Glossary

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Leadership | Renewable Energy | Transportation | Energy Efficiency in Buildings | Plastics and Waste | Environmental Justice

image describing key actions municipalities can take

Leadership

The municipality has created a committee that focuses on sustainability issues, such as advocating for municipal renewable energy projects or promoting single-use plastic bans.

The Green Communities Act instituted the Green Communities Designation & Grant Program in 2008. To participate, municipalities must first achieve certain emissions reductions goals and pledge to reduce emissions further over the next five years. Once a municipality is designated as a Green Community, it can apply for grant funding for projects such as municipal building upgrades and electric vehicle purchases. Two hundred eighty municipalities across the state are currently designated Green Communities. For more info about becoming a Green Community, visit the Massachusetts Green Communities website.

The municipality has set a target to transition to 100% clean, renewable energy in all sectors including electricity, transportation, and heating and cooling.

Renewable Energy

The municipality has installed solar panels on municipal property so that it can use the energy, sell the energy back to the grid, and/or allow residents to “buy in” for energy savings.

The municipality has installed wind turbines on municipal buildings or municipal land.

Also called Community Choice Energy, Community Choice Aggregation. By adopting municipal aggregation, a city or town can purchase electricity for not only itself but also its residents and businesses. By purchasing electricity in bulk, municipalities can negotiate lower rates for renewable energy than consumers may be able to access in their individual plans. Municipal aggregation contracts are an important way that municipalities in Massachusetts can support the development of renewable energy projects in New England. Learn more about Municipal Aggregation from The Sierra Club and get started with a toolkit from MAPC.

Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs, are like proof of renewable energy purchase. One REC is equal to one megawatt-hour of electricity produced. Class I RECs show that the renewable energy was produced in New England from modern, sustainable sources like solar, wind, and small hydro. Purchasing local renewable energy helps drive the renewable energy market in the New England region and create local clean energy jobs. Learn more about Class I RECs and the importance of local clean energy from MCAN.

The municipality has adopted Community Choice Energy and offers one or more electricity plans that provide at least 5% more renewable energy (Class I RECs) than required by the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS). Alternatively, the municipality light plant (if it has one) gets a significant portion of its energy from sources that would count as Class I RECs (such as wind, solar, and small hydro).

Municipal Light Plants (MLPs) are utilities owned by the municipality. Citizens can have more power over where MLPs source their electricity because they are operated by elected officials. Learn more about MLPs from MCAN.

MLP community has opted into contributing to the Renewable Energy Trust, which funds MassCEC grant programs, rebates, and other initiatives. Typically, only communities that contribute to the fund can take advantage of supported programs, and municipalities only have to opt-in once.

The municipality has opted into a rebate program that provides incentives for property owners who install solar photovoltaic systems. The rebates are equally funded by DOER and the participating municipality. This program was not renewed after 2021.

The municipality has participated in the Solarize Mass program. Solarize Mass is a campaign run by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to increase small-scale solar projects on residential and commercial buildings. The program has two major components: volunteer-led grassroots education about solar energy and reduced prices on solar energy systems. Learn more about the Solarize Mass program and view MassCEC’s collection of resources for starting a solar campaign.

Transportation

The municipality has adopted a Complete Streets policy. A Complete Street provides safe and accessible options for all transportation modes – walking, biking, public transit, and vehicles – for people of all ages and abilities. By adopting this policy, municipalities commit to incorporating Complete Streets designs during construction/reconstruction and during routine maintenance. Learn more and apply for the program through the MassDOT portal.

The municipality has installed electric vehicle charging stations on municipal property.

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

The municipality has installed energy efficient upgrades in municipal buildings to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

The municipality publicly advertises no-cost home energy assessments and rebates for high-efficiency products. Often, the home energy assessments are conducted through MassSave.

The municipality has participated in or created a clean heating bulk purchasing campaign, or it advertises substantial rebates for electric heat pumps. Bulk purchasing programs such as HeatSmart and the new MetroWest Solar and Clean Heat Challenge allow residents to access savings on clean heating technology. Learn more about heating and cooling technology through this webinar from MAPC.

Municipality has opted into the PACE (property assessed clean energy) program, which helps property owners finance clean energy projects.

Plastics/Waste

The municipality has enacted a ban on single-use plastics, such as plastic checkout bags and/or styrofoam takeout containers.

Environmental Justice

Environmental justice is the idea that all people deserve to live, work, and play in healthy and safe communities, and that all environmental (and related) policies should be planned and implemented with this goal in mind. Low income communities and communities of color systematically bear the burden of environmental hazards and high rates of pollution, and community members are often excluded from decision-making processes that could address these issues. This combination places increased burden on communities that already face other forms of systemic oppression. For example, in Massachusetts, East Boston is predominantly home to communities of color and has a poverty rate of 14%. It is also home to the Logan Airport, has several large highways, and stores substantial amounts of jet fuel and heating oil, which likely contributes to the high rates of childhood asthma. Read Massachusetts’ Official Environmental Justice Statement.