Environment - Page 6

Opening of water protection land and The Trails at Brewster’s Meadow

November 8, 2025
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The Acton Water District (AWD) capped off the successful acquisition of the 549 Main Street property at a well-attended gathering to officially welcome the public to use the trail system on the property. This event, held on September 28, represents the culmination of a multi-year effort to take ownership of a parcel that is vital to the protection of several high-production drinking water sources in Central Acton. These resources include the existing Conant 1 and Conant 2 wells that have a combined output capacity of 650,000 gallons per day, plus two new bedrock wells with a combined approved output capacity…
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children, goats, and goatkeepers on a grassy lawn

Goats and Giggles at the Acton Memorial Library

September 22, 2023
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The Acton Memorial Library (AML) hosted a “Goats and Giggles” program on Wednesday, September 20 by Farmer’s Helpers, a community farm education program based at Chip-In Farm in Bedford that aims to cultivate “connections between people, food and farms.” The young goats are Fainting/Nigerian Dwarf crosses, small and…
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a tree and stone wall with a lush green field in the background

State grants for preserving the 549 Main Street property

September 21, 2023
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At the Annual Meeting of the Acton Water District held last March, voters overwhelmingly approved the allocation of $4,900,000 to purchase the 57-acre parcel at 549 Main Street on the south side of Brook Street, and obtain a permanent Conservation Restriction on that tract of land. In the…
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Trail in the woods blocked by fallen tree and two men working to clear the trail.

Land Stewards Clear Trail Blockages following Recent Storms

September 16, 2023
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Following the storms of September 8 and 10, regional headlines and newscasts were filled with photographs of downed trees across roads, railroad tracks, cars and buildings. Out of sight, the forested lands of Acton also suffered. Across the 1700 acres of Acton Conservation Lands, scores of trees fell,…
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Two trash bins await pickup off a residential street.

Curbside Waste Pickup Presentation at the Acton Senior Center

September 14, 2023
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The possibility of town-wide curbside trash and recycling pickup, and the implications of that possibility for the future of the transfer station, was the topic of a presentation by Acton Department of Public Works Director Corey York, Acton Director of Sustainability Andrea Becerra, and Financial Solutions Analyst Ellie…
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Wetlands

Acton’s Wetlands Still Protected

September 11, 2023
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On August 29, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) weakened federal protections for wetlands by limiting which lands that are wet  qualify for protection under the Clean Water Act. The EPA’s new rules respond to a Supreme Court determination in the case of landowners in Idaho who wanted…
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View of East Acton Village Green

East Acton Village Green Commemoration

September 11, 2023
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A crowd of about fifty people managed to attend the East Acton Village Green (EAVG) commemoration event on Saturday, September 9, despite downed trees, closed roads, and power outages around town caused by Friday afternoon’s storm. Select Board Chair Jim Snyder-Grant welcomed those gathered and provided opening remarks,…
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A large fallen tree, its trunk horizontal, lies across a crushed car.

Severe Weather in Acton

September 11, 2023
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Severe thunderstorms moved through the Acton area Friday afternoon September 8, causing significant damage throughout the area, particularly Acton Center through West Acton, along with sections of Boxborough, Littleton, Stow and Maynard. The Acton police received numerous reports of trees fallen on homes and power lines in the…
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Two maps side by side, each showing a dashed line extending from Rt2A to "existing sewer."

Options for sewering Great Road discussed

August 19, 2023
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At their August 16, 2023 meeting, Acton’s Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) discussed and critiqued the July 2023 draft of the Great Road Wastewater Solutions report.  The report was commissioned by the town and prepared by environmental engineering firm Wright-Pierce for the purpose of providing “a technical basis…
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Trek to the Transfer Station

August 16, 2023
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Five families braved the rain to attend Acton’s Transfer Station Field Trip on Monday, August 7, organized by the Acton Memorial Library (AML), Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Sustainability Office. Robert Carter, AML Children’s Librarian, and Sustainability Office Fellows Lauren West and Hannah Arledge joined DPW…
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Plant-based Potluck Dinner at NARA

August 6, 2023
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Last Wednesday August 9, under the large pavilion at NARA park on a lovely cool evening, over 40 people gathered for a free potluck dinner to celebrate plant-based meals. The event, hosted by Energize Acton (a collaboration between Town and Acton Climate Coalition), Acton Memorial Library, and the…
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Photo of tree with species identified in Mandarin and English.

The Intersectional Environmentalist visits the Acton Arboretum

July 24, 2023
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This summer, Acton residents are joining together in the first annual Community Read, part of a program called “Stories Connect Us.” The book for this summer’s read is The Intersectional Environmentalist, by Leah Thomas. The author examines the intersection of environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and makes the case…
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Photograph of a large owl sitting on a branch of a tree

Saved an Owl Today

June 28, 2023
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A couple of weeks ago when the phone rang in the Acton Conservation Office at Town Hall where I work, I was very happy I was there to answer it. A lady said that she was parked on the side of Pope Road next to a baby owl–…
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Kitchen faucet with PFAS icon suggesting unhealthy tap water

Home Filters for PFAS Removal from Tap Water

June 28, 2023
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Since new regulations for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were established by the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in 2021, the Acton Water District has issued several advisories that include the words “consumers in a sensitive subgroup are advised not to consume, drink, or cook with water…
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Feeding the Birds

June 28, 2023
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“Feed the birds, ‘tuppence’ a bag” is a familiar Mary Poppins song. People feed the birds for lots of reasons, the least of which is the gratification that we are supporting and supplementing food sources for our feathered friends. After all, humans build on land, replacing trees, shrubs,…
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