From left: Executive Office of Energy Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Senator Jamie Eldridge, Selectman Tim Clark, and Representative Jen Benson. (Courtesy photo)
During a ceremony June 9 in Marlborough, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. presented awards to four towns, including Harvard, to finance clean energy projects. In Harvard, the Green Communities award of $141,200 will fund energy conservation measures such as demand-control ventilation and mechanical upgrades at the elementary school, an HVAC upgrade at the police station, energy-efficient boiler replacement at the fire station, and a deep energy retrofit analysis for Town Hall.
“These communities are doing their part to embrace Massachusetts’ clean energy and energy efficiency goals, which save money, create jobs, and protect the environment,” Sullivan said.
Accepting the award for Harvard, Selectman Tim Clark said, “All credit goes to Harvard’s Energy Advisory Committee, a grass-roots organization in our community that has led this initiative over many years and has shaped partnerships with state and private institutions. One of the program’s goals is to reduce energy consumption in town by 20 percent over five years, and we are well ahead of that, thanks to the work of this committee.”
State Senator Jamie Eldridge and Representative Jen Benson also participated in the ceremony. Benson said, “I am proud that Harvard has been designated as a Green Community. The town has been a leader in preserving open space, promoting energy efficiency, and implementing green technology. They deserve this recognition for their tireless efforts.”
There are now 53 official Green Communities in Massachusetts, including 35 cities and towns named in the DOER’s inaugural round of Green Communities designations last year.
In addition to grants, each Green Community is presented with a certificate from the commonwealth, four road signs identifying it as an official Green Community, and at least one Big Belly solar trash compactor for municipal use.
