Cities and Towns Have Made Positive Changes Since Becoming Green Communities

Since GreenPeabody is working toward Peabody being designated a “Green Community,” I thought it would be of interest to list a few of the projects which are being planned or have already been funded under the Green Communities Act in other cities and towns.

Tyngsborough received a grant of $161,649 toward building upgrades at Town Hall, the middle school and administrative offices. They will reduce gas energy by 11,000 therms per year and act as learning centers for energy efficiency.

Kingston received a grant of $165,000 for energy retrofits at an elementary school, a fire station and the town library, installing lighting sensors, new efficient boilers and computer systems to control heating and cooling. They will be saving $102,000 on utility bills. The town is also planning to lease its capped landfill to developers to build a solar farm and wind turbine, thereby adding $1 million to town coffers per year.

Hanover was awarded $148,598 for a hybrid public safety command vehicle, energy upgrades in municipal buildings and support of an energy staff employee.

Worcester awarded 7 solar compactors to be placed in public parks.

Newburyport awarded $155,000 for energy conservation measures at the police station and City Hall, including air sealing, modification of the HVAC system, lighting replacement and other mechanical system improvements.

Gloucester awarded $198,200 for energy conservation measures at a middle school.

Swampscott awarded $143,800 for energy conservation measures at municipal school buildings, such as lighting retrofits, steam trap upgrades and a part-time energy manager.

Salem will institute a free bike-sharing program next month, using $30,000 in Green Communities grant funds.

In March 2011 the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced the funding for an array of projects, including the purchase of hybrid municipal vehicles, solar panels on town office buildings, municipal wind turbine, high efficiency street lights and other energy efficiency upgrades amounting to $3.6 million to the newly designated Green Communities of Boston, Dedham, Easton, Gardner, Gloucester, Harvard, Hatfield, Marlborough, Medway, Milton, Newburyport, New Salem, Scituate, Swampscott, Watertown, Wayland, Williamstown and Winchester.

As of July 2011, there were 53 Green Communities in Massachusetts and, so far, around $12 million in grants have been distributed with another $4 million in the pipeline. The state funds come from auctions of carbon emissions permits under the Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Don’t you think it’s time that Peabody got on board?

Susan Sturgeon,

Member of GreenPeabody

You can also check out the GreenPeabody blog.