Concord Receives $250k Green Communities Grant

From the Town of Concord

CONCORD, MA—The Town of Concord has received a $250,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) as part of a grant program awarded to Green Communities for clean energy projects. Concord, along with 47 other municipalities in the Commonwealth,received a portion of the $9,580,467 worth of grants given out by the DOER.

“Green Communities are champions for clean energy practices across Massachusetts and should be commended for their efforts to reduce energy use and costs,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Achieving the Commonwealth’s ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments will only be possible with the help of our partner communities in this program.”

The $250,000 grant was the maximum amount the Town was eligible to receive under the program.
There are 155 Massachusetts cities and towns currently that have earned the Green Communities
designation, representing 54 percent of Massachusetts’ population.

This year’s $250,000 grant will be used for energy efficient LED lighting upgrades at several
schools, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, both library locations, and the Concord Municipal Light
Plant (CMLP). At CMLP, these new lights will be individually tuned by the nearest employee’s
computer. Initial tests of this system in some offices indicate that employees frequently prefer lower
light levels than the standard LED settings, allowing for even greater energy savings. A final list of
the number of buildings that are covered under this grant will be coming soon.

“It is rare for a municipal light plant town to become a Green Community” said Pam Cady, Energy
Manager for the Town. “We’re very excited to have gotten the full grant amount we applied for.”

The Concord community is dedicated to the use of clean energy and following energy efficiency best
practices. Through a variety of projects and practices implemented in Town, Concord has made
strides toward reducing its carbon footprint. The driving force of that reduction is the hard work and
effort put forth by a combination of Town staff, community organizations, and volunteers.