(BOSTON) – Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined her colleagues last week to announce a new initiative to invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to help communities across Massachusetts adopt technologies – including clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate change resiliency measures – that cut greenhouse gas emissions, fortify infrastructure and reduce municipal costs.
The proposal – known as GreenWorks – builds on a long-standing approach by the House of Representatives to provide concrete tools directly to communities with an immediate positive impact.
“This long-term investment will help Massachusetts cities and towns build sustainable and resilient communities,” said Speaker DeLeo, (D – Winthrop). “Not only will cities and towns have the ability to cut greenhouse gases and lower long-term energy and operating costs, but they will adopt Massachusetts-made innovative technologies and put people to work on cleantech infrastructure projects.”
“Investing in community-based projects is critical to ensuring that mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency efforts reach every corner of the Commonwealth,” said Representative Meschino. “Communities like Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and North Scituate experience climate change in a dynamic way through coastal storms and sea level rise, making it paramount for the Commonwealth to support efforts to reduce emissions and strengthen infrastructure. Our communities are uniquely poised to lead the way.”
These competitive grants are for cities and towns to fund projects including, but not limited to energy efficient buildings, solar, microgrids, energy storage, electric vehicle charging stations, or resiliency infrastructure. Under the proposal, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will administer the grants through its agencies.
