The Green Communities Program Partnering with Massachusetts

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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Deval L. Patrick,
Governor Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor Ian A.
Bowles, Secretary Phil Giudice, Commissioner
The Green Communities Program Partnering with
Massachusetts Cities and Towns Mark Sylvia,
Director Green Communities Division
Marshfield Energy Committee Marshfield Town
Hall August 18, 2009


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Green Communities Program

• Serving as the hub to all Massachusetts cities
  and towns on all matters related to energy

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Green Communities Program

• DOER Programs/Support for Municipalities
• Energy Audit Program (EAP)
• Energy Performance Contracting Technical
  Assistance
• Green Communities Grant, Loan and Technical
  Assistance Program
• ARRA Stimulus support EECBG
• Energy Information Reporting System (EIS)
• Regional Coordinators
• Outreach

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Energy Audit Program (EAP) provides

• Technical assistance for all buildings owned and
  operated by cities, towns, regional school
  districts and waste water treatment plants
  through
• Benchmarking of structures
• Detailed energy audits (provides list of energy
  efficiency measures, their costs, estimated
  energy savings and funding sources, such as
  utility rebates)
• Non-conservation assessments - demand response
• Clean technology feasibility studies when/where
  appropriate
• Close collaboration with the utilities
• 1st Round 112 Applicants 2nd Round Queue 135
• Contact Scott Durkee, scott.durkee_at_state.ma.us,
  
• 617-626-7341

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Energy Performance Contracting Technical
Assistance MGL c25A sections 11C and 11i

• Provide a guide, model RFR/RFQ and model contract
  documents
• Review bid documents
• Educate and guide communities through the process
• Contact Eileen McHugh, eileen.mchugh_at_state.ma.us
  ,
• 617-626-7305

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Green Communities Grant Program

• Provides up to 10M annually in grants and loans
  to qualifying communities
• Grants will fund significant energy efficiency
  initiatives, renewable energy, innovative
  projects
• Qualification Criteria
• File an application
• Adopt as-of-right siting, in designated
  locations, for RE/AE generation, or RE/AE RD, or
  RE/AE manufacturing
• Adopt expedited (12 month) application/permitting
  process
• Establish an energy use baseline inventory with a
  program to reduce baseline by 20 in 5 years
• Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles
• Require all new residential construction gt 3000
  ft2, and new commercial and industrial real
  estate construction to minimize life-cycle energy
  costs

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Green Communities Grant Program Development

• Funds allocated for Green Communities from RGGI
  auctions
• Beginning rollout of program
• RFI to municipalities 120 Responses
• Technical Assistance Program Deadline 8/14/09
• Issued final criteria on 7/10/09
• Stretch Code Webinar on 8/19/09 for public
  officials and future training for building
  inspectors
• Website, tools added over time
• Draft qualification criteria
• Model as-of-right by-laws
• Spreadsheet for vehicle mpg criteria
• Link to stretch code

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Becoming a Green Community Why Do it?

• Economic Benefits save energy
• Environmental benefits reduce greenhouse gas
  emissions
• Recognition Sustainability leader in the
  Commonwealth
• Grants - to become even greener

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ARRA Funding Opportunities for Municipalities

• Alternative Fueled Vehicles Grant Program 67
  vehicles
• Clean Energy and Industrial Efficiency - CHP
• Clean Renewable Energy Bonds
• Local Energy Assurance Planning Due 10/8/09
• Community Renewable Energy Deployment Due
  9/3/09
• Energy Efficiency Block Grants - 400M (TBA)
• competitive nationwide awaiting guidance
• Energy Efficiency Block Grants Formula
• - Municipalities gt 35,000 (direct grants) Due
  8/10/09
• - Municipalities lt 35,000 (competitive grants)
• Information available on DOER website,
  fedconnect.net and
• grants.gov

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Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG)

• ? Direct Grants to Cities and Towns with a
  population gt 35,000 Application Deadline
  August 10, 2009
• - 42 Municipalities qualify
• - Grants range from 150,000 to 6.5 mil
• Green Communities has
• - Issued guidance
• - Hosted a webinar
• - Dedicated staff to assist with applications
  - Outreach to municipalities

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Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG)

• DOER / Green Communities will develop and
  administer grants for cities and towns with
  populations lt 35,000 Application deadline for
  DOER August 10, 2009
• - 309 municipalities are eligible
• - 14,752,000 in grant funds available
• - Submitted grant application on June 10, 2009
• Green Communities
• - Issued guidance
• - Hosted a webinar
• - Will roll out application process once
  approved by US DOE

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DOER EECBG Grant Programs
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Energy Information Reporting System

• EIS will be provided to all 351 cities and towns
  free of charge. It will
• provide access to comprehensive up-to-date energy
  usage and cost
• Information. Among the uses are
• (1) Benchmarking consumption and identify
  priority targets for efficiency investments
• (2) Measure results
• (3) Develop and monitor emissions inventory and
  track and report emission reductions.
• Standard Features of this web based, point and
  click system include
• Electronic download of utility data
• Standard and custom reporting
• Integration of utility billing and usage data
  with
• building and energy end-use information
• Roll out anticipated in Winter 2010

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REGIONAL COORDINATORS

• Regional Coordinators will act as liaisons
  directly with cities and towns on energy
  efficiency and renewable energy activities
• Will be located at each of the DEP Regional
  Offices SERO LAKEVILLE
• NERO WILLMINGTON Joanne Bissetta
• CERO WORCESTER
• WERO SPRINGFIELD Jim Barry

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OUTREACH

• Participate in forums and meetings
• Email updates via listserv (700 subscribers)
• Produce informational material (brochures, fact
  sheets, model documents)
• Regional Coordinators
• Website
• www.mass.gov/energy/greencommunities

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Green Communities Resources

• Staff Contacts
• Mark Sylvia Director
• mark.sylvia_at_state.ma.us [phone]
• Meg Lusardi Deputy Director
• meg.lusardi_at_state.ma.us [phone]
• Joanne Bissetta Northeast Regional Coord.
• joanne.bissetta_at_state.ma.us [phone]
• Jim Barry Western Regional Coord.
• jim.barry_at_state.ma.us [phone]