Sixteen Central Massachusetts received nearly $1.6 million total in Green Community Grants from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources for energy efficiency and clean energy projects.
The grants were part of more than $6 million awarded across 50 municipalities across Massachusetts. According to the DOER press release announcing the grants Tuesday, the money will be used to fund projects including purchasing hybrid police cruisers, battery-electric vehicles, and electric vehicle charging stations; ventilation system upgrades; weatherization; and decarbonization of municipal buildings and facilities.
The grants are part of the Commonwealth’s Green Communities Act, which designates cities and towns as Green Communities if they meet the criteria. Massachusetts has named 290 cities and towns as a Green Community. The grants provide financial support for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. This round of DOER Green Communities grants were awarded to existing Green Communities that have invested their initial designation grants and previous competitive grant awards.
“The grants awarded to these 50 cities and towns will help reduce emissions from buildings, make our transportation cleaner, invest in the local economy, and are a further step in helping Massachusetts achieve a net-zero economy,” DOER Commissioner Patrick Woodcock said in the press release.
The towns in Central Massachusetts receiving this round of funding are Acton, Ashburnham, Bellingham, Charlton, Framingham, Harvard, Maynard, Medway, New Braintree, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sutton, Uxbridge, and Winchendon.
Since 2010, DOER has awarded more than $166 million to Green Communities.
