Privacy Policy

I.Policy Statement:

The PVPC attempts to protect your privacy to the maximum extent possible. However, because some of the information that we receive through this website may be subject to state and federal public records legislation, we cannot ensure absolute privacy. Therefore, information that you provide to us through this site may is subject to public disclosure under legislative requirement. This policy informs you of the information that we collect from you at this site, what we do with it, to whom it may be disseminated, and how you can access it. Based on this information, you can make an informed decision about your use of this site.

1.Personally identifiable information

We use the term "personally identifiable information" to mean any information that could reasonably be used to identify you, including your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, birth date or any combination of information that could be used to identify you.

2.Information voluntarily provided by you

This site collects voluntary information from you through surveys, e-mails, and any comments posted on social media pages hosted by this website (such as blogs or wikis). All such information, including comments and E-mails sent by you to this site will contain personally identifiable information.

3.Information automatically collected and stored by this site

This website employs the use of "Persistent Cookies." The purpose of these Persistent Cookies is to collect and aggregate data regarding the site’s visitor activity in order for the PVPC to continuously evaluate and improve its website services. You may elect to disable the Persistent Cookies. Please be advised that disabling the Persistent Cookies may affect your ability to view or interact with this website.

This site does collect and store your "Internet Protocol ("IP") address," (which does not identify you as an individual) indefinitely, as well as information about the date and time of your visit, whether a file you have requested exists, and how many "bytes" of information were transmitted to you over the Web from this site. We use your IP address to assess the frequency of visits to this site and the popularity of its various pages and functions. We will not attempt to match any personally identifiable information that you provide to us with your IP address, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that doing so would provide information that is relevant and material to a criminal investigation.

4.Site usage data

In addition, we use a tool called Google Analytics™ to collect information about use of this site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit this site, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other sites they used prior to coming to this site. We use the information we get from Google Analytics only to improve this site. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit this site, rather than your name or other identifying information. We do not combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with personally identifiable information. Although Google Analytics plants a persistent cookie on your web browser to identify you as a unique user the next time you visit this site, the cookie cannot be used by anyone but Google. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to this site is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy. The Google Analytics Terms of Use are available online at http://www.google.com/analytics/tos.html. The Google Privacy Policy is available online at http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html. You can prevent Google Analytics from recognizing you on return visits to this site by disabling cookies on your browser.

This site also uses tools posted on this portal that collect voluntary information from you. Surveys or sign-ups may collect personally identifiable information you voluntarily submit, such as name, e-mail address or phone number, so that we may contact you for follow up to your question, concern or recommendation. We use this information to improve this site and address your concerns. We do not combine this voluntarily-provided information with any other personally identifiable information not voluntarily provided by you through your survey responses.

5.Use of your personally identifiable information

The information that you voluntarily submit will be disclosed only to PVPC employees or officials, or those under contract with the PVPC, with a "need to know" for purposes of fulfilling their job responsibilities. The information will be used for such purposes as; answering your questions, responding to any requests for assistance, generating summary statistics about usage, auditing applications and detecting fraud, aiding in the planning, design and development of the PVPC.org portal, and fulfilling the PVPC’s legal obligations.

We will collect and aggregate the information you provide through surveys and through the website’s collection of non-personally identifying analytics data for purposes of market research to improve this Portal by making it more responsive to visitor’s needs. Where appropriate, we may provide the information you submitted voluntarily through an e-mail to the person or company that is the subject of your inquiry, or to a government agency responsible for the matters referred to in your communication.

6.Dissemination of your personally identifiable information

We do not sell any personally identifiable information collected through this website or submitted to the PVPC in conjunction with using functions on the website, and there is no direct or online public access to the information.

However, all record keepers face the possibility that disclosure of their records may be compelled in some civil, criminal, or administrative matters. Disclosures may also be necessary to protect the PVPC ’s legal rights or during emergencies if physical safety is believed to be at risk. These events are unlikely, but possible. Once you voluntarily submit personally identifiable information to us related to your use of the Portal, its dissemination is governed by the US Freedom of Information Act, the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, the Massachusetts "Public Records Law," the" Fair Information Practices Act (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 66A), the and other applicable laws and regulations. For this reason, part or all of the information you send us may be provided to a member of the public in response to a public records request as required under applicable legislation.

7.Security

Because information sent to the PVPC.org portal is not encrypted, you should not send messages containing information that you consider highly sensitive to this website. We use standard security measures to ensure that information provided by you, including your personally identifiable information, is not lost, misused, altered, or unintentionally destroyed. We also use software to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, no attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits.

8.Policy changes

We will post substantive changes to this policy as they take effect. Any information we collect under the current privacy policy will remain subject to the terms of this policy. After any changes take effect, all new information we collect, if any, will be subject to the new policy.

II.Definitions:

1.IP Address

A series of numbers that identifies each computer and machine connected to the Internet. An IP address enables a server on a computer network to send you the file that you have requested on the Internet. The IP address disclosed to us may identify the computer from which you are accessing the Internet, or a server owned by your Internet Service Provider. Because it is machine-specific, rather than person-specific, an IP address is not, in and of itself, personally identifiable information.

2.PVPC

Refers to Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Since 1962, PVPC has been the designated regional planning body for the Pioneer Valley region, which encompasses 43 cities and towns in the Hampden and Hampshire county areas. PVPC is the primary agency responsible for increasing communication, cooperation, and coordination among all levels of government as well as the private business and civic sectors in order to benefit the Pioneer Valley region and to improve its residents' quality of life. For more information see www.pvpc.org.

3.PVPC.org

Refers to the PVPC internet web portal, accessed through www.sustainableknowledgecorridor.org and other similar referral domains. PVPC.org also references accessory pages and services, such as the PVPC social media and survey sites, and other sites that are used to convey information to the public through the portal.

4.Social Media

A social media website is a website on a social media application that is usually maintained by an individual and has regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. A social media identity is a specific user identity that has been registered on a third party social media site and is associated with the Agency. Government social media sites or identities typically provide forums for commentary or news on topics related to the government agency that hosts the social media site or has secured the social media identity. A typical social media site (whether hosted by the Agency or a third party) combines text, images, and links to other websites related to the topic and enables readers to leave comments in an interactive format.