Environment

Acton Garden Club June 2026 Horticulture Hints

June 27, 2026

Introduction As the drought of June seems somewhat relieved by rain this week, and our dusty gardens soften for a few days, enjoy the Acton Garden Club’s Horticultural Hints and be reminded again that it is never too late to mulch. Mulching serves a purpose of moisture retention in this unsteady climate. This month’s hints include advice on watering, moving houseplants outdoors, and taking care of plants as their blooms fade, with a bonus of the “Chelsea Chop”. Mulching Mulch landscape plants with organic mulches that provide many benefits, including moisture retention, control of fluctuations in soil temperature, weed suppression,…

Acton Nature Watch: Blue Moon (May 16 – June 14, 2026)

June 20, 2026

by Rob Gogan

May May 16: AMERICAN ROBINS build a nest (before May 3), lay eggs (May 3), chicks hatch (May 13), grow, and fledge (May 28), on an Indian Village porch. May 17: Two BEAVERS try to cross Mass. Ave. by the culvert near the Acton Water District Facility, but…

Acton Water District completes PFAS filtration upgrades

June 13, 2026

by Ron Parenti

On May 4, the Acton Water District (AWD) announced that the installation of the equipment needed to remove PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) from Acton’s drinking water is nearing completion, and that PFAS levels from all three of the District’s operating treatment plants have been reduced to non-detectable…

Board of Health meeting recap: Wastewater woes continue

June 6, 2026

by Patricia McTierman

The wastewater disposal systems at 248 – 270 Great Road, known as Gould’s Plaza, have been on the Acton Board of Health’s radar for many months now. As previously reported, the shopping plaza is located within Zone 1 and Zone 2 groundwater protection zones. The site is served…

The AB Farmers Market: 17 years of fresh food, music, art, and fun

June 6, 2026

by David Gerratt

In 2008, a handful of committed local residents got together to talk about creating a farmers market for the towns of Acton and Boxborough. They brainstormed, created policies, brought volunteers on board, negotiated with the Town of Acton for space and support, and reached out to local vendors.…

New solar array generates energy and interest

May 30, 2026

by David D. Martin

On May 6, 2026, about 40 people attended a ribbon-cutting for a solar energy array that has been constructed on a portion of the W. R. Grace Superfund Site in South Acton. The facility was jointly developed by Syncarpha Capital and Renewable Energy Massachusetts (REM). Pride in the…

Northeast Massachusetts worsens to critical drought as rainfall and streamflow continue to decline

May 30, 2026

by Kim Kastens

On May 22, MA Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared a Level 3: Critical Drought for the Northeast Drought Management Region, which includes Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties. The designation follows years of below-average rainfall and declining streamflow across the state, signaling worsening drought conditions…

Garden Club picks perfect day for Plant Sale

May 23, 2026

Ann Marie TestarmataandMiriam Lezak

It started weeks earlier, as Garden Club members tenderly nurtured plants in their gardens, then potted, labelled, and priced them. The night before, an army of members and volunteers sets up tents and tables and cover them with pink, finishing at sunset in the drizzle. Finally, the big…

Acton Nature Watch: Flower Moon (April 17 – May 15, 2026)

May 23, 2026

by Rob Gogan

April April 16: A dozing FISHER awakens on a wooden platform in N. Acton and walks into the woods. April 17: MAGNOLIA trees flower on Windsor Avenue. April 20: DAFFODIL blooms peak in W. Acton yard. April 21: Invasive GARLIC MUSTARD yearling plants start to form flower buds…

New high school garden: Stress relief is just steps away

May 23, 2026

by James Conboy

Acton-Boxborough Regional High School: A new student-inspired garden might provide the perfect recipe for easing out of a stress-filled day and, at the same time, grow tasty produce and herbs. The Student Wellness Committee came up with the idea of a garden to help students de-stress after the…

Acton Power Choice “standard” price and renewable energy content to decrease

May 16, 2026

by Jim Snyder-Grant

On Friday, May 9, 2026, the Town of Acton announced changes in the default level of the Town’s group electricity buying program, known as the standard tier of Acton Power Choice. The price at this tier is dropping from 16.031¢/kWh to 15.372¢/kWh, and the tier is dropping the…

Acton Garden Club Horticulture Hints, May 2026

May 16, 2026

Judy DembseyandAnn Marie Testarmata

Hooray! It’s May! The tulips and daffodils have bloomed. The lilacs are showing their colors, and gardeners all over Acton and the region are thinking about where they will plant the treasures they found at the Acton Garden Club Annual Plant Sale on May 16. Here are a…

Earth Day tour of Boardwalk School campus highlights energy-saving features

May 9, 2026

by Kim Kastens

On Earth Day, April 22, approximately 30 curious townspeople toured energy-conserving elements of the Acton-Boxborough (AB) Boardwalk Campus, learning about the systems that make it possible for this building to consume far less energy than other schools of similar capacity, and thus emit less planet-warming carbon pollution. The…

Acton comes together for a cleaner, greener community

May 2, 2026

by Susan Greene

Each spring around Earth Day, residents of Acton roll up their sleeves for a shared purpose: keeping their community clean, healthy, and resilient. This year’s Acton Clean-Up Week continued a tradition that has grown steadily over the past two decades, bringing neighbors together not just to pick up…

Voters at Water District Special District Meeting authorize $9.6 million budget

April 25, 2026

by Kim Kastens

On Wednesday, April 22, sixty-three voters filled the equipment garage at the Acton Water District [AWD, District] headquarters for a Special District Meeting, and voted decisively to approve a FY27 [fiscal year 2027] expense budget of $9,578,431. The Special District Meeting was necessary because, as reported by the…

Acton Garden Club Horticultural Hints, April 2026

April 18, 2026

Judy DembseyandAnn Marie Testarmata

It’s been quite a winter and quite a spring! We thought spring would never come, with snowflakes a week ago and now, a week later, 70 degrees and a taste of summer. The daffodils and forsythia have finally decided to emerge. Stop and visit the Daffodil Hill and…

Acton wins Community Climate Impact Award

April 18, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

During the MassEnergize Community Climate Leaders Conference in early April, Acton was recognized as a “community, team, or organization whose leadership has made a meaningful difference in advancing climate action at the local level.” MassEnergize said that “through dedication, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to their community, the…

Acton Nature Watch: Pink Moon March 19-April 16, 2026

April 18, 2026

by Rob Gogan

March Mar. 16: On Acton’s first “Big Night,” a YELLOW SPOTTED SALAMANDER safely crosses Fort Pond Road under escort by an Amphibian Crossing Brigade volunteer. Mar. 24: A CEDAR WAXWING flock of 25 birds swarms CRABAPPLE trees between the Silver Unicorn and the Mobil gas station. Mar. 25:…

UPDATED: Water District Commissioners set April 22 for Special District Meeting to vote on budget — probably with a higher price tag

April 11, 2026

by Kim Kastens

UPDATE April 15, 2026: At a joint meeting of the AWD Commissioners and FinCom on April 13, the Commissioners finalized the budget to be voted on at the Special District Meeting on April 22. The bottom line of the expenses budget is $9,568,431, and the details of the…

Nuclear Metals Inc. superfund site update: restoration and remediation

April 11, 2026

by Ron Parenti

At an evening meeting on April 2 held virtually and at Concord Town House, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Remedial Project Manager Kara Nierenberg, EPA’s community involvement coordinator Charlotte Gray, and the de maximis project coordinator Bruce Thompson, provided a 90-minute progress update on the Nuclear Metals…

A revolutionary roaster

April 4, 2026

by Nancy Knoblock Hunton

For decades, George Howell has been at the forefront of a revolution to transform coffee from a commodity into a craft. Today, his influence stretches from his small roastery on School Street in Acton to coffee farms around the world. Howell’s search for the best beans has taken…

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Environment

Acton Garden Club June 2026 Horticulture Hints

Acton Nature Watch: Blue Moon (May 16 – June 14, 2026)

Acton Water District completes PFAS filtration upgrades

Board of Health meeting recap: Wastewater woes continue

The AB Farmers Market: 17 years of fresh food, music, art, and fun

New solar array generates energy and interest

Northeast Massachusetts worsens to critical drought as rainfall and streamflow continue to decline

Garden Club picks perfect day for Plant Sale

Acton Nature Watch: Flower Moon (April 17 – May 15, 2026)

New high school garden: Stress relief is just steps away

Acton Power Choice “standard” price and renewable energy content to decrease

Acton Garden Club Horticulture Hints, May 2026

Earth Day tour of Boardwalk School campus highlights energy-saving features

Acton comes together for a cleaner, greener community

Voters at Water District Special District Meeting authorize $9.6 million budget

Acton Garden Club Horticultural Hints, April 2026

Acton wins Community Climate Impact Award

Acton Nature Watch: Pink Moon March 19-April 16, 2026

UPDATED: Water District Commissioners set April 22 for Special District Meeting to vote on budget — probably with a higher price tag

Nuclear Metals Inc. superfund site update: restoration and remediation

A revolutionary roaster

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