A planned athletic turf field at Berkshire Community College has been pushed back a year as the state Department of Environmental Protection reviews an appeal from a neighborhood group concerned about environmental impacts.The $2 million project turf project is also designed to correct damaged wetlands. The state approved $1.1 million in funding while the city of Pittsfield would provide $200,000. The rest would be privately raised. BCC President Ellen Kennedy says an appeal process initiated by an opponent group concerned about rubber infill making its way to the wetlands will cost an additional $70,000.
“Given we would have to go back out to bid we felt it prudent to delay in light of this appeal process and to have a decision made by the DEP whether the project can go forward or not,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy says Mass DEP plans a site review in July. If approved, she expects ground to be broken in mid-2016.
