Consultant may evaluate biomass plant potential
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) -- Dozens filled an elementary school cafeteria to hear the state's plan to hire a consultant to evaluate the health and environmental impact of proposed biomass plants.
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100 days of oil: Gulf life will never be the same
A hundred days ago, shop owner Cherie Pete was getting ready for a busy summer serving ice cream and po-boys to hungry fishermen. Local official Billy Nungesser was planning his wedding. Environmental activist Enid Sisskin...
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Sizzling Moscow shrouded in polluting smog
A cloud of harmful smog has enveloped Moscow, raising airborne pollutants to four times the norm, officials said Wednesday, and prompting doctors to urge residents to stay indoors as the city swelters in a record heat wave.
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Boat of plastic bottles ends 4-month Pacific sail
A sailboat largely constructed from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles has completed a 4-month journey across the Pacific Ocean meant to raise awareness about the perils of plastic waste.
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Local Residents Help in Gulf Cleanup
As the cleanup operation continues in the Gulf , Western Massachusetts is represented in that massive effort. Paul Phifer is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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Biologists release endangered turtles into Gulf
Hundreds of tiny baby turtles with their dime-sized paddle-like feet dragged through the sand on Monday heading for a new home in the Gulf of Mexico despite the threat of oil some 400 miles away.
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Hopes alive for near-extinct otter seen in Borneo
A photograph snapped on Borneo island of an otter once thought to be extinct in Malaysia has raised hopes that there's still time to save the creature, an official said Monday.
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Deaths of 2 sea turtles in Mass. prompts alert
Associated Press - July 26, 2010 9:24 AM ET MATTAPOISETT, Mass. (AP) - The deaths of 2 large sea turtles found on Massachusetts beaches in recent weeks has prompted a reminder to boaters to...
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Hundreds of dead penguins dot Brazil's beaches
Hundreds of penguins that apparently starved to death are washing up on the beaches of Brazil, worrying scientists who are still investigating what's causing them to die.
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Mass. seeks public's thoughts on wood power plants
Associated Press - July 24, 2010 4:04 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts environmental officials are asking the public for comment on proposed regulations for the state's wood burning power...
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Regulators consider 5-year lobstering ban
Associated Press - July 22, 2010 9:34 AM ET WARWICK, R.I. (AP) - Dozens of lobstermen are expected to travel to Rhode Island to speak out against a proposed ban on lobstering in waters south of...
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EPA takes new look at gas drilling, water issues
So vast is the wealth of natural gas locked into dense rock deep beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio that some geologists estimate it's enough to supply the entire East Coast for 50 years.
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UMass prof: Beetle battle to last another decade
CHARLTON, Mass. (AP) - A University of Massachusetts scientist says it will probably be another decade before the tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle problem in the central part of the state is solved.
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Tomato blight found in Hampshire County
HADLEY, Mass. (WGGB) -- Tomato blight is once again a concern for farmers in the Pioneer Valley.
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Messy cleanup of BP oil spill damages the Gulf
The 5,600 vessels taking part in the oil spill operation on the Gulf of Mexico make up the largest fleet assembled since the Allied invasion of Normandy, according to the Coast Guard.
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In Fla., resentment washes ashore along with oil
For decades, billions poured into Gulf Coast states that allowed oil drilling off their shores. Economies grew, jobs were created and millionaires were born all along the waterfront. Everywhere, that is, except Florida.
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Honda plans electric vehicle, plug-in in 2012
Honda will start selling an electric vehicle as well as a plug-in hybrid in 2012 in the U.S. and Japan, joining the race to manufacture green cars in which rivals have already taken slight leads.
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China surpasses US as world's top energy consumer
China is now king of the world in energy consumption, surpassing the U.S. years ahead of forecasts in a milestone that left the Asian giant immediately rejecting its new crown.
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BP, scientists try to make sense of well puzzle
Engineers kept vigil Saturday over the massive cap holding back oil from BP's busted Gulf well, their eyes glued to monitors in a faraway control room that displayed pressure readings, temperature gauges and underwater...
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Vt. legislative panel releases revised nuke report
Associated Press - July 20, 2010 11:25 AM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A new report says Vermont Yankee nuclear plant's owners can't operate it reliably for another 20 years without a change in...
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Sea turtles rescued from Gulf spill released
By BRIAN SKOLOFF Associated Press Writer The first group of sea turtles that are part of a sweeping effort to save threatened and endangered hatchlings from death in the oily Gulf of Mexico have been released...
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Warmest June on record, climate scientists say
Last month was the warmest June on record, extending months of record-setting heat.
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Firm to pay more taxes for improper logging in Vt
Associated Press - July 18, 2010 10:05 AM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The largest piece of privately owned land in Vermont has been removed from a program that offers landowners tax breaks.
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Scientists say Gulf spill altering food web
Scientists are reporting early signs that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is altering the marine food web by killing or tainting some creatures and spurring the growth of others more suited to a fouled environment.
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Obama says cap on Gulf oil spill is 'good news'
President Barack Obama said Friday that a new cap on the ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well is good news, but he also cautioned an anxious public not to "get too far ahead of ourselves."
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Destructive beetles found in Shrewsbury
SHREWSBURY, Mass. (AP) - Federal officials say the invasive Asian longhorned beetle has infested two trees in Shrewsbury, the first time the destructive bugs have been detected in town.
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Report: Illegal logging down across the globe
Tougher enforcement and strict new rules have led to a dramatic drop in illegal logging, a British think tank says, saving huge swaths of green and cutting carbon dioxide emissions across the globe.
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Top US regulator hears from nuke critics
Associated Press - July 14, 2010 12:15 PM ET BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) - The nation's top nuclear industry regulator has gotten an earful about the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in...
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Vt. company seeks to install solar power panels
Associated Press - July 14, 2010 9:05 AM ET SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (AP) - A Springfield manufacturer of precision pumping equipment wants to install what it says would be the largest solar power...
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Mass. House debates streamlining wind power plants
Associated Press - July 13, 2010 3:04 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - A push to streamline the permitting process for wind energy facilities in Massachusetts is drawing the ire of local residents who say...
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Postcard campaign fights Vermont Yankee future
Associated Press - July 13, 2010 9:05 AM ET BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Public Interest Research Group, which wants Vermont Yankee nuclear plant closed down, is lobbying the candidates for...
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AP Interview: New drilling chief promises balance
The former federal prosecutor who now heads the government agency that oversees offshore drilling says he is not afraid to fine lawbreaking oil companies or even put some executives in jail.
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Tritium detected at Plymouth nuclear plant
Associated Press - July 13, 2010 12:04 PM ET PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has reported that elevated levels of the radioactive isotope tritium have been detected in...
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Baby animals in oil spill face uncertain future
The smallest victims are the biggest challenge for crews rescuing birds fouled with oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill.
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Governors, Canadian premiers agree on energy goals
Associated Press - July 12, 2010 7:24 PM ET LENOX, Mass. (AP) - A group of New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers have agreed on a proposal to boost the region's reliance on...
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Solar plane lands after completing 24-hour flight
An experimental solar-powered plane completed its first 24-hour test flight successfully Thursday, proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay aloft all night.
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Anti-whaling group says activist ban 'a strategy'
An anti-whaling group banned one of its members for carrying a weapon onboard ship as a strategy to help him avoid prison in Japan, and he's free to rejoin its protests, the group's leader said Thursday.
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Obama urges increase in clean energy tax credits
Mixing policy and politics, President Barack Obama called on Congress Friday to expand a clean energy tax credit that could pay off in Nevada, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is struggling in his re-election campaign.
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Japan deports convicted NZ anti-whaling activist
Japan deported a New Zealand activist convicted of assault and obstruction after he attempted to stop the annual Japanese whale hunt.
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Feds say new cap could contain Gulf leak by Monday
The BP oil leak could be completely contained as early as Monday if a new, tighter cap can be fitted over the blown-out well, the government official in charge of the crisis said Friday in some of the most encouraging news...
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'Climategate' inquiry mostly vindicates scientists
An independent report into the leak of hundreds of e-mails from one of the world's leading climate research centers on Wednesday largely vindicated the scientists involved, saying they acted honestly and that their...
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Poster mocks topless Judd for coal criticism
A topless photo of Ashley Judd emblazoned on a poster that mocks the actress' outspoken opposition to mountaintop removal mining was on display at a coal industry-sponsored golf tournament in Kentucky.
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This time it's oil trouble for Lake Pontchartrain
Oil from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico is seeping into Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans, threatening another environmental disaster for the huge body of water that was rescued from pollution in 1990s.
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Vt. moose population reduced so hunting reduced
Associated Press - July 9, 2010 9:25 AM ET WATERBURY, Vt. (AP) - A successful effort to reduce the size of Vermont's moose population prompted the Department of Fish and Wildlife to cut the...
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Navy blimp arrives in New Orleans for Gulf duty
A blimp that will fly over the Gulf of Mexico so observers can spot oil slicks and ailing wildlife has arrived in the region.
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5 young eagles raised in Vt., population rebounds
Associated Press - July 9, 2010 7:15 AM ET WATERBURY, Vt. (AP) - Vermont's population of bald eagles is continuing to rebound.
The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says five...
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Japan court convicts NZ anti-whaling activist
A Tokyo court on Wednesday convicted a New Zealand activist of assault and obstructing Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic Ocean, and sentenced him to a suspended prison term.
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NRC chairman to meet with Vermont Yankee critics
Associated Press - July 8, 2010 4:25 PM ET BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) - The chairman of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is traveling to Vermont next week to meet with groups critical of...
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Solar-powered Swiss plane gets its day in the sun
An experimental solar-powered plane whose Swiss makers hope someday to fly around the globe soared into uncharted territory Wednesday - the cold, dark night.
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Green religion movement hopes spill wins converts
Where would Jesus drill?
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Group finds 420 birds oiled by spill in 3 states
The director of a wildlife rescue operation says more than 400 birds harmed by Gulf oil have been found on the coasts of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
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Tree-killing Asian beetles found in Boston
BOSTON (AP) - State officials say Asian longhorned beetles, the tree-killing creatures that have wreaked havoc in Worcester, have been found on the grounds of Boston's Faulkner Hospital.
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Mass. court rejects challenge to wind project
Associated Press - July 6, 2010 12:04 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Opponents of a proposed 20-turbine wind project in two western Massachusetts towns have lost a challenge to the project based on...
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Japan shows 'The Cove' after delay from protests
"The Cove," an Oscar-winning film about a Japanese dolphin-hunting village, opened Saturday around Japan after protests by angry nationalists pressured theaters to cancel earlier showings.
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Florida tests inventors' sand-cleaning ideas
Some inventors came with cotton fiber rolls, others with oil-clumping polymer mixes and one brought a specially designed rake. Their task: clean layers of crude oil and tar from a once-pristine Florida beach and prove they...
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Mass. activists make late push for new bottle bill
Associated Press - July 5, 2010 10:14 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Advocates are pushing lawmakers to approve an updated version of Massachusetts' bottle bill before the end of the Legislature's formal...
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Swiss team postpones solar plane night flight
Preparations for the world's first solar-powered round-the-world flight hit a major snag Thursday when the Swiss team behind the project was forced to postpone a 24-hour test flight because of an equipment problem.
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Indonesia's last glacier will melt within years
Lonnie Thompson spent years preparing for his expedition to the remote, mist-shrouded mountains of eastern Indonesia, hoping to chronicle the affect of global warming on the last remaining glacier in the Pacific. He's...
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NRC to Vt. Yankee: Underwater cables a concern
Associated Press - July 2, 2010 12:25 PM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has drained more than 20 manholes that contained water for fear that electrical cables...
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NZ carbon price system hikes household costs
New carbon-trading laws intended to reduce climate-changing pollution emissions took effect Thursday in New Zealand, immediately sending gas prices higher.
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Some 70,000 turtle eggs to be whisked far from oil
An effort to scoop thousands of turtle eggs from their nests to save them from death in the oily Gulf of Mexico will begin in the coming weeks in a desperate attempt to keep an entire generation of threatened species from...
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Groups to submit arguments to close Vt. reactor
Associated Press - July 2, 2010 5:35 AM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Groups critical of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are slated to submit their arguments on what should be done about recent...
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Threatened whale sharks seen in Gulf oil spill
Whale sharks, the huge fish that feed by vacuuming the sea surface, have been seen swimming between and through wide streamers of heavy oil a few miles from BP'sspewing well in the Gulf of Mexico, a federal scientist...
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Report: Ag research too focused on food production
American farmers are producing more food than ever, but agricultural research is too focused on increasing production and needs to do better at considering consequences such as water and air pollution, according to a report...
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La. parish president is face of anger over spill
Billy Nungesser, a rotund and feisty millionaire-turned-politician from Louisiana's bayou, hasn't been afraid of taking on everyone from big oil to big government since crude started washing up on his coast.
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Gulf's coastal wetlands surviving despite oil
From a seaplane 1,000 feet above Louisiana's coastal wetlands, the places hit hardest by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are easy to spot - dark slashes marring a vast expanse of marshes and bayous.
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Endangered vultures hatch in captivity in India
The long-billed vulture, one of the world's most endangered birds, has been bred in captivity for the first time in India, scientists said Tuesday.
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Springfield biomass plan draws criticism
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) -- The proposal for a biomass power plant to be built in Springfield drew criticism during a public hearing in the city Wednesday for the state to hear about reducing greenhouse gases by 2020.
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East Longmeadow Company Builds Green Homes
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday in East Longmeadow for Blu Homes. The company manufactures green, environmentally friendly modular homes.
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abc40 Interview: Sen. Scott Brown on Gulf Oil Spill Crisis
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB)-- Republican Sen. Scott Brown met with President Barack Obama Wednesday for his first formal meeting with the president since he was elected in January.
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New plans to stop invasive Zebra Mussels
Berkshire communities are trying to stop the spread of invasive Zebra Mussels, which have devastated other water bodies in the Northeast.
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Patrick says Mass. residents offer oil spill tips
BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts is half a country away from the Gulf oil spill, but Gov. Deval Patrick says locals approach him all the time with ideas for plugging the leak.
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UMass Sustainable Move-Out
AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB) - The hours or studying for finals are over, the grades are in and the students are gone for the summer.
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ECOS Classroom in need of upgrades
Advocates of the ECOS classroom in Forest Park hope to bring renovate and expand the current facility. The new classroom would be called the Clifford A. Phaneuf Environmental Center.
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Going solar, nearly one year later
abc40 visits a homeowner in Belchertown who went solar back in 2009, to see if the effort was worth the price tag.
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Patrick Administration Unveils New Restrictions on Commercial Logging in State Forests
AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB) -- Gov. Deval Patrick and his administration are taking steps to protect state forests from commercial logging, which has its supporters and its detractors.
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Vt Yankee says it didn't intentionally mislead
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The owners of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant say an internal investigation has concluded that none of its representatives intentionally misled the state about the presence of underground piping that could carry radioactive material.
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Maple sugaring becoming more high-tech
Maple producers in Western Mass. are starting to use new technology to become energy efficient and save on operating costs.
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Pitch in and stock some salmon
REGION (WGGB) -- Thinking about pitching in and helping stock area waterways with fish for the coming angling season? If you are, please know that you will get wet.
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Mass. steps up zebra mussel fighting efforts
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) - State environmental authorities want to triple the number of boat ramp monitors in Berkshire County to stop the spread of the invasive zebra mussel, but local groups say it's not enough.
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Black bear survey in Conway reveals two new cubs
An annual survey of black bears in Massachusetts visits Conway, where two new bear cubs were found. Over 3,000 bears now live in the Bay State, up significantly from the 100 that were recorded in 1970.
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PeoplesBank going Green
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) -- A local bank that deals with green is now going green with its most recent branch.
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Vermont Power Plant May Close
The nuclear power plant that has been in the spotlight because of a radioactive leak could be closing.
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Limited impact seen from Vermont Yankee shutdown
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - It looks like the lights won't go out in New England if the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant shuts down in 2012.
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Old Ashfield House Gets a Greenovation
Catherine Stevens and Juliette Meeus were looking for a new home in Western Mass. And they were caught between new and old.
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Vt. Yankee community on edge after disclosure of radioactive presence
VERNON, Vt. (WGGB) -- The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is located 10 miles north of the Massachusetts border, and the recent discovery of a radioactive material in a well at the plant has some in the community questioning whether or not the 38-year-old plant should have its license extended for another 20 years in 2012.
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State logging draws concerned crowd in Amherst
AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB) -- Western Massachusetts residents gathered in Amherst Tuesday to discuss concerns over logging on state-owned land, which they consider to be too aggressive.
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Local farmer pedals "green" greens
HADLEY, Mass. (WGGB) -- Many vegetables are green, so why not use a "green" method to deliver them? That's exactly what Michael Docter, of Wintermoon Farm, has in mind.
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Smith College Goes Solar
Smith College is in the process of installing a new array of solar panels on top of their Campus Center. Through the use of a power-purchase agreement, the panels and their installation come at no cost to the school.
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Ultimate "Green" Dream Home
LEVERETT, Mass. (WGGB) - Just off the beaten path in Leverett, in the shadow of picturesque Mt. Toby, is a true dream home.
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Ancient crop attempts a comeback in Western Mass.
Small grains used to flourish in New England over a century ago, but competition from the central U.S. ended its use as a cash crop. Some local farms and businesses hope to bring it back to the area.
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Spotting the Asian Long-Horned Beetle
It's less than two inches long, but this small pest can cause big damage.
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Locally grown product guide hits farm stands
Looking to eat and shop locally, but not sure where to start? The annual locally grown farm products guide aims to solve that problem with a complete list of ways to pick up local produce.
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