Comprehensive wildlife protection program reinforces energy company’s commitment to environmental stewardship

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (June 3, 2026) – As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship and supporting biodiversity, Eversource today hosted its annual Turtle-Palooza! Wildlife protection training program to strengthen workers’ expertise in identifying and protecting turtles that call the company’s rights-of-way home.

With the support of wildlife experts and a specially trained turtle-sniffing dog, workers spent the day in Agawam practicing how to spot and safely relocate the turtles away from areas where vegetation management work is taking place.

"Delivering safe, reliable electric service goes hand in hand with being a responsible steward of the land we manage throughout our service territory," said Eversource Manager of Licensing and Permitting Matthew Waldrip. "Our rights-of-way provide important habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including protected turtles. By training our crews to identify and carefully relocate these animals before work begins, we can help preserve these valuable ecosystems while continuing to maintain the electric infrastructure our customers depend on."

Dozens of Eversource employees and contractors participated in the hands-on training to learn how to track protected species like the Eastern Box turtles that inhabit the low-lying areas beneath the company's electric transmission lines. The team located 15 turtles in the right-of-way over the course of the morning.

"Proper vegetation management along utility rights-of-way can play an important role in creating and sustaining habitat for some of the Commonwealth's rare species, including the Eastern box turtle," said Jesse Leddick, Assistant Director of MassWildlife's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. "Eversource's annual training helps ensure field crews are prepared to recognize suitable turtle habitat, locate turtles in work areas, and move them safely when necessary. We value our partnership with Eversource and the shared commitment to meeting energy infrastructure needs while advancing proactive wildlife conservation."

Eversource conducts vegetation management throughout the year to help ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electricity. These low-growth corridors also provide important habitat for a wide range of reptiles, amphibians and other wildlife, making programs like Turtle-Palooza an important part of the company’s environmental stewardship efforts.

Learn more about the energy company’s commitment to environmental stewardship and wildlife protection. Customers can also explore the company’s free Herptiles Guide, to learn about the many reptiles and amphibians that call Eversource rights-of-way home.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its commitment to sustainability and corporate citizenship, is named among America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for 2026 and recognized as the #1 utility on USA Today’s list of America’s Climate Leaders for 2025. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to 2.3 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.62 million electric customers in 159 communities, 641,000 gas customers in 122 communities, and 12,000 water customers in five communities. Eversource harnesses the commitment of more than 10,500 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 Energy Efficiency Provider in the Nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.

CONTACT:
Olessa Stepanova
781-441-8952
olessa.stepanova@eversource.com

Tricia Taskey Modifica
860-665-4605
tricia.modifica@eversource.com