DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board is considering a climate-change policy to improve the town's chances of obtaining grants. 

 

This policy is a significant commitment because it sets requirements that the department heads and the Finance Committee has to follow, Select Board chair Joseph Diver said at last week's meeting. 

 

The board voted to postpone the decision until it can look into the topic further and until the policy is reviewed by Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson and department heads.

 

It is important that the department heads are involved in the conversation because of the impact it will have on them and the town as a whole, Diver said. 

 

The town's energy reduction level continues at 21 percent as of August 2022, which complies with the state-mandated level for 2020. 

 

Further improvements are needed, however, to reach the state-mandated 33 percent energy reduction by 2025, which is quickly approaching, Diver said. 

 

It is unclear what the financial impact will be to meet the mandated energy reduction level so the information provided during the meeting's presentation in addition to the department heads input should inform the town's strategy session in Sept, Diver said. 

 

There is a lot to consider when looking at a policy of this magnitude so it is important to have all the information so that they can streamline the process in a cost effective way, Hutcheson said. 

 

The town could consider incorporating aspects of this policy into a climate action plan that the Select Board can then adopt in full as a policy. 

 

This would allow them to work from an already comprehensive and coordinated approach to reach the net zero goal, he said.

 

Then this policy becomes an "educational item" that the Green Committee and Planning Board can use when adopting funding measures for implementing parts of the policy.  

 

The plan may recommend that the town implement a manager for a project of this magnitude but that may be difficult with funding and staffing issues, Hutcheson said. 

 

Adopting a plan as policy would bring the town's capabilities into the conversation to find the best solution, he said. 

 

"Although I very much appreciate the work and the goal, I also want it to be put in, in the context of what the town can do and try to streamline the process," Hutcheson said. 

 

Although Green Committee member Thomas Irwin endorses this as a concept, there are certain elements of the policy that would not be included in a climate action plan so he requested being included in the conversation with the town consultants and sustainability directors. 

 

A climate-change policy is not required when applying for grants but it can help the town obtain the grant funding, Irwin said, because having a policy would demonstrate that the requested funds are consistent with the town's plan.

 

"With the increasing amounts of state and federal funding rapidly becoming available, being in the best position is certainly in Dalton's best interest to take maximum advantage of grant opportunities," he said. 

 

In addition to having this policy, Dalton needs to develop the action plan and community engagement, and create a website that is organized and easily modifiable for educational information, Irwin said. 

 

"We believe this policy organizes steps that Dalton is already doing, or is planning to do in a manner that provides support in Dalton's climate change preparedness projects in a sensible, accurate and useful manner," he said. 

 

There is an urgent need for this policy as evident from recent events caused by climate change that have affected the Berkshires including rising temperatures, heavy rains and flooding, drought conditions, tick and mosquito-borne illnesses, and the Canadian wildfires, Irwin said. 

 

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources is recommending the town adopt a policy.

 

Irwin suggested that they integrate the "climate change considerations" into the master plan when it is updated in 2025. 

 

Once the town has developed a climate action plan it will also need to update its municipal vulnerability plan to make it qualify for grant and implement a zero-emission vehicle policy, Irwin said. 

 

The Green Committee will be considering a draft of the zero-emission vehicle policy at its September meeting prior to submitting it to the Select Board for review and approval.