Photo of Connecticut River Defenders Rally, May 27, 2023

CURRENT/UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIONS:

2/8/26: Connecticut River Educational Panel: What’s the status of our Connecticut River?

The League of Women Voters Amherst invites the public to join in an afternoon conversation with three local experts who have been advocating for the health of our watershed for many years. All are welcome!

WHERE: Amherst Regional High School Library

WHEN: Feb. 8, 2026, 1:30-3pm

Panelists:

• Joe Graveline, Spokesperson, Nolumbeka Project Coalition

• David Bruhle, President, Nolumbeka Project 

• Eve Vogel, Geographic and Climate Science Professor, UMass Amherst 

• Sarah Matthews, Co-founder, Western Mass Rights of Nature

• Nina Gordon-Kirsch, River Steward, Connecticut River Conservancy

Come learn more about the current state of the Connecticut River and efforts to restore and improve this jewel of the Connecticut River Valley. Bring your friends, neighbors and questions. You can send questions in advance to: susanlowery522@gmail.com

PAST EVENTS & ACTIONS:

Comments on FERC's Draft Environmental Impact Statement - July & August, 2025

We submitted comments on FERC's draft Environmental Impact Statement!  Almost 90 people signed a letter in support of our comments that we also submitted to FERC!  

Click here Letter to FERC to read our comments on FERC's draft EIS.

Click here Letter of Support to read the letter of support for our comments.

Thanks to all who signed the letter of support!

Come join us at these February events!

Comments on the CT River Sturgeon, December 2024

We sent letters to MassDEP and FERC pressing them to take adequate steps to protect endangered Shortnose Sturgeon living in the Connecticut River!  

Click HERE to read our letter to MassDEP.

Click HERE to read our letter to FERC.

Thanks to all who signed the MassDEP letter!

The 2024 Pocumtuck Homelands Festival on August 3rd & 4th!

Learn more

Comments to MassDEP on FirstLight's Application for a Water Quality Certificate!

THANK YOU to all who signed the comments!!

Here are the comments we submitted to MassDEP

Comments on FirstLight's License Applications for Turners Dam and Northfield Facility!

Many people submitted  comments to FERC - THANK YOU to all who submitted comments!!

Here are the comments we submitted - WMRoN comments to FERC on the relicensing application

Rights of Nature Presentation

February 23d, 2024  7-9 pm

Greenfield Community College Dining Commons

College Drive, Greenfield

Full Snow Moon Gathering and Eastern Woodlands Social Dance

February 24th, 2024  1-4 pm 

 Greenfield Community College Dining Commons

 College Drive, Greenfield

Both of the above events were co-sponsored by The Nolumbeka Project and Western Mass Rights of Nature!

Listen to our podcast on Rights of Nature with David Brule from Nolumbeka Project on WHMP:

Panorama — Episode 77 — Western Massachusetts Rights of Nature | WHMP 101.5 / 1400 AM

Comments on the Energy Storage Study,  September 2023

In September we submitted comments to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) on the MA energy storage study, urging DOER not to incentivize expansion of industrial hydropower facilities such as Northfield!    

The letter had 38 signatures - many thanks to all who signed!!

Tabling at the Pocumtuck Homelands Festival,  August, 2023

It was an amazing event -- and we'll be there again in 2024!