Great Barrington, MA
June 22, 2019
2:00 PM
Host
PRIMARY HOST
Sarah Natan
HOST GROUP
Rights of Nature-Berkshires
TYPE OF WOUNDED PLACE
Climate change, Historic & Cultural Sites, Natural disasters, Oceans + Lakes + Rivers, WasteA Story To Share
Look here for a Story soon... until then, you can always discover more Stories.
Event Inspiration
The river’s name is derived from the Mohican phrase “usi-a-di-en-uk”, translated as “beyond the mountain place” or “river of the mountain place”
From 1932 until 1977, the river was was contaminated by PCB discharges from the General Electric (GE) plant in Pittsfield MA. The EPA designated superfund sites in Pittsfield in 1997, and ordered GE to remediate the site. Although the EPA and GE began a kind of clean up of the area in 1999, there is much controversy over how they are proposing to deal with the waste. Birds, such as ducks, and fish that live in and around the river contain significant levels of PCBs and can present health risks if consumed. Additionally, the corn farms along the river use pesticides containing glyphosate. Because of the toxicity, communities have generally turned their backs to the river.
We will celebrate the beauty and history of the river and honor the water as the source of life.
Location
Details
TYPE
At a specific address
ADDRESS
60 Bridge Street, Great Barrington, MA, USA event.