Wayland Earns Climate Leader Community Designation From State

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland has earned a new distinction this week.

Wayland, along with six other Massachusetts communities, has been named a Climate Leader Community. The newly named cities and towns will join 28 other municipalities that are cutting energy costs, adding locally produced electricity and reducing pollution from municipal buildings and fleets.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the new additions to the list on Thursday. Wayland, along with Beverly, Brookline, Eastham, Sharon, Shutesbury, and Warwick, is now eligible to apply for grants of up to $1.15 million each for projects that reduce municipal emissions or provide technical support ahead of the projects.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the seven newest Climate Leader Communities. Their work to reduce municipal energy use and bills, add locally-generated energy and create stronger, more resilient communities does not go unnoticed,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, in a news release. “Local energy projects like these add up to make Massachusetts more affordable and more resilient in the face of climate change.”

To become a CLC, municipalities, like Wayland, must meet requirements, including having a local committee that advises and helps coordinate local energy activities within the municipality.

The municipality must also commit to transitioning away from on-site fossil fuel use in municipal buildings and fleets by 2025, adopt a zero-emission-vehicle-first policy, and adopt the Specialized Energy Code.

The CLC Program is built on the Green Communities Designation and Grant program, which the vast majority of towns and cities in the state are a part of.

The state's Department of Energy Resources will also grant substantial funding to several projects in Aquinnah, Carlisle, Harvard, Melrose, Natick, Stow, Truro, and West Tisbury as part of Thursday's announcement.

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