Truro to receive $141,200 and is designated a Green Community!
We did it!! Truro met the five criteria to qualify for the nomination to become a Green Community. Those five criteria were to:
- adopt local zoning that allows for as-of-right citing for renewable energy,
- adopt an expedited permitting process for as-of-right facilities,
- establish a baseline for town energy use, and develop an Energy Reduction Plan to reduce the town’s use of energy by 20% within 5 years,
- purchase only fuel efficient vehicles for town use, and
- adopt a new building code called the ‘stretch code’ for new residential and commercial buildings.
The Energy Committee wants to first thank those who attended this year’s Annual Town Meeting and voted in favor of the articles that positioned the town to apply for the state recognition. After many months of educational programs, meeting with town committee members and formulating the plan, on July 19th Truro was formally deemed a Green Community and will become a recipient of over $141,000! These funds will be used to improve the energy efficiency of town buildings and take initial engineering steps towards building a solar farm. The official announcement stated, “The Patrick-Murray Administration today named 21 cities and towns from western Massachusetts to Cape Cod as “Green Communities,” making these communities eligible for over $3.7 million in grants for local renewable power and energy efficiency projects that will advance both municipal and state clean energy goals.” The Energy Committee is in the process of developing the application, due August 19h, to outline this year’s goals.
The Truro Energy Reduction Plan, a 56 page document, found on the Town of Truro’s website under Boards & Committees/Energy Committee, consists of over 60 “Energy Conservation Measures” that were based on a number of town building energy audits over the last couple of years. This document will guide the town to prioritize those opportunities that will have the most impact on energy consumption and take steps to make the necessary changes. The funds will cover the cost of these improvements with the goal to reduce energy consumption by 20% over five years. In conjunction with Green Community funding, the Energy Committee will be working with Cape Light Compact who will fund additional conservation opportunities.
In addition, the town will take steps towards planning for a ‘solar farm’. This initiative begins with an initial assessment of what will be needed, starting with engineering and design plans that will outline step by step how best to begin the building of our town’s solar farm. The Town has until August 19, 2011 to submit the application for this grant that will be awarded later this year. Having met the criteria for becoming a Green Community and receiving this initial funding allocation, the town is positioned to be eligible for future funding from the state over the next few years.
The Department of Energy Resources’ (DOER) Green Communities Designation and Grant Program, which is a result of the Green Communities Act signed by Governor Patrick in 2008, uses funding from auctions of carbon emissions permits under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reward communities that win Green Communities designation. Truro is the second town on the cape that has been given Green Community status. Mashpee became the first town in 2010. “Truro will be a great example for Green Communities as we try to make more progress on the Cape.” Seth Pickering, Truro’s Green Community Coordinator. (For more information on Green Communities Act go to www.mass.gov and type in the search box, Green Communities, or click here)
If you have any questions or suggestions for energy conservation at town facilities, please email them to truroenergy@gmail.com.