ATHOL — The Baker-Polito administration announced recently that 103 communities would be splitting $13 million in Green Communities grants with Athol will be receiving more than $22,000 for several energy-saving initiatives.
“The Green Communities program continues to make significant progress in helping municipalities reduce their carbon footprint and save on energy costs,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a release announcing the distribution of funds.
“As we work to meet our net zero by 2050 emissions goals,” added Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, “the Green Communities program gives our dedicated municipal partners the resources they need to continue making progress in increasing energy efficiency and lowering energy costs.”
Under the Green Communities Act, cities and towns are required to meet five criteria to join the program and receive funding. Thus far, 271 cities and town have been designated Green Communities, accounting for 84 percent of the state’s population.
Athol’s Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith said the town received funding for three projects.
“We got money for an LED lighting improvement project at the Millers River Environmental Center,” he said. “The Center is town-owned and leased to the Bird and Nature Club and other folks that use it for environmental purposes. We’re also going to be putting in two EV charger station units in the municipal parking lot, which seems like a good place for them. And the last one is a small LED lighting improvement project for the animal control facility.”
Of the $22,036 Athol will receive, $15,000 will be invested in the EV (electric vehicle) charging stations, just over $4,800 will go the environmental center lighting projects, and just under $2,200 will cover the cost of improved lighting at the animal control facility.
Currently, the town has two EV charging stations in the parking lot behind Town Hall.
When asked about the need for the charging stations, Smith said, “There’s no great demand for them; it’s sort of chicken-and-egg situation. They’re starting to put more electrical vehicles on the road — or hybrids, and things like that — so there is a need to put more of a network of those here.
Smith said this year marked the first time he has seen EV units being eligible for funding.
“Usually, the funding goes to LED lighting, weatherization, that sort of thing, heating efficiency improvement, windows,” he said. “This is a new category and we sort of realized it at the last minute, and luckily we were able to put this project together.”
Grant awards under the Green Communities program are capped at $200,000 per municipality. Funding is made available from the proceeds of carbon allowance auctions under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
“The Green Communities program helps cities and towns make important investments at the local level to combat climate change by reducing emissions,” state Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides said in a prepared statement. “Air-source heat pumps, ventilation system upgrades, and electric vehicle charging stations are just some of the exciting new projects that these grants will fund in order to increase energy efficiency and clean energy innovation in municipalities across the state.”
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