Congratulations To Colrain on Recently Becoming a Green Community

The DOER Commissioner and other Green Community officials came to the Colrain Town Office to award us our first Green Community Grant of $129,888

Baker-Polito Administration Presents Green Communities Designation Award to Western Massachusetts Municipalities
Seven Communities Receive $927,786 for Energy Efficiency Projects

WESTHAMPTON –– The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded Green Communities designation grants totaling $927,786 to Charlemont, Colrain, Heath, Sandisfield, Westhampton, Wilbraham and Worthington. The awards will fund energy efficiency projects and were presented by Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson during ceremonies in Western Massachusetts.

In December of last year, 30 communities across Massachusetts were designated by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) as Green Communities, committing to an ambitious renewable energy agenda to reduce energy consumption and emissions. With 240 of the Commonwealth’s municipalities having earned their Green Communities designation, 78 percent of residents now live in a Green Community. Since the program began in 2010, DOER’s Green Communities division has awarded over $100 million in grant funding to the Commonwealth’s cities and towns through designation and competitive grant rounds.

“We are proud to support the Green Communities program and the work it allows state and local governments to do in order to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through responsible clean energy policies,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Cities and towns that participate in the Green Communities program have access to additional resources that help facilitate investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects while reducing energy costs and carbon footprints.”

“These towns are making tremendous strides to reduce energy consumption and save money and this grant funding is another step we are taking to provide cities and towns across the Commonwealth with the tools they need to continue to move Massachusetts forward as a leader in energy efficiency,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

Under the Green Communities Act, cities and towns must meet five criteria to be designated a Green Community and receive funding, including reducing municipal energy consumption by 20 percent over five years. The 30 newly designated Green Communities have committed to reduce their energy consumption by 293,936 MMBTUs in five years, energy use equivalent to heating and powering 2,281 homes, and greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction of 21,380 metric tons equivalent to taking 4,501 cars off the roads.

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