Latest news with #MassDEP
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Wildfire smoke is becoming more problematic in New England; major contributor to poor air quality
Although wildfires across the Western United States are a major problem, it's important to focus on Canada's season because New England sits in a prime position downstream from the jet stream during the summer, which usually rides along the U.S. and Canadian border. Hot smoke plumes rise high in the atmosphere and can travel thousands of miles. Then, if a strong surface high-pressure system is nearby, the sinking air can pull smoke to the surface and create issues, which is what the region has been dealing with to start the work week. Advertisement The last three summers, including 2025, have delivered major smoke episodes across most of New England. Canada saw the worst wildfire season on record in 2023, with a total number of acres burned of 17.3 hectares (or nearly 43 million acres). 2024 followed up with the sixth-worst wildfire season on record, and the current season is a lock for the second-worst, with nearly 7 million hectares or 17 million acres already charred. Boston and much of New England felt the impacts of such extensive wildfire seasons. Take a look at the annual hectares burned in Canada since tracking began in 1983. Advertisement I connected with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and they shared the number of days when ozone and PM2.5 exceeded the threshold to issue alerts across the Bay State. 2021 and 2022 both saw six days with air quality alerts issued. But what sticks out is 2023, when the MassDEP issued air quality alerts for a record 19 days, coinciding with the historic Canadian wildfire season. Fires raging over Central and Eastern Canada, specifically the Quebec region, were responsible for the increase in poor air quality days that year. With wildfires burning much closer to home, the smoke doesn't have to rise or travel as far to reach the region. Smoke from Canadian wildfires obscures the skyline, Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Boston. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press 2024 saw 10 days where parts of Massachusetts were under air quality alerts, and 2025 currently sits at seven days. Numbers are similar across the other five New England states, too. The clear rise in both frequency and intensity of smoke events reaching New England is driven mainly by more prolonged drought and heat intensity across Canada and the Western United States, each of which stems from climate change. Heat speeds up evaporation and depletes moisture from vegetation on the ground, and drought will make vegetation more vulnerable to combustion in the event of a lightning strike or a human-caused ignition. Although New England historically has relatively clean air, the increase in the number of poor air quality days can disrupt outdoor plans and, most importantly, your health. Air quality alerts should be taken seriously. Below is who should take caution whenever air quality rises to the threshold deemed unhealthy: people with heart or lung disease, such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers, and people who are active outdoors. Advertisement Ken Mahan can be reached at
CBS News
7 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Air quality today in Massachusetts likely to be worst of the year due to Canadian wildfire smoke
An air quality alert is in effect for all of Massachusetts today due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, and it could be the worst air quality day the Boston area has seen all year. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued an alert for "fine particulates" in the air until midnight. New Hampshire is also under an air quality alert. "Air is unhealthy for sensitive children and adults, such as those with asthma, lung or heart disease, and older adults," the department said. "Sensitive children and adults should limit prolonged outdoor activity." The highest concentration of smoke is expected to be in western Massachusetts, the department said. The yellow dots represent the air quality reading stations registering a "moderate" air quality level as of 9 a.m. Monday morning. The hazy sky is visible on satellite imagery, and it's very clear and obvious to the naked eye when you step outside. That haze you see is not cloudiness, but instead, mainly from the Canadian wildfires raging throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta. The wind direction at upper levels of the atmosphere is aligned perfectly to carry the smoke nearly 2,000 miles from parts of central and northern Canada right down into New England. Weather models show the highest concentration of wildfire smoke over parts of southern New England this afternoon. Combine that with some ground level ozone (thanks to a rather hot forecast) and you have, most likely, the worst air quality day of the summer thus far our region. We do expect some improvement by Tuesday. There will still be some smoke in our atmosphere, however, air quality levels are not currently forecast to be unhealthy. We will continue to update that forecast as new data comes in.
Boston Globe
24-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Nantucket has a PFAS problem in the drinking water. It's his job to solve it.
And now, PFAS is cropping up on different parts of the island, too. The levels detected vary but, the worry is the same: these chemicals, technically called Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, can cause a troubling range of medical problems, from low birthweight to cancer, as well as effects on the thyroid, liver, kidneys, hormone levels, and the immune system. Advertisement Starting in the 1950s, PFAS were used in just about everything — nonstick coating on pans, candy bar wrappers, carpets, cleaning products, dental floss. One of the biggest sources, when it comes to ground water contamination on Nantucket and elsewhere, is firefighting foam, which can infiltrate the ground water. Because the chemicals don't easily break down, people who are exposed repeatedly over time can find that PFAS builds up in their bodies. 'The more we test, the more we're going to detect,' said Andrew Shapero, Nantucket's new environmental contamination administrator. Related : According to the town, Shapero is the first full-time municipal employee focused solely on PFAS mitigation, testing, research, communication, and education anywhere in the United States. Advertisement Shapero discussed the latest PFAS detection, what's known — and isn't — about the extent of the problem on the island, and how homeowners and vacation-goers should feel about their drinking water. The following interview has been edited and condensed for space. Q: How should people feel? How should homeowners and vacationers feel about the water on Nantucket? PFAS have been detected in many wells on the island. PFAS have also been detected in many water sources throughout the country. [The US Geological Survey And so from that perspective, Nantucket has a PFAS problem that is similar to the rest of the country. We definitely know we have some hotspots, like the airport or like Tom's Way. At the same time, MassDEP [Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections] and UMass So, Nantucket has a PFAS problem. The rest of the state and the rest of the country have a PFAS problem, too. Related : Q: Why did Nantucket take the step of creating this position and hiring you? Nantucket does have a few interesting things going for it. One is that Nantucket is a sole source aquifer, so all of the water on Nantucket comes from the ground that residents live on top of, whether that's private wells or the public water supply. So Nantucket really has no alternative options. Advertisement We have gotten detects in private wells. We've gotten detects in the public water supply as well, and the town is busy getting treatment installed on the public water supply. On top of that, we also have all of our town utilities on the island as well. Nantucket has a waste water treatment facility. It also has a landfill. It has an airport, of course. So a lot of towns have maybe some of those utilities, but don't have all of those. Nantucket, everything is just squished together. Q: You mentioned Nantucket has a sole-source aquifer. Is the aquifer contaminated with PFAS? And if so, once it's contaminated, can it be un-contaminated? Certainly, to some extent, there is PFAS in the aquifer. Getting it out of the aquifer is challenging. Out of people's water is a little bit easier. These are forever chemicals, as you know, but filtration is an option. Our public water supplier is installing treatment on the public water supply. Private well owners can install filtration on their private wells. Near the airport, MassDEP assisted and provided a point-of-use treatment system for homeowners. Filtration is also an option. Q: What does all of this mean for people's health? The dose is important, and getting your blood tested is a great way to assess your cumulative dose. We all know that water is only one source of PFAS to the human body, so the National Academies has some guideline values for PFAS. Advertisement They say that if you have two nanograms per milliliter of PFAS in your blood or less, you shouldn't reasonably expect to have health effects associated with PFAS. If you have two to 20, you might have some effects from PFAS, and they have found that 91 percent of Americans fall into that category. On top of that, they have a threshold of 20, where you are in kind of the elevated area. And so that's about 9 percent of Americans who really should be keeping an eye on potential health effects from PFAS. We should all expect that we have PFAS in our blood. The question is, how much for individual people? Q: It's tourist season on Nantucket. How should people feel about drinking water when they're out there? The town water in Nantucket meets the Massachusetts state standards. Massachusetts has some of the strictest PFAS regulations in the country. If you're coming from out of state, you might have PFAS in your well or in your public water supply that exceeds the Massachusetts standards. They are largely unregulated in other states. Q: You recently learned of PFAS in a new part of Nantucket — at the corner of Hummock Pond and Burnt Swamp. The levels were well above the state's standard of 20 parts per trillion. What do you know about the latest detection and the extent of the problem? A: It was 124 parts per trillion. So it's not quite as high as the highest concentrations on Tom's Way or the highest concentrations near the airport, but it is in MassDEP's uppermost threshold. We are still collecting data. MassDEP is still doing its investigation. We have a lot of voluntary samples that come in. ... So, we're getting a lot of new PFAS data, and I think the more we test, the more we're going to see detects of PFAS. Advertisement Q: And what was the source of the latest detection? A: MassDEP is still investigating this new detection, so we'll see what they find out. We've seen data that suggests probably a third of wells have PFAS on the island, at least in some concentration. Q: What's one thing you hope everyone will do? A lot of my work focuses on private wells, so I would say, follow MassDEP's recommendation and get a PFAS well test. Every well owner should do it at least once. People can pick up a PFAS test at our Health Department for $275, which is admittedly pricey, but that's probably about as cheap as you can find. Q: Any advice for people outside of Nantucket? I would say just be aware of PFAS if you are on a private well. It's not just a Nantucket problem; it is a statewide and a countrywide problem. My guess would be that a lot of private well owners might have PFAS in their wells — probably not the majority, but a substantial portion. And so, yeah, it's incredibly important to get your well tested. Sabrina Shankman can be reached at
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amherst-Pelham Regional School District receives electric school bus grant funding
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Amherst-Pelham Regional School District is among eight districts in the state receiving funding to replace diesel-powered school buses with electric ones. The Healey-Driscoll administration is awarding over $9 million to electrify public school buses through an initiative led by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). These western Massachusetts cities awarded funding to boost protection against cyberattacks This is the third round of awards distributed through this program, going to several school districts and private transportation providers across the Commonwealth. This includes Highland Electric, which supports the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District. 'Transitioning to electric school buses is a meaningful investment in the well-being of our students and the future of our communities,' said Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler. 'This program showcases what's possible when we prioritize sustainability and equity in our investments, and I'm grateful to our partners at MassCEC and MassDEP for leading this important work.' As part of the School Bus Deployment Program, MassCEC and MassDEP say this will help improve public health across the state. Highland Electric received $500,000 in funding through the program, with other districts receiving up to nearly $2 million. MassCEC is now accepting applicants for the fourth round of the program. For those looking to submit proposals or to find more information, visit WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
DEP delays electric vehicle sales requirements for two years
BOSTON (SHNS) – The Healey administration said Friday it will not enforce minimum electric vehicle sales requirements for model years 2026 and 2027, administratively taking a step that lawmakers have repeated sought to force legislatively. Under the Advanced Clean Cars II regulation that Massachusetts adopted following California's lead in 2023, vehicle manufacturers are supposed to produce and make available for sale a gradually-increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles starting at 35% in model year 2026, rising to 43% in model year 2027 and eventually hitting 100% in model year 2035 and beyond. The Department of Environmental Protection said Friday that it 'will exercise enforcement discretion' for model years 2026 and 2027 and declared that 'manufacturers shall not withhold internal combustion vehicles from car and truck dealerships seeking those vehicles.' MassDEP has similarly deferred enforcement of related minimum electric truck sales requirements. 'EVs should be the most affordable and clean option for cars,' Gov. Maura Healey said. 'We're giving carmakers more runway to invest in their manufacturing and supply chains, which will help ensure customers have additional affordable electric vehicles options at dealerships in the future. Massachusetts will continue to invest in charging infrastructure to support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.' Delaying implementation of the ACC II regulations has been a topic of amendments filed to the spending bills that have been moving between the House and Senate recently. This week, Millbury Sen. Michael Moore withdrew his budget amendment to delay implementation for two years but highlighted what he said would be devastating economic consequences of keeping the rules in place when both demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure lag previous expectations. 'By enforcing this rule, manufacturers will have to artificially manipulate vehicle inventory to force more zero-emission vehicles into the state while reducing the number of gas-powered vehicles available,' Moore said. 'Looking at last year, 280,000 new vehicles were sold in Massachusetts. To artificially meet the 35% threshold, there would have to be a reduction of 198,000 gas-powered vehicles, representing a $9 billion reduction in economic activity in Massachusetts.' Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr called for a two-year delay to the ACC II regulation Thursday afternoon in a speech on a Senate budget amendment that was ultimately sunk. 'Number one, the electric grid is not ready to handle it. And number two, the demand for these vehicles has not proven to be as robust as we had hoped, and consumer uptake is not nearly where it would need to be to comply with those regulations,' he said. Environmental advocates slammed the MassDEP decision Friday. Environmental League of Massachusetts Legislative Director David Melly said the organization is 'disappointed to see Massachusetts walk back its commitment to Advanced Clean Cars II, causing delays that will harm our communities and the environment.' 'We know that timely progress on electrification of vehicles reduces both transportation emissions and healthcare costs. Our state leaders must step up to fill the gap this policy leaves behind, including firm commitments to expanding charging infrastructure statewide and addressing vehicle pollution in overburdened areas,' he said. Healey's office said it will 'soon announce dedicated additional grant funding for the purchase or lease of electric vehicles for publicly owned fleets, electric school buses, waste collection vehicles, and other vocational vehicles.' It also previewed an announcement related to 'enhanced future grant funding opportunities for existing programs that support medium- and heavy-duty vehicle charging, charging at multi-unit dwellings and educational campuses, charging at workplaces and for commercial fleets, and publicly accessible charging stations through the MassEVIP program.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
