Energy Group
Members:
| Karen Horn, Chair | Don Wexler | Virginia Farley |
| Jack Byrne | Mike DeMotsis | Maxine Grad |
| John Lynch | Jay Pilliod | Tom Horn |
| Anne MacMillan |
In September 2009, the Moretown Energy Committee secured a Climate Change grant from the Agency of Natural Resources in the amount of $12,000 to make energy efficiency/weatherization improvements to the Town Hall as part of the restoration of that building. Much of the work has been accomplished as the Town Hall is newly insulated and furnaces have been installed. In the end the Agency of Natural Resources reimbursed the Town for $9,760 in insulation and window repair and weatherization costs.
On October 22 the Energy Committee offered an excellent Button Up Vermont workshop. The few participants learned about fundamentals of how homes lose energy, simple do-it-yourself measures for incremental energy savings, significant saving opportunities associated with extensive energy retrofits, and available technical and financial resources. An accompanying video on “Simple Weatherization Measures to Button Up Your Home” and information about energy auditors in the area is available for loan from the Moretown Town Library.
The Moretown Energy Group is participating as a contributor on the new energy wiki for the Mad River Valley. A wiki is a website that can be edited by anyone seeking to provide information on the subject of discussion. You can get lots of information about events in the area and on-going efforts to increase energy efficiency and use of renewable technology in our towns at that website, mrvenergy.org.
The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) has received economic stimulus funding to assist municipalities and the Washington County Court House with implementing energy efficiency measures. CVRPC has funds available to perform energy and lighting audits on municipally-owned buildings and potentially will have funds available to undertake subsequent weatherization measures identified by the audits. CVRPC also anticipates receiving additional funding from the VT Department of Public Service to provide technical assistance to new and existing town energy committees with primary focus on committee development (i.e. capacity building) and project implementation. Anticipated start date is June 2010. The Moretown Energy Committee intends to access both these funding opportunities.
And finally, the Energy Committee is investigating local interest in participation in a clean energy assessment district as the attached sheet describes. Should there be interest, the Energy Committee will approach the selectboard with a proposal for putting an item on the ballot in 2011.
Are you interested in joining the energy committee? Please contact Karen Horn at the e-mail below.
Respectfully Submitted,
Moretown Energy Committee
Karen Horn, Chair, kebhorn@gmail.com
Moretown Energy Group Meeting Notes
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
6:00 pm
Karen Horn chair, convened the meeting at approximately 6:10 pm.
Present were Rita LaRocca, Richard Valentinetti, Tom Horn, Nancy Notterman, Caroline Strauss, and Maxine Grad.
Participants reviewed the proposed action plan and decided to work on items III, evaluating sites in Moretown that are viable for renewables; V, adopting energy efficiency building standards such as Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED); VII, assessing Moretown's transportation habits and what incentives or facilities should be in place to reduce individual trips; and VIII, accessing any program for diesel muffler retrofits on town heavy equipment.
As a beginning under item III, participants agreed to investigate the VT Energy Atlas and the information there on renewable energy resources in Moretown. The website is www.vtenergyatlas.com. The group will also review the current Moretown Town Plan and the energy related sections thereof in order to develop a recommendation for a stronger and clearer statement about what kinds of projects should be encouraged in town. Nancy Notterman, who is with the Central VT Regional Commission said she could get copies of town plan energy elements and do some research on bylaws.
With respect to item V, the group will work to develop a proposal for the planning commission for bylaws that encourage people to incorporate energy efficiency in their building designs and construction. The Go-Vermont and VT Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) have information about carpooling and public transit that may be helpful.
Karen stated that she had contacted the representative for Citizen's Energy, Randy Male about presenting their proposal for industrial wind on the Northfield Ridge to the energy committee but had not yet heard back. Participants discussed the question of whether large industrial wind was appropriate or supportable in Moretown and doing the work to assess what kinds of renewable projects are both appropriate and workable in this community.
Nancy described some activities she had spearheaded in Hardwick, including a contest to develop a logo for the energy committee. She is working with Jean Berthiaume, Sustainable Communities teacher at Harwood to develop a VT Energy Education Program there. She said he is very interested in getting his students involved in their towns in the work of the energy committees.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:30 pm
Page updated August 22, 2010