Since 2010, the town of Harvard has been designated as a Green Community in Massachusetts, pledging to meet a certain set of criteria that promote energy efficiency and climate resiliency. With the core aspects of the Green Communities program centered around energy reduction, transportation is a key component.
In compliance with the program criteria, Harvard currently has a fuel-efficient vehicle policy, which requires the town to purchase municipal vehicles with higher fuel efficiency ratings where possible and to develop a plan for replacing vehicles that do not meet the efficiency standards set by the state Department of Energy Resources. Now, a newly proposed vehicle policy seeks to further reduce municipal fuel emissions and demonstrate a commitment to a clean energy transition.
At the Select Board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4, members of the Energy Advisory Committee and the Harvard Climate Initiative Committee (HCIC) presented the board with a proposal for a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) first policy, which would prioritize replacing fossil fuel-based municipal vehicles with electric models.
Brian Smith, the chair of the Energy Advisory Committee, outlined the stipulations of the ZEV-first policy. When it comes time to replace an applicable town vehicle or purchase a new one, Smith explained, this policy would require the town’s first choice to be a battery-run electric vehicle, with each consecutive option prioritized in order of most to least energy efficient. As such, he said, the second choice would be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle; third, a hybrid electric or alternative fuel vehicle; and fourth, a standard vehicle with the most fuel-efficient internal combustion available, complying with the current Green Communities policy.
In terms of implementing the policy, Smith noted the town owns only one applicable vehicle in need of replacing––the building inspector’s truck. Other municipal vehicles, such as police cruisers and heavy-duty vehicles, are exempt from the policy.
Also established by the Department of Energy Resources, the ZEV-first policy aims to encourage not only energy reduction across state municipalities but also a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, for which transportation makes up the largest source statewide.
Moreover, Smith explained, designated Green Communities that adopt the ZEV-first policy among other criteria––including adopting a specialized stretch building code, which Harvard has already done, and developing a municipal decarbonization road map, which the HCIC is currently updating––become eligible to apply for Massachusetts Climate Leader status.
As a climate leader, Smith said, Harvard would then be eligible to apply for significant state funding that would allow the town to invest in sustainable energy projects. One such grant awards Climate Leaders up to $1 million in funding over the course of three years. Smith and Ellen Sachs Leicher, the chair of the HCIC, suggested that state funding could be put toward energy-efficient renovations for the Bromfield School.
To adopt the ZEV-first policy, approval is needed from both the Select Board and the School Committee or superintendent.
After the presentation, Town Administrator Dan Nason voiced a few concerns about the financial cost of implementing the policy, as well as whether or not any school vehicles would need replacing, and how the town would assign staff positions for monitoring the policy.
The Select Board decided to deliberate further and wait for feedback from the School Committee before voting. Board members tentatively planned to vote on the ZEV-first policy at their next meeting.
