Southborough awarded Green Communities grant

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Southborough awarded Green Communities grant
(l to r) – Joan Bissetta, Deputy Director of Green Communities Division at the Department of Energy Resources; Carl Guyer; John Parent, Southborough Director of Facilities ; State Rep. Carolyn Dykema; Kelly Brown, Regional Coordinator, Green Communities Division; and Judith Judson, Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources

To the Editor:

On March 30, Judith Judson, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, presented the Town of Southborough with a Green Communities grant of $142,865.  In 2016 Southborough applied for and received recognition as a Green Community by the State of Massachusetts, making Southborough eligible for this grant.  As of 2017, 185 Massachusetts Communities have achieved the status associated with this designation.

“The Green Communities program continues to represent an important partnership between municipalities and the state, helping towns to deepen their commitment to energy efficiency in a way that pays dividends,” said State Representative Carolyn C. Dykema (D-Holliston).  “These funds will help Southborough build on its already outstanding dedication to a more sustainable future for the town and its residents.”

“The Green Communities program is an excellent example of how state and local governments can work together to save taxpayer money and promote responsible energy policies,” said Governor Charlie Baker.  “Our newest Green Communities will now have additional resources to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, locking in energy savings for residents and reducing their carbon footprints.”

As a participant in the grant program, Southborough can now apply for Green Communities grants each year.  Over the past 3 years our neighbors in Ashland have been awarded $474,100 in Green Communities grants for projects to upgrade their street lighting to LED technology and install high efficiency heating systems in their schools.  It is expected that Southborough should be able to see similar support in the future.

Southborough is expecting to use the 2017 Green Communities grant funds to weatherize existing facilities owned by the town.  This will improve building comfort levels for occupants while simultaneously reducing energy consumption.  In addition, the town recently participated in a group procurement sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for the services of an Energy Service Company (ESCO).  It is anticipated that the winning ESCO, Honeywell International, Inc., will soon be conducting Investment Grade Audits on the town’s facilities.  The data acquired through these audits will be used to apply for continued support from the Green Communities Grant Program.

Good Stewardship of our energy consumption not only reduces operation costs, it preserves natural resources and helps to reduce environmental damage.

 

Carl Guyer

Green Technology and Recycling  Committee

Southborough

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