Princeton Achieves Green Community Designation

Submitted by the Environmental Action Committee 

Princeton Achieves Green Community Designation

The Town of Princeton has been designated as a Green Community under the Commonwealth’s Green Communities Designation and Grant Program! With this designation, Princeton has been awarded a designation grant of $130,869 to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that will reduce Princeton’s energy costs and positively impact the environment. In subsequent years, Princeton will be eligible for up to $200,000 annually in Green Community competitive grants. 

Interior lighting efficiency upgrades, heat pump air handling units, and heat pump water heaters in municipal buildings, and engine idle management systems in municipal vehicles are just some of the exciting new projects that the grant might fund in Princeton to increase energy efficiency. 

Under the Commonwealth’s Green Communities program, to be designated as a Green Community and receive grant funding, municipalities must meet five criteria and commit to reduce municipal energy consumption by 20 percent over five years. Brian Sullivan, the Director of the Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division, emphasized that Princeton’s designation “reflects the hard work and tireless efforts” of the community in meeting those five criteria, providing “proof of Princeton’s position as an energy leader in Massachusetts.” 

Utilizing grant funds, Princeton will now proceed to work with the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission to submit a project application that proposes how the designation funds will be spent.