Beverly Certified As MA Climate Leader Community

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly is one of seven communities across the state now eligible for up to $1.15 million for projects that reduce municipal emissions as a newly certified Climate Leader Community.

Beverly, Eastham, Sharon, Shutesbury, Warwick and Wayland are the other communities that now join 28 other cities and towns across the Commonwealth with the designation.

"I'm proud of the Beverly residents and city leaders who have taken these steps to protect our coastal community and lower our long-term financial, health, and environmental costs," said State Representative Hannah Bowen (D-Beverly). "State funding to accelerate this work is critical because even though municipal budgets are stretched thin right now, we can't afford to put off investments in more sustainable infrastructure and operations."

DOER will also award $1,158,000 in Technical Support Grants to Aquinnah, Carlisle, Harvard, Melrose, Natick, Stow, Truro, and West Tisbury. Technical Support Grants help CLCs fund engineering and design documents that will lead toward the final steps needed for projects to be eligible for Climate Leader Communities Decarbonization Accelerator Grants. Accelerator Grants provide up to $1 million for projects that significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution from municipal operations.

The Climate Leader Communities Program builds on the Green Communities Designation and Grant program.

The vast majority of Massachusetts municipalities are designated Green Communities and have partnered with DOER on hundreds of projects to deliver more than $30 million in municipal energy cost savings each year.

"I am pleased that the Department of Energy Resources has recognized the City of Beverly as a Climate Leader Community," said State Senator Joan Lovely (D-Second Essex). "The opportunities that this new designation will open up will allow Beverly to reach its clean energy goals for the benefit of the entire community."

DOER created the CLC Program in response to demand from designated Green Communities for a higher tier of the program. The CLC encourages municipalities to lower municipal emissions, maximize the efficiency of buildings and transportation, and slash energy costs.

To become a CLC, municipalities must meet certification requirements that include a local committee to advise and help coordinate local energy activities in the municipality; a commitment to transition away from on-site fossil fuel use in municipal buildings and fleets by 2050, a zero-emission-vehicle first policy, and adoption of the Specialized Energy Code.