Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards More Than $1 Million for Local Energy Projects, Certifies Nine New Climate Leader Communities

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $1 million in grants to help Massachusetts cities and towns advance clean energy projects that lower energy costs and reduce pollution. The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) awarded funding to help municipalities plan and develop projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and deliver long-term savings.

DOER also announced the certification of nine new Climate Leader Communities (CLCs), the fourthgroup of communities to earn the certification. Concord, Framingham, Milton, Newburyport, Northampton, Sherborn, Wellfleet, Wenham, and Westboroughhave earned the designation, making them eligible to apply for grants up to $1,150,000 each for projects that reduce municipal emissions, or for technical support ahead of energy projects. There are now 44 CLCs in Massachusetts.

“We want to help every city and town in Massachusetts lower energy costs, reduce pollution and build a cleaner, more affordable energy future,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These grants will help communities move forward with projects that save taxpayer dollars and deliver lasting benefits for residents. We're proud to support the local leaders who are stepping up to make their communities stronger and more resilient.”

“Our cities and towns are doing incredible work to find innovative ways to lower energy costs and protect their communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Whether it's installing solar panels, upgrading heating systems or making schools more energy efficient, these investments will help local leaders turn their plans into action. We're excited to continue partnering with municipalities across Massachusetts to save money for taxpayers and build a cleaner future.”

“We are investing in municipalities to help them move forward with home-grown clean energy projects that lower costs and protect residents and businesses from volatile energy prices,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Our newest Climate Leader Communities are building on that progress by making upgrades that reduce pollution and deliver lasting benefits for residents.”

“I’m thrilled to add nine more climate-focused communities to our growing CLC ranks and watch our Climate Leaders take on clean energy projects that lower costs for taxpayers and create healthier communities,” said Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “The grants help cities and towns take on local energy projects that deliver benefits directly to communities and also boost local economies with jobs and infrastructure improvements.”

Climate Leader Communities

The Climate Leader Communities Program builds on the highly successful Green Communities Designation and Grant program. The vast majority of Massachusetts municipalities are designated Green Communities and have partnered with DOER on hundreds of projects to deliver more than $30 million in municipal energy cost savings each year. DOER created the CLC Program in response to high demand from designated Green Communities for a higher tier of the program. The CLC Program encourages cities and towns to lower municipal emissions, maximize the efficiency of buildings and transportation, and slash energy costs.

To become a CLC, municipalities must meet certification requirements that include a local committee to advise and help coordinate local energy activities in the municipality; a commitment to transition away from on-site fossil fuel use in municipal buildings and fleets by 2050; a zero-emission-vehicle first policy; and adoption of the Specialized Energy Code.

CLC Technical Support Grants

CLC Technical Support Grants fund engineering and design documents that will help planned local energy projects move forward. Five previously certified CLC’s are receiving $750,000 in Technical Support Grants.

The following Climate Leader Communities were awarded Technical Support Grants:

META Grants

DOER awarded more than $305,000 in Municipal Energy Technical Assistance (META) grants to 16 local governments to develop clean energy projects. DOER’s Green Communities program offers META grants annually to support municipalities, regional school districts, and water/wastewater districts with clean energy projects, and fund the services of expert consultants and contractors to assist with a diverse range of local projects. Grants of up to $15,000 are available for technical assistance, and grants of up to $25,000 are available for projects that need both technical assistance and engineering documents, which help municipalities bring on vendors to advance projects.

The projects and studies that receive funding will support the design of solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS); the design and specification of Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems; owner’s agent services, which help communities with processes related to energy-saving performance contracts; building retro-commissioning, which studies a building’s systems to ensure efficiency; and ASHRAE Level II audits, which are in-depth energy audits of commercial buildings.

The following municipalities and regional school district were awarded META grants:

More information on DOER’s Climate Leader Communities Program can be found on its website. For more information on the Green Communities Program and grant opportunities, please visit the Green Communities website.

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