Petersham and Wendell Earn Clean Energy Leadership Status in the Sixth Round of Green Community Designations
Town Energy Committees in both Petersham and Wendell worked to meet five clean energy criteria and write up a 20% energy reduction plan for their town buildings. In Petersham Linda Paquet provided the leadership for writing the Green Community proposal. In Wendell, Nan Riebschlaeger and the town energy committee provided leadership for writing the proposal. Both these communities must now work to implement projects to reduce their energy use in town buildings. Petersham is now eligible for $138,425 to implement projects. Wendell is eligible for $138,125. Both towns will be working with the MA Department of Energy Resources in the coming months in order to receive money for their town.
Grants for the communities designated today will be funded by Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP) made by electricity suppliers who don’t meet their statutory Renewable Portfolio Standard obligation to purchase a sufficient percentage of renewable energy. Green Communities grants also receive funding from proceeds of carbon allowance auctions under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). There are 110 communities in Massachusetts with Green Community Designation now.
Other towns in the North Quabbin area continue to work on reducing their energy use in town buildings. Athol, Barre, and New Salem also have Green Community Designation with grants to help them reduce energy consumption in town buildings. Although Orange does not have Green Community Designation, the Orange Selectboard recently signed an agreement with Borrego Solar for the construction of a PV system on the capped landfill.
Work continues on reducing energy use in town buildings through the work of town energy committees in Athol, Barre, New Salem, Orange, Petersham, Royalston, Warwick and Wendell. Check out the pull down menu above for town committees to see some updates.