New Doctor Joins BMC Cancer Center

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems announces the appointment of Dr. Nisar Ahmad, a board-certified and fellowship-trained hematologist oncologist, to the Berkshire Medical Center medical staff and the physician staff of Berkshire Hematology Oncology of BMC.

Dr. Ahmad is accepting new patients in need of hematology oncology services at both the Berkshire Hematology Oncology of BMC offices in Pittsfield, at the BMC Cancer Center and, in North Berkshire, at the North Adams Campus of BMC. Dr. Ahmad is partnered with Drs. Michael DeLeo, Trevor Bayliss, Sean Mullally and Harvey Zimbler at Berkshire Hematology Oncology of BMC.

Dr. Ahmad received his medical degree from King Edward Medical College, Pakistan, and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mt. Sinai/Bronx VA Residency Program. He was fellowship-trained in hematology oncology at the University of Cincinnati.

For an appointment with Dr. Ahmad or one of his colleagues, call Berkshire Hematology Oncology of BMC at 413-443-6000.

 


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EPA Lays Out Draft Plan for PCB Remediation in Pittsfield

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requested the meeting be held at Herberg Middle School as his ward will be most affected. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have a preliminary plan to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls from the city's Rest of River stretch by 2032.

"We're going to implement the remedy, move on, and in five years we can be done with the majority of the issues in Pittsfield," Project Manager Dean Tagliaferro said during a hearing on Wednesday.

"The goal is to restore the (Housatonic) river, make the river an asset. Right now, it's a liability."

The PCB-polluted "Rest of River" stretches nearly 125 miles from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the river in Pittsfield to the end of Reach 16 just before Long Island Sound in Connecticut.  The city's five-mile reach, 5A, goes from the confluence to the wastewater treatment plant and includes river channels, banks, backwaters, and 325 acres of floodplains.

The event was held at Herberg Middle School, as Ward 4 Councilor James Conant wanted to ensure that the residents who will be most affected by the cleanup didn't have to travel far.

Conant emphasized that "nothing is set in actual stone" and it will not be solidified for many months.

In February 2020, the Rest of River settlement agreement that outlines the continued cleanup was signed by the U.S. EPA, GE, the state, the city of Pittsfield, the towns of Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Sheffield, and other interested parties.

Remediation has been in progress since the 1970s, including 27 cleanups. The remedy settled in 2020 includes the removal of one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and floodplain soils, an 89 percent reduction of downstream transport of PCBs, an upland disposal facility located near Woods Pond (which has been contested by Southern Berkshire residents) as well as offsite disposal, and the removal of two dams.

The estimated cost is about $576 million and will take about 13 years to complete once construction begins.

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