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You will receive a link to join the webinar 1-2 days prior to the event.
Presented by Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center, Massachusetts Climate Action Network, 350 Mass for a Better Future, and Massachusetts Sierra Club
A growing number of cities and towns are committing to achieve 100 percent renewable energy and making comprehensive plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions community-wide. Local officials and ordinary citizens, working together at the municipal level, are proving that we can take big steps forward on clean energy no matter what’s happening in Washington, D.C.
In this webinar, we’ll share new resources developed to help residents, elected officials, and municipal staff accelerate progress on clean energy and energy efficiency in their communities.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Local Energy Action Dashboard (LEAD) provides a snapshot of a city or town’s energy usage and carbon emissions from homes and businesses, helping local leaders prioritize where to take action in order to have the biggest impact. Community Action Planning for Energy Efficiency (CAPEE), developed by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, is an online platform that helps communities identify actionable steps to achieve energy and carbon reduction goals.
Speakers will discuss how residents and local officials can use these resources in their communities. We will also share the Road to 100% Renewable Energy toolkit developed by Mass Power Forward.
Speakers:
- Megan Aki, Clean Energy Analyst, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
- John Balfe, Senior Buildings and Community Solutions Associate, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP)
- Ben Hellerstein, State Director, Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center
- Carol Oldham, Executive Director, Massachusetts Climate Action Network
- Alan Palm, Director of Organizing, 350 Mass for a Better Future
- Jacob Stern, Clean Energy Organizer, Massachusetts Sierra Club
MAPC and Groundwork USA invite municipal and agency staff, community organizations and members, and renewable energy developers to join a virtual workshop on the potential of Brownfields to Brightfields (B2B) to advance equitable community development. B2B projects repurpose brownfields sites – land with known or potential hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants – with solar energy installations on ground-mounted arrays, building rooftops, or canopy structures.
This workshop will share findings on models for B2B projects that advance equity and community benefits, highlighting real-world examples, challenges, and opportunities. Participants will learn about a new mapping tool for identifying potential B2B sites in Massachusetts and have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for future B2B project partnerships.
Download Agenda
This project was made possible with support from EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization. The event is free and preregistration is required. Register here and contact Julie Curti (jcurti@mapc.org) or Adi Nochur (adi@groundworkusa.org) with any questions.
EPA Region 1 continues to work on the development of a permit referred to as an “RDA Permit” – that will regulate stormwater run-off in the Charles, Mystic and Neponset River Watersheds.
In this webinar, the EPA will discuss the background and current development of the RDA permit, the types of actions that the permit will require, and will answer questions. The EPA is particularly interested in hearing from municipalities about how this permit can best be implemented to meet local as well as federal clean water goals.
For those unable to attend the presentation, there will be a chance after the draft permit is issued later this year, to provide comments to the EPA.