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The Belchertown Land Trust is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to
the preservation of open space in Belchertown.
Timeline Of Events Regarding The Upper Bondsville Dam
2011
| Date |
Activity |
| December 31, 2011 | Article on Belchertown-News.com web site published about Required Inspections Of Upper Bondsville Dam Not Being Conducted. |
| August 11, 2011 | Article in Springfield Republican about new state legislation which establishes loan fund to maintain dams across Massachusetts.  |
| April 11, 2011 | Study commissioned by the BLT in December 2010 looking at funding options for saving or removing the dam publicly released after being reviewed by the Board of Directors.  |
| April 4, 2011 | Article in Springfield Republican about lawsuit filed against the BLT by the Swift River Preservation Association and landowners on the Swift River. |
| April 2, 2011 | Complaint filed against the BLT by the Swift River Preservation Association and landowners on the Swift River to stop demolition of the dam and preserve the lake-like impoundment upstream of the dam. |
| March 9, 2011 | PVPC study on funding options for the Upper Bondsville Dam presented to the Belchertown Land Trust at its regular monthly meeting. Report was taken under advisement by the board until it had time to review the contents before public release. |
| February 16, 2011 | Article in the Springfield Republican (headline: "Belchertown Land Trust leaders start work on plan to save Upper Bondsville Dam") |
| February 16, 2011 | State Senator Stan Rosenberg meets with BLT board to discuss options for saving the Upper Bondsville Dam. |
| January 4, 2011 | Meeting hosted by Belchertown Selectman Ken Elstein to look at options for saving the dam |
| January 4, 2011 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| January 6, 2011 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Belchertown dam proponents asked to join forces") |
| January 9, 2011 | FAQs published on the BLT web site |
| January 19, 2011 | Article in the Springfield Republican about the Swift River Preservation Association |
| January 20, 2011 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "New Swift River Preservation Association to meet") |
2010
| Date |
Activity |
| December 28, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| December 20, 2010 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "A tale of two dams") |
| December 15, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| December 14, 2010 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Proposed dam demolition elicits strong feelings") |
| December 13, 2010 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Belchertown Land Trust to decide dam removal") |
| December 7, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| November 10, 2010 | BLT Board of Directors approves contract with PVPC to research funding sources for both repair or removal of the dam |
| October 12, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| October 6, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| September 30, 2010 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Historic dam on Belchertown docket: Ideas sought on fate of Bondsville Dam") |
| September 30, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| September 30, 2010 | PVPC and BLT hold public meeting to present consultant findings |
| September 27, 2010 | DCR rejects Fay Engineering Services evaluation of the dam |
| September 22, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| September 7, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| September 2010 | Informational booth at the 2010 Belchertown Fair |
| September 2010 | Local and regional newspapers publish articles regarding September 30 public meeting |
| August 21, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| August 14, 2010 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| July 2010 | Ware River News, Journal Register, and the Belchertown Sentinel publish guest columns describing BLT dam repair and removal considerations |
| June 2010 | Consultants complete assessment work and BLT releases report |
| March 2010 | PVPC and BLT hire consultant for development of cost estimates on repair vs. removal; delineation for upstream extent of impoundment; see PVPC Media Release (dated 3/25/10) |
| February 11, 2010 | Article in Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Around Belchertown: Study upgrades dam status") |
| February 8, 2010 | BLT releases follow up Phase I Inspection Report |
| January 2010 | PVPC organizes series of two informational sessions for BLT board with engineers on dam repair and maintenance considerations and removal considerations |
| January 2010 | Office of Dam Safety receives follow up Phase 1 inspection and must now make determination in reconciling differences between the two inspection reports |
2009
| Date |
Activity |
| December 2009 | Fay Engineering conducts follow up Phase 1 inspection on dam |
| December 4, 2009 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette (headline: "Around Belchertown: Bondsville dam repair timetable 'unrealistic' ") |
| December 1, 2009 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| November 30, 2009 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| November 30, 2009 | BLT receives extension from DCR, which contains requirements for a series of conditional inspections |
| November 19, 2009 | BLT sends letter to DCR requesting extension on dam safety order |
| November 6, 2009 | Area legislators send letter to DCR requesting extension on February 2008 dam safety order |
| October 27, 2009 | BLT holds Annual Meeting |
| October 24, 2009 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette |
| October 19, 2009 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| October 13, 2009 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| October 3, 2009 | Article in the Hampshire Gazette |
| October 1, 2009 | PVPC and BLT hold public meeting at Belchertown High School to describe issues and hear from community. Meeting attended by approximately 115 people. |
| September 2009 | Informational booth at Belchertown Fair |
| September 2009 | PVPC and BLT begin exploration of other possible owners, conducting meetings with hydropower developers and communicating with state agencies |
| August 2009 | PVPC organizes series of three meetings with BLT representatives and town officials from Palmer, Ware, and Belchertown to outline the project and hear concerns |
| July 2009 | PVPC receives MET grant and has initial meeting with BLT Board |
| May 5, 2009 | BLT issues Tighe & Bond report on Phase 1 inspection |
| May 2009 | Belchertown Town Meeting approves dam inspection funds by BLT. DCR contracts with Tighe & Bond to conduct a Phase 1 inspection while BLT applies for CPA funds to reimburse DCR. |
| March 10, 2009 | Office of Dam Safety Director William Salomaa meets with BLT board |
| March 2009 | PVPC applies for grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to help BLT review options |
| March 2009 | Engineers Tighe & Bond conduct Phase 1 Inspection of dam |
| March 2009 | Springfield Republican reporter contacts DCR regarding the inability of BLT to get meeting with Office of Dam Safety staff |
| February 28, 2009 | Article in the Springfield Republican |
| February 2009 | BLT sends letter to Office of Dam Safety requesting meeting -- no success |
2008
| Date |
Activity |
| September 2008 | State legislators issue letter to Office of Dam Safety requesting a meeting be arranged between Dam Safety and BLT |
| August 13, 2008 | BLT initiates meeting regarding dam with Representative Smola and Senate/House legislative aides and Belchertown Selectman Rocanti |
| June - August 2008 | BLT contacts all area state legislators seeking assistance to secure a meeting with Office of Dam Safety |
| May 2008 | BLT sends letter to Office of Dam Safety requesting meeting -- no success |
| February 28, 2008 | Article in the Springfield Republican (archived article not available) |
| February 22, 2008 | MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Office of Dam Safety issues certificate of non-compliance stating that Bondsville Upper Dam does not meet accepted dam safety standards and is a potential threat to public safety |
NOTE: This timeline does not include articles that appeared in The Sentinel.
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