Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) began seven years ago as a small group of individuals determined to stop violations of wetland regulations in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Although we have been active throughout the county, and recently in nearby counties, our focus has been on central Berkshire County. We are requesting funding from NEGEF to expand our activities into northern Berkshire County. In the past month we have been contacted by residents of Adams and North Adams to help with local wetland violations that include what appears to be raw sewage flowing into wetlands, stormwater drains carrying unusual nutritive material into a river, unresponsive local regulatory agencies, and violations of Massachusetts wetlands regulations. Even after working on environmental issues in Pittsfield for seven years, we are shocked by the violations taking place in northern Berkshire County. Citizens are trying to take action to fight these problems, but they are unfamiliar with the regulatory processes and unable to make progress. One group in North Adams (North Adams First) is trying to stop construction of a Walmart that would endanger nearby wetlands. The group was unaware of regulatory leverage points that could be used to provide protection to those wetlands. The people who contact us are typically unaware of each other and of the fact that there are a number of other people in Adams and North Adams who would be willing to take action if they only knew how. They have asked BEAT for assistance. We would like to expand our reach into northern Berkshire County using the people who have contacted us as the core of the expansion and as the core of an environmental pool of BEAT volunteers. Williams College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), two colleges with whom we have a good working relationship, could also serve as sources of student volunteers. We are seeing in Adams and North Adams some of the same problems we saw in Pittsfield seven years ago, and we believe some of the same responses might be effective. Educating local conservation commissioners and other officials about the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act and its regulations would be one approach. Televising commission hearings as we did in Pittsfield would also help. Most importantly, educating and mentoring the concerned citizens of these towns and training them as BEAT volunteers would provide a long-term and self-sustaining solution. A previous grant from NEGEF allowed BEAT to add a part-time worker to our staff. This person still works for BEAT today and we have successfully kept this position funded. Similarly, we believe that funding from NEGEF to allow our staff and volunteers to organize volunteers in northern Berkshire County would allow us to create and sustain a group of environmental volunteers there. In summary, funding from NEGEF would allow BEAT staff and current volunteers to work beside and with the citizens of Adams, North Adams, and other north-county towns and cities in addressing their environmental problems. The communities would benefit from our seven years of experience in educating officials when possible, and bringing regulatory pressure to bear when necessary. We could also help these volunteers to enlist more volunteers and increase the strength of the local environmental community. Funding from NEGEF would serve as seed money to start a self-sustaining environmental presence for BEAT in northern Berkshire County.