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Public Works, Energy & Utilities Green Communities grant applications due in May
The Department of Energy Resources will take designation applications until May 14 from cities and towns seeking “green community” status.
Once cities and towns are approved for green community status, they have until May 28 to submit applications for green community grants.
The Department of Energy Resources plans to award the first round of up to $7 million in green community grants in late June. Qualified communities will be eligible for awards of up to $1 million each during the initial grant round.
Green Communities program grants help finance municipal energy efficiency and renewable power projects in eligible communities.
Technical assistance grants awarded by the Department of Energy Resources last year helped cities and towns prepare to meet the five grant eligibility criteria set by the Green Communities Act.
To qualify as a green community, municipalities must:
• Adopt a local zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right-siting” of renewable energy projects
• Adopt an expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right projects
• Establish a municipal energy use baseline and establish a program to reduce baseline use by 20 percent within five years
• Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable
• Require all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to reduce lifecycle energy costs (i.e., by adopting an energy-saving building “stretch code”)
Public Works, Energy & Utilities Green Communities grant applications due in May
Green Communities grant applications due in May
The Department of Energy Resources will take designation applications until May 14 from cities and towns seeking “green community” status.
Once cities and towns are approved for green community status, they have until May 28 to submit applications for green community grants.
The Department of Energy Resources plans to award the first round of up to $7 million in green community grants in late June. Qualified communities will be eligible for awards of up to $1 million each during the initial grant round.
Green Communities program grants help finance municipal energy efficiency and renewable power projects in eligible communities.
Technical assistance grants awarded by the Department of Energy Resources last year helped cities and towns prepare to meet the five grant eligibility criteria set by the Green Communities Act.
To qualify as a green community, municipalities must:
• Adopt a local zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right-siting” of renewable energy projects
• Adopt an expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right projects
• Establish a municipal energy use baseline and establish a program to reduce baseline use by 20 percent within five years
• Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable
• Require all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to reduce lifecycle energy costs (i.e., by adopting an energy-saving building “stretch code”)
Written by MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Tom Philbin
