Great Barrington extends suspension of plastic water-bottle ban; public water stations remain closed
Great Barrington — The town is again extending its suspension of the ban on plastic water-bottle sales, this time through Monday, Aug. 31, due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. In addition, the town will not reopen its public water stations during 2020.
“We need to keep making sure that residents who need to can easily buy water in plastic bottles of 1 liter or less,” said town manager Mark Pruhenski. “We hope those who are able will keep using refillable water bottles when possible.”
On March 12, the town suspended its ban on sales of plastic water bottles of 1 liter or less. That action was renewed in late April. The town will continue to revisit the issue in coming months.
For more information, contact the town manager’s office at (413) 528-1619 x2.
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RMV implementing further extensions to expiring licenses, learner’s permits, plate registrations
Boston — The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles will be implementing further extensions to the renewal timelines for expiring motor vehicle inspection stickers, passenger plate registrations, professional credentials, and driver’s licenses and learner’s permits, including commercial driver’s licenses and commercial learner’s permits.
The new changes to expiration extensions will be in effect as follows:
- Driver’s licenses and ID cards, including CDLs that expired or will expire in March, April, and May 2020, will now expire in September 2020 and do not need to be renewed at this time. Driver’s licenses and ID cards that will expire in June have been extended until October 2020; those that will expire in July have been extended until November 2020; and those that will expire in August have been extended until December 2020 and do not need to be renewed at this time. The specific expiration date typically coincides with an individual’s birth date. Customers holding an RMV credential marked “Limited-Term” that has expired or will expire between March 1 and Aug. 31, 2020, should visit gov/RMV for more information and to check the validity of their credentials. The RMV also recently introduced an online renewal option for CDL holders if they are self-certified in the Non-Excepted Interstate category for medical certification.
- Learner’s permits, including CLPs, that expired or will expire in March, April and May 2020, will now expire in December 2020. Learner’s permits that will expire in June, July and August will also be extended until December 2020. This extension will allow additional time for permit students and driving schools to complete in-car instruction and a road test when those functions are authorized to restart safely. Road tests for CDLs are still being conducted during the state of emergency. Massachusetts State Police manage CDL road tests and require anyone taking a CDL road test to bring and wear a face covering for the entirety of the road test.
- In accordance with updated guidance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, all CDL medical certificates expiring between March 1 and May 31, 2020, have previously been extended until June 30, 2020, and no additional extension will be applied. However, all CDL medical certificates expiring between June 1 and Aug. 31 have been extended until Sept. 30, 2020, and do not need to be renewed at this time. Extensions to CDL medical certificates are intended to prevent license downgrades and elective medical visits as well as alleviate demand on medical providers during the state of emergency.
- The annual motor vehicle safety and emissions inspection stickers that have expired or will expire in March, April and May 2020 have been extended until July 31, 2020. No additional extensions will be applied and inspection stations are open at their discretion within the public health guidelines to perform this work.
- All passenger plate registrations that have expired or will expire in March, April and May 2020 have been extended until July 31, 2020. The RMV has also applied a 30-day extension to registrations that expire in June, which will now expire July 31, 2020. Registration renewals can continue to be performed online at gov/RMV during this time.
- All school bus, school pupil, and bus registrations that will expire in June have been extended 30 days until July 2020. Professional credentials for school bus certificates, school pupil transport licenses, inspector licenses, inspection station licenses, driving instructor licenses and driving school licenses that have expired or will expire in March, April and May 2020 have previously been extended until 90 days after the state of emergency is lifted. The RMV has added June expirations to the previous extension and professional credentials that expire in June have 90 days after the state of emergency is lifted to renew.
A summary of newly announced extensions are included in the chart below. For the most up-to-date information on RMV extensions and other service and COVID-19 response measures, visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/rmv-covid-19-information.
