Schow Pond Restoration Project

Project Permitting Status Update – March 21, 2023

On March 17, 2023, the Secretary of Environmental and Energy Affairs issued a Certificate on the Single Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the Schow Pond Ecological Restoration Project. This Certificate found that the SEIR “adequately and properly complies with MEPA and its implementing regulations.

The Secretary’s Certificate can be viewed here.

The Project will now submit permit applications to the Williamstown Conservation Commission, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Project Permitting Status Update – January 26, 2023

On January 26, 2023 the Single Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the Schow Pond Restoration Project was filed with the MEPA Office. The SEIR can be viewed and downloaded here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8xahdcl5b5tviq8/Schow_Pond_SEIR_01-26-2023.pdf?dl=0

The Project will be published in the Environmental Monitor on February 8, 2023. Once the Environmental Monitor has been published, a MEPA Analyst will be assigned to review the Project. Public comments can be submitted via email to the MEPA analyst listed in the Environmental Monitor or to MEPA@mass.gov. The Environmental Monitor can be viewed here: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/EEA/MEPA-eMonitor/home
 

Project Permitting Status

The Clark Art Institute has completed the first phase of environmental regulatory review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office that included the submission of an Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) in September 2022. Onsite and virtual consultations were held with the MEPA Analyst responsible for reviewing the project in November, and the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs issued her Certificate on the EENF on November 14, 2022. The Secretary’s Certificate is posted in the Documents section of this website.

The next step is the preparation and submission of the Single Environmental Impact Report (SEIR). This report is currently being prepared and is anticipated to be submitted to the MEPA Office in January 2023. Following submission of the SEIR, a second public comment period will be held. If you are interested in submitting comments on this project, please submit your contact information below, or you can review the Environmental Monitor and can use the links to leave a comment. 

Following the completion of the MEPA Process with the acceptance of the SEIR, anticipated to occur in March 2023, the Clark Art Institute will submit the required permit applications to the Town of Williamstown Conservation Commission, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and the US Army Corp of Engineers. The Williamstown Conservation Commission will host public hearings on the project, and the MassDEP will accept public comments in writing. Project applications will be advertised in the Berkshire Eagle within 10 days of permit submission.
 

The project includes the dredging of the approximately 1.3-acre pond located on the Clark Art Institute's property which has infilled with soft sediment and dense aquatic vegetation. This has made the pond shallow with significant vegetation—both native and invasive, which negatively impacts water quality and ecological function of the pond. 

The project will use pumps and other means to lower and control the water level in the pond, and then the loose sediment and accumulated plant matter will be removed using conventional construction equipment (e.g., excavators and dump trucks). The excavated materials, which were previously tested for potential contamination as part of a MassDEP-accepted precharacterization program, and are considered acceptable for re-use where proposed. The sediment will be transported to a prepared management area in an upland hillside on an undeveloped portion of the Clark Art Institute’s property. Once placed, the excavated material will be buried, with the original topsoil and subsoil replaced over the sediments to allow vegetation to grow and restore the hillside to existing conditions. The management area for the excavated material is anticipated be approximately one acre in size.

No buildings or structures are proposed.

Potential Environmental Justice Impacts:

There are no anticipated long-term negative environmental or public health impacts associated with this project. In the short-term, construction equipment may pose a temporary environmental or public health impact related to increased traffic, emissions from diesel equipment, and noise. These impacts will not extend past the construction timeframe and will be mitigated through the application of best management practices. The project is not anticipated to significantly impact air quality.

Potential Benefits:

The project will restore the pond and provide a better-functioning aquatic ecosystem compared to the current condition. This will result in reduced invasive and nuisance vegetation in the pond, which may decrease future vegetation management requirements.  Informational signage may be installed along a walkway which passes the pond. Weather permitting in the winter, ice skating may occur on the pond surface, provided it is clear of floating or emergent vegetation. The Clark Art Institute campus is open to visitors twenty-four hours a day for those who want to walk the outdoor trails.

Documents (all links below are PDF files):