Green Community Designation and Grant Program

In April 2021, the Town of Princeton was designated as a Green Community under the Commonwealth's Green Communities Designation and Grant Program. At this time, 280 Massachusetts communities have now earned a Green Communities designation. Along with Princeton, our neighbors in Rutland, Barre, Clinton, Hubbardston, Lancaster, and Leominster are also Green Communities.

Benefits of Designation

The Town of Princeton will benefit both financially and ecologically by becoming a designated Green Community.  Massachusetts Green Community Designation and Grant Program provides financial and technical support for energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives for municipalities designated as Green Communities. By becoming a Green Community, Princeton has qualified for an initial grant funding of $130,869 and in subsequent years, Princeton will be eligible for up to $200,000 annually in Green Community competitive grants. Without a need for matching funds from the Town, these grant funds can support all or a portion of the cost of clean energy projects and energy use reduction projects. Among other things, grant funds can be utilized for: energy efficiency measures and projects; procuring energy management services; and adopting energy efficiency policies. For example, these grant funds could help pay for much-needed municipal building energy efficiency upgrades, which will likely save the Town additional money in operating expenses over the long term.

Long-term benefits of becoming a Green Community include: reduction of municipal greenhouse gas emissions; increased communication and engagement with the community about energy-related issues and actions; Town leadership in the fostering of renewable energy and clean energy technologies; the strengthening of the local economy because of municipal support for renewable or alternative energy facilities (including tax revenue from such facilities); and the promotion of energy-efficient building construction that drives the market for better built and lower-cost homes.

Steps to Designation

The Town applied for Green Community designation in December 2020. In applying for Green Community designation, the Town was required to meet five specific designation criteria:

✔️(1) Zoning bylaw designation of locations for as-of-right siting of renewable or alternative energy generating facilities, research and development facilities, or manufacturing facilities.

✔️(2) An expedited application and permitting process under which as-of-right energy facilities may be sited within the Town.

✔️(3) Adoption of an Energy Use Reduction Plan (ERP) demonstrating a reduction of 20 percent energy use after five years of implementation.

✔️(4) Adoption of Massachusetts’ Board of Building Regulations and Standards Stretch Energy Code (the Stretch Energy Code).

✔️(5) Adoption of Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Policy (FEVP) and an Alternative Fuel Compliance Policy (because all of Princeton’s current vehicles are exempt from the FEVP). The FEVP requires all Town departments and divisions to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles (with exemptions for many types of municipal vehicles) when looking to purchase a new vehicle. Under the Alternative Fuel Compliance Policy, Princeton has (a) adopted an anti-idling policy intended to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and emissions in municipal vehicles; (b) committed to installing on municipal vehicles engine idle management systems to conserve fuel; and (c) committed to fleet right sizing in an effort to balance municipal fleet composition and operational requirements such that each asset within a fleet is fully utilized and the right size for the job.

The process in moving towards this designation involved outreach and information sharing with many Town residents, committees, and boards—namely about what Green Community designation is, why the Town is pursuing it, and the potential resources needed in achieving designation.  Also, thanks to a grant of District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) funds, the Town received technical assistance in the designation application from Sarah Adams of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC). 

Through efforts and work of the Town Planning Board, it was determined that the Town’s existing bylaws already meet designation criteria 1 and 2. 

At the Annual Town Meeting in June 2020, the Town adopted a Stretch Energy Code Bylaw, thus meeting designation criteria 4. The Stretch Energy Code is adopted in lieu of the base energy code of the State Building Code, allowing for flexible implementation of energy efficiency measures. The Stretch Energy Code applies only to new residential construction, large commercial buildings, and buildings with a high-energy usage intensity (e.g., supermarkets, laboratories); it does not apply to renovations, alterations, repairs, or additions to residential and small commercial properties. The Stretch Energy Code aims to ensure greater energy efficiency in new buildings, estimated to add approximately 0.5% to new home construction costs, but expected to result in significant annual estimated energy costs savings. 

Also, at the Annual Town Meeting in June 2020, the Town voted to partially fund energy audits of municipal buildings in an effort to meet criteria 3. The Board of Light Commissioners voted for the Princeton Municipal Light Department to split the cost of these energy audits with the Town.

Using data from the energy audits, as well as other municipal energy use information, the ERP was drafted by Sarah Adams of CMRPC and presented to the Selectboard at its meeting on November 24, 2020.  At that meeting, the Selectboard voted to adopt the ERP, thus meeting criterion 3. 

An action item in the ERP included Town adoption of an anti-idling policy. At its November 24, 2020 meeting, the Selectboard voted to adopt such a policy.

At its November 24, 2020 meeting, the Selectboard also voted to adopt a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Policy (FEVP), meeting criterion 5.  At its February 23, 2021 meeting, the Selectboard voted to adopt an Alternative Fuel Compliance Policy, meeting criterion 5. 

In December 2020, Sarah Adams of CMRPC finalized the required documentation and submitted online the Town’s Green Community Designation application. After receiving requests for some clarification and additional information, the Town, with assistance from Sarah Adams, submitted all additional required information in February 2021.

Process moving forward 

In October 2021, Sarah Adams of CMRPC submitted, on behalf of the Town of Princeton, a designation grant application seeking to utilize a portion of the Town’s Green Communities Designation Grant to fund: lighting upgrades at the Library, Fire Station #2, and the Highway Garage; part of the purchase of a hybrid cruiser; and CMPRC’s grant administration efforts. In January 2022, the Town, at DOER’s suggestion, resubmitted the proposal with slight revisions.

This page was last updated on February 7, 2022