working with the EPA and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection since the 1990’s to reduce overflows. From 2006 to 2022, they achieved a 50% reduction in yearly overflows, 488 million gallons in total. In 2006, MDC entered into a consent order to implement actions that would eliminate all combined sewer overflows by 2029. However, in 2018 they released a Long-Term Control Plan update in which they requested an extension of nearly 30 years, to 2058 to finish the project. Rather than granting a 30 year extension, CT DEEP approved a short term project list with a new consent order in 2022. Instead of the original goal of eliminating all combined sewer overflows by 2029, this new project list will achieve a reduction of 97 million gallons by 2029. Projects that the MDC are required to complete include: Reducing CSOs in the North Branch Park River by 50% by 2027 Completing the South Hartford Conveyance and Storage Tunnel by 2029 which will control South Branch Park River CSO’s and eliminate CSO’s going into Wethersfield Cove Eliminating 13 CSO/SSO regulators Resources: 2022 CT DEEP Consent Order with MDC 2018 Long Term Control Plan The Clean Water Project CT DEEP CSO Bypass map Springfield The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission manages wastewater not only for the City of Springfield, but also for Agawam, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Ludlow, West Springfield and Wilbraham. For these seven towns, wastewater is conveyed to the Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility on Bondi’s Island in Agawam, where it is treated. Springfield has nearly 150 miles of combined sewer and stormwater pipes. During heavy precipitation events, the combination of stormwater and sewage is too great for the treatment facility to manage, and sewage is discharged, untreated into the Connecticut and Chicopee Rivers. Since the late 1990s, the Commission has been working, under a series of Administrative Order from the EPA, to reduce CSOs. This effort has resulted in a 30% reduction in CSO volume since 1994 and in 2014, the Commission finalized a plan that outlines goals for further reducing CSO discharges. This plan, called the Integrated Wastewater Plan (IWP), outlines CSO reduction goals and steps, as well as steps to maintain and modernize existing wastewater infrastructure, such as the wastewater treatment facility. A primary goal of the IWP is to reduce CSO volume by 87% by 2031 using a 6-phase approach and prioritizing highest-volume, most cost-effective CSO projects. Today the Commission manages 23 CSOs and is in Phase 2 of the IWP. A major project of Phase Two is the York Street Pump Station and Connecticut River Crossing Project. The project includes the construction of a new pump station as well as three new river-crossing pipes which will convey wastewater to Bondi’s Island for treatment. All told, this project will increase pumping capacity to reduce CSOs by 100 million gallons in a typical year and is slated to be completed in the summer of 2023. From July – December of 2021 212 million gallons of untreated sewage were released into the Connecticut and Chicopee Rivers from the Springfield facilities. The completion of the York Street Project will mean a 51% reduction in CSO volume and is a major step in protecting the Connecticut River. Resources: SWSC CSO and Stormwater Website2014 Integrated Wastewater Plan Holyoke The City of Holyoke manages 12 active CSO outfalls from July – December of 2022 these outfalls discharged a total of 124 million gallons. The City has many miles of combined sewer lines, with 61% of the collection system combining stormwater and sanitary sewer lines. In 2000, the City of Holyoke completed a Long Term Control Plan (LTCP), which has been superseded by the more up to date LTCP, finalized in 2019. Since 2000, the City has worked to separate sewer lines from stormwater conveyance, reduced inflow to the sewer system, made modifications to a number of CSO outfalls and constructed a treatment facility to address some CSO flows. All told, these projects have reduced annual CSOs by 316 million gallons, or roughly 66% since 2000. Though there has been considerable progress made to reduce CSOs in Holyoke, there remains a significant amount of work over the coming years to work towards reduction and elimination of CSOs. In 2023 Holyoke and the Environmental Protection Agency entered into a consent decree which requires the City of Holyoke to implement the projects in the 2019 LTCP according to a schedule that concludes in 2037. The consent decree also includes requirements for the City to monitor stormwater and continue CSO monitoring. The 2019 LTCP, which was updated in 2022, prioritizes abatement of three CSO outfalls. These outfalls were selected because they represent the lowest cost per gallon of CSO removed and would eliminate 3 out of of 4 highest volume CSOs with an overall anticipated 85% reduction in annual CSO volume. Resources: 2023 Consent Decree2019 LTCP Summary Public Notification Website Chicopee Similarly to Springfield, the City of Chicopee follows an integrated plan, called the Integrated Management Plan (IMP), which seeks to balance CSO abatement with upgrading critical wastewater infrastructure. The City manages roughly 200 miles of stormwater and sewerpipes, 70% of which were originally combined and has 15 CSO outfalls. From July – December 2022, the City discharged 64 million gallons and averages around 100 million gallons annually. In 2006, EPA issued a Consent Decree to the City of Chicopee which mandated a schedule for implementing the LTCP at the time. Since 2006, CSO volume has been reduced from over 480 million gallons per year, representing a 75% decrease in CSO volume. Looking ahead, the City of Chicopee is working to reduce annual CSO volumes by 85% by 2025 and by 99% when the IMP schedule is completed in 2050. Included in the IMP are both capital projects to address aging infrastructure and sewer backups, as well as CSO reduction projects. These projects are prioritized according to their level of “failure risk,” which helps to identify projects that will have the greatest benefit for human health and the environment while meeting regulatory requirements set out by the EPA. Resources: 2018 Integrated Management PlanPublic Notification Website Montague Montague is the smallest of the CSO communities, both in population and also in CSO discharge; in 2022, Montague’s two CSO outfalls released about 0.5 million gallons of sewage. In 2020, the town was issued an Administrative Order from the EPA to minimize its CSOs and meet additional limitations on discharges and to reduce harmful levels of bacteria in the Connecticut River. The Town of Montague created a new LTCP through a 2021 progress update, which is set to be finalized in the summer of 2023. Since 2005, four of the six LTCP recommendations have been implemented and at this point, over 90% of the Town’s sewer system has been separated. Between 2005 and 2010 (when construction was completed on several projects), the Town of Montague reduced the number of discharged from 62 events per year to 14 overflow events per year. This constituted a reduction from 7 million gallons discharged per year, to 0.48 million gallons in 2011 and now averages roughly half of a million gallons of discharge per year. Looking ahead, the 2021 LTCP update includes recommendations for completion by 2026 to reduce CSO discharged by 96%. These recommendations include GIS work to locate stormwater assets, hydraulic modeling to determine flow restrictions of the system and evaluate alternatives and field investigations to address identify sources inflow and infiltration into the system, which contribute to overflows. Resources: Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) UpdateMontague CSO Notification Page

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Sackett v. EPA that the federal protections offered by the Clean Water Act (CWA) will have a narrowed definition of “waters of the United States.” Wetlands, which had previously been covered under the CWA if they are “adjacent to” other waterways, have now been interpreted to only be subject to CWA provisions if the wetlands directly adjoin rivers, lakes, and other bodies of permanent water. A key distinction from previous CWA language involves this new necessity for “continuous surface connection.” Here’s the exact language in the Sackett v. EPA decision written by Justice Alito and joined by Justices Robers, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Barrett: “We hold that the CWA extends to only those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are ‘waters of the United States’ in their own right, so that they are ‘indistinguishable’ from those waters.” Wetlands are areas where the land is wet for certain periods of time, or all year round and typically supports a distinct community of plants and animals. They serve a variety of vital ecological functions including: Creating habitats for fish, amphibians, birds, and other wildlife Replenishing groundwater that communities rely on Absorbing floodwaters to reduce flood damage and erosion Supporting diverse food chains important for fishing Creating climate resilience by storing and releasing water Filtering pollution to reduce pollutants in nearby rivers Sequestering carbon Supporting healthier forests and cleaner air Providing ecosystem services that lead to economic benefits such as water treatment cost savings and increased property values How this Decision Will Impact the Connecticut River Watershed Wetlands are an essential component of healthy watersheds regardless of whether there is a “continuous surface connection.” Ecosystems are inherently connected. In the case of watersheds, this connection is not always on the surface. Connectivity – or lack thereof – below the ground also affects overall water quality and ecological integrity. That seemingly random low swampy spot may be critical in helping filter out runoff contaminants before groundwater reaches a spring-fed stream or an aquifer. Wetlands also support animal and plant communities that may not be found in other areas. Vernal pools are a great example of ephemeral, unconnected wetlands that are critical habitat for diverse invertebrate and amphibian species. The decision by the Supreme Court will leave many ecologically significant wetlands vulnerable to alteration or development. In fact, the new language is estimated to exempt over 50% of the wetlands in the USA from CWA protections. Wetland destruction could lead to reduced biodiversity, wider areas of drought (or flooding), more water pollution, and lower climate resilience in the Connecticut River watershed – challenges that already exist without the increased risks this re-definition of the Clean Water Act poses. Additionally, wetlands are located where they are due to the natural movement and accumulation of water from snow melt, precipitation, periodic flooding, and other environmental factors, so developing on wetland areas or altering wetland function could lead to property damage for those living on or around the altered wetland landscape, and increased flood risk to downstream communities. How Connecticut River Conservancy is Moving Forward Much of the work CRC does has been possible thanks to the CWA as it has existed for decades, and this decision reversed years of precedent related to how waters/wetlands are developed or protected. It’s a chip off the CWA in the context of other environment-related Supreme Court decisions that may have a negative impact for rivers. That being said, it also increases the importance of water-based advocacy organizations like CRC in making sure that state laws are more protective of water resources than loose Federal decisions. At this time, the new ruling opens many questions as to how the requirement for wetland surface connectivity will impact federal, state, and local pollutant regulation, permitting processes, water quality certifications, seasonal wetlands, source water protection, and development in sensitive habitats. We are working to understand how this may change both our immediate and long-term work to protect and advocate for the health of the Connecticut River watershed and how state or local policies within our four-state advocacy area can continue to consistently support protection for all wetlands based on sound scientific principles. Stay connected with the latest updates via our newsletter and we welcome your questions or concerns via CRC@ctriver.org. Written by Diana Chaplin, Kate Buckman, Kelsey Wentling, and Kathy Urffer

It was an incredible Earth Day around the Connecticut River, and we’re here to summarize all the activities that CRC was involved in along with many dedicated volunteers and regional conservation partners. The primary areas of work included river cleanups, cyanobacteria mitigation, and tree-planting! Cleanups to Reduce Pollution While CRC’s largest cleanup initiative is the Source to Sea Cleanup in early fall, picking up trash is an incredibly important activity any time of year. Spring reveals lots of debris that may have accumulated over the winter months and helps identify areas where more concerted efforts are needed to protect healthy habitats. In the Meadows area in Northampton, 12 volunteers organized by CRC Volunteer Group Leader Victoria Quill collected a whopping 1,200 lbs. of trash in under 3 hours! Some unique items collected include shotgun shells, bullets, umbrella, bumper, storage container, bathroom tiles, shingles, and a hula hoop. Common items include 9 tires and many beverage/food containers. We would also like to thank the following groups for coordinating independent cleanups: Deep River Sustainable Committee, Westfield River Watershed Association, Spruce it Up Colrain, Leverett Community Builders, and others. The Green Team at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina also included representatives from all departments within the resort for a coastal cleanup. They removed 15 bags of trash from a town beach, the adjacent parking lot, and a marsh next to a causeway close to their property in Old Saybrook. And the staff at Audacy participated as part of their 1 Thing Sustainability Initiative. They had 21 volunteers covering almost 2 miles of the Connecticut River in East Hartford, as well as the Riverwalk near the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, resulting in 17 large and heavy trash bags collected. Strangest items found were single shoes and a boot, a broken sledge hammer, and fake rose petals with tealight candles. Planting Trees and Stems for Hartford Reforesting our cities is one of the best ways to support healthy communities, increase biodiversity, and reduce the impact of climate change. That’s why Connecticut River Conservancy joined On Earth Hartford and Keney Park Sustainability Project in Windsor to transplant stems and saplings for a nursery that will benefit the park and tree canopy in Hartford, CT. Over 30 volunteers came out to transplant 320 saplings, including river birches and silver maples. Transplanting at this stage in the young trees’ growth will provide the right conditions for them to mature and develop strong root networks so that they have the highest possible chance of survival when they’re planted in the ground to support Hartford’s canopy as well as riverbanks in the area. After the planting, our River Steward for Connecticut, Rhea Drozdenko, moderated a panel discussion titled Engaging Community for the Earth, a conversation about the importance of involving community in environmental work, and how folks can advocate and engage others. The panel also included Samuel King from Blue Earth Compost, Jonathan Humphrey from Natural Dividends, Kirsten Martin from the University of St. Joseph, and Ally Gelinas from KNOX. Cyanobacteria Mitigation in Nashawannuck Pond Harmful algae blooms (HAB) such as toxic cyanobacteria blooms are increasing dramatically worldwide, including in the Connecticut River Watershed, due to pollution, chemical saturations in bodies of water such as ponds and lakes, and rising temperatures. HABs are toxic to animals (including fish, birds, livestock, humans, and dogs) and are disruptive of healthy ecosystems. Barley straw is proven to be effective as an algistat against algae blooms by reacting to the water. A group of partners in Western Massachusetts who are concerned about HAB’s came together to introduce barley straw to local ponds. In order for barley straw to be effective against algae blooms, straw bales need to be installed in the ponds in the spring, where they remain until the fall. And that’s exactly what we did on Earth Day in Nashawannuck Pond in Easthampton, MA. Thanks to the help of over 20 volunteers, the Nashawannuck Pond steering committee, US Fish & Wildlife, and the City of Worcester, we packed 132 barley straw bales and installed them across 10 locations around Nashawannuck Pond. From here, we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this mitigation approach using a CyanoFluor that can detect presence of cyanobacteria in a sample. By gathering water quality data we can understand how to help reduce HAB’s in other parts of the watershed. Earth Day is Just the Beginning of Field Season! While Earth Day may be a fantastic way to get involved with environmental action, it’s only just the start of the field season ahead and all that our programs work has in store for this year. Check out our Events Calendar for upcoming opportunities.

A flurry of activity accompanied the start of April, as FirstLight Power, the owner and operator of Turner’s Falls dam and Northfield Mountain, released a Flows and Fish Passage Settlement Agreement. This agreement is between FirstLight and several agencies and organizations that have been involved in negotiating a new license to determine how the hydropower facilities will be operated for 30-50 years; CRC has been active in these talks but made the decision not to sign the agreement (keep reading to learn why). The Flows and Fish agreement was submitted to the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC), the agency responsible for issuing a final license to FirstLight. At the end of 2022, FirstLight blew by yet another deadline to submit a settlement agreement to address how the license would incorporate issues of fish/flow, erosion, cultural resources and recreation. At the beginning of the new year, FERC gave the company until March 31st to submit an agreement on all these topics. As you can see, FirstLight has only submitted an agreement related to fish passage and flows for habitat and whitewater recreation. It remains to be seen if there will be progress on any more agreements, but in the meantime, FirstLight’s submission to FERC has opened a public comment opportunity and we are asking YOU to write to FERC to weigh in on what you support and don’t support about the Flows and Fish agreement. We’re including some of our thoughts on the agreement below, but we encourage you to incorporate your personal perspective in your comments to FERC to demonstrate how these projects impact you and your community. CRC’s perspective on the Flows & Fish Agreement Some of the good stuff in the agreement: More water in the river during springtime to protect fish during the migration season Timed water releases to ensure whitewater paddlers have an opportunity to enjoy the Connecticut River, while still protecting species of concern Fish passage infrastructure that helps fish migrate up and down the river more quickly and more easily than before More gradual flow releases below the canal to minimize the impact of sudden fluctuations in river levels Some of the bad stuff: In summer months, the river will receive only about half the amount of water needed to provide enough flow for fish and macroinvertebrates That great fish passage infrastructure we mentioned before won’t be installed until nearly a decade after the license in finalized, in total 20 years after this process began The barrier net to protect fish from getting killed in the Northfield Mountain intake (tube that draws water up the mountain) doesn’t do much of anything to protect young fish and eggs from getting killed No mention of FirstLight’s obligation to manage invasive species in the area FirstLight is seeking a 50-year license term. This timeframe cannot account for how our climate and ecosystems will change over the next several decades Over the next few weeks and months, we’ll be keeping you updated on the process and opportunities to weigh in. To stay up to date on what’s coming up next, you can subscribe to our hydropower specific email newsletter here. Oh, and by the way, did you read about the release FirstLight isn’t sending a press release about? *The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing.  Please file comments using the Commission’s eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.  Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp.  You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments.  For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).  In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy.  Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to:  Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.  Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to:  Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.  The first page of any filing should include docket numbers P-1889-085 and P-2485-071.