Around Town

Watertown Awarded Grant for Community Greening Program & Vulnerability Preparedness

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced that the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) awarded a $976,270 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant to the City of Watertown for Phase 2 of the Equity-Based Community Greening Program, which seeks to address the outsize risks posed by climate change to vulnerable populations by targeting green infrastructure investments in Watertown’s most at-risk neighborhoods. The MVP Action Grant program offers financial resources to communities that are seeking to advance priority climate adaptation actions to address climate change impacts resulting from extreme weather, sea level rise, inland and coastal flooding, severe heat, and other climate impacts. This cycle EEA awarded a total of $52 million to awardees across the Commonwealth for 71 projects, including 62 for municipalities, seven for regional planning agencies, and two fortribes. Watertown’s awarded project is a continuation of Phase 1 of the Community Greening Program, which launched in 2021 thanks to a previous MVP Action Grant award. The Program’s goal is to use nature-based solutions to create climate resilient neighborhoods and actively engage residents in the process.

Around Town

Charles River Chamber Seeks Environment Committee Members

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

The Charles River Chamber’s Environment Committee is looking to expand its membership in 2024. If you work for a chamber member business and are passionate about sustainably and helping businesses become greener, contact Chamber President Greg Reibman greibman@charlesriverchamber.com. This a forum to share ideas and best practices, not a place to promote your company’s specific products or services. The committee meets via Zoom in the third Thursday of the month at 9 a.m.

Climate & Energy Plan

Council Approves Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases & Prepare for Impact of Climate Change

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The Climate & Energy Plan approved by the City Council on Tuesday has multiple goals, including reducing the use of fossil fuels, increasing the number of electric vehicles, cutting the amount of waste created in Watertown, and preparing the City and residents for the impact of severe weather. The City has been working on the plan since March 2021, and formed a 35-member Stakeholder Advisory Group, working groups, conducted two surveys, and held meetings to discuss the five areas of the plan: Building & Energy, Transportation & Mobility, Natural Resources, Infrastructure & Waste Management, and Public Health & Community Preparedness. One of the major goals of the plan calls for making the City of Watertown carbon neutral by 2050, said Ed Lewis, Watertown’s Energy Manager. “Buildings are the biggest (contributor), the fat rabbit in this: 56 percent of gas comes from buildings,” Lewis said. “Transportation accounts for a little over 40 percent.” 

The plan calls for cutting all heating of homes and buildings by oil or natural gas to zero percent by 2050.

Around Town

Sunrise Watertown Holding March for Environment on Earth Day

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A sign being made by a member of Sunrise Watertown, a youth-led environmental organization. A group made up of youth from Watertown will march on Earth Day to push for legislation at the state and local level to benefit the environment. Organizers sent out the following information:

This upcoming Earth Day, Sunrise Watertown plans to take action and lead a march from the middle school, past town hall, and to the square. Their goal is to educate the town on the climate crisis while simultaneously putting pressure on the town council to declare a climate emergency and enact more decisive legislation to combat the crisis. Sunrise Watertown plans to stage a few speeches and read an op-ed which was authored by its own members and will be about the town councils lack of action concerning the climate emergency.

Around Town

Watertown Student Group Holds Rally to Stop Climate Change at Town Hall

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Watertown Sunrise member, Carolyn, reads the groups demands outside of town hall on Oct. 23. The following announcement was provided by Watertown Sunrise:

Last Friday, a group of over 30 teenagers, all a part of Watertown Sunrise, took to the streets for a late-night march. Their purpose was to wake up the community to the climate crisis through songs, chants, and speeches. Backed by concerned citizens, they read their demands of town council outside of town hall.

Around Town

Watertown Student Group’s Night March Looks to Raise Awareness of Environmental Issues

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Members of Sunrise Watertown work on banners for the Late Night March on Oct. 23 to raise awareness about environmental issues. The following announcement was provided by Sunrise Watertown:

On Friday, October 23rd, Sunrise Watertown will lead a late-night march using tactics that are over a century old to enact change in the present day.Their goal is to educate the town on the truth of the climate crisis while also drawing support for a Green New Deal. WHO: Sunrise Watertown, a local student-owned and run organization. WHAT: Late night march led by Sunrise Watertown to wake up the community to the climate crisis.

Environment

Town Council Seeks to Have Town Move to 100% Renewable Energy

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Watertown Town Hall

In a move to respond to climate change, the Town Council voted to create a Climate and Energy Master Plan, and get the town to 100 percent renewable energy in the coming decades. A proposal for the Climate and Energy Master Plan was presented to a joint subcommittee at meetings in October and December by the Watertown Environment & Energy Efficiency Committee (also called W3EC). It seeks to prepare Watertown for the changing weather conditions, and take steps to reduce the town’s impact on climate change. The proposal states, in part:

“It is clear from projections that Watertown as a community will be increasingly affected by climate change. Significant impacts to daily life in Watertown are to be expected.

Environment

Sen. Brownsberger Hosts Discussion on the Future of Energy, Environmental Policy

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The following announcement was provided by Sen. Will Brownsberger’s office:

Senator Will Brownsberger will host – alongside Senator Michael Barrett (D-Lexington), Transportation for Massachusetts‘ Executive Director Chris Dempsey, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts‘ Legislative Director Casey Bowers – a town hall discussion on the future of energy and environmental policy in Massachusetts. WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., Watertown, MA

This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend to learn more and ask questions. For more information, contact Quinn Diaz at 617-722-1280 or quinn.diaz@masenate.gov