The Town of Brookline’s Energy Advocate, Caroline Staudt, spoke at CAB’s upcoming meeting on March 9. Caroline recently joined the Sustainability & Natural Resources Division of the Department of Public Works in a part-time grant-funded position. Thanks to the Town’s participation in the Mass Save® Community First Partnership, Caroline provides Brookline residents and small business owners with free, personalized guidance on energy efficiency rebates and incentives, as well as assistance with understanding utility bills and determining eligibility for discounted utility rates. Caroline’s work is largely focused on outreaching to populations that have been historically underserved by energy efficiency programs, including landlords and renters in 1-4 unit buildings as well as moderate income residents.

Caroline comes to Brookline with a background in home electrification, helping homeowners decarbonize and take advantage of Mass Save incentive programs. She lives in Winchester, where is a member of the Town’s Climate Action Advisory Committee and is focused on resident outreach efforts to help the town meet its climate goals.

Following Caroline’s presentation, we heard from Mark Dyen of the 350 Mass Statewide Legislative Team about the Status of MassSave Funding in the Just-Passed MA House Energy Bill.

Alexandra Vecchio, Brookline’s Sustainability & Natural Resources Director joined CAB to give an update on CARP, the Climate Action Resiliency Plan.

The Town is in the drafting stage of the plan – Goals, Strategies and Actions have been outlined and are now being prioritized. The goals are divided into 5 major categories: Building & Energy, Resource Conservation & Management, Sustainable Transportation & Mobility, Natural Systems & Community Well Being, and Resilience, Adaptation & Risk Reduction.

• CAB Business (very brief)
• (11:06) Warrant Article 8: Nuisance Lighting – Alisa Plazonja
• (53:53) Warrant Article 17: Tree Preservation Practices – Kerryn Gerety & Patrick Maguire
• (1:18:00) Continuation of Discussion re Future Directions for CAB

The very notion of Networked Geothermal – using existing natural gas pipelines to convey ground-temperature water, rather than natural gas, to provide partial heating and cooling to buildings – originated at HEET. The good people at HEET have persevered in moving Gas to Geo from a proposal to a built reality, including a very successful system in Framingham MA. Many folks in Brookline are interested in the possibility that we could have one or more Gas to Geo projects here in town. HEET staffers Angie Alberto-Escobar (Gas-to-Geo Transition Director), Tony Berry, Gretchen Carey, and possibly Executive Director (and Co-Founder) Zeyneb Magavi will tell us:

• What is Networked Geothermal?
• What has happened since Zeyneb introduced CAB to networked geothermal c. 2017 or so?
• What are the criteria to be eligible for a conversion project?
• How does one initiate a request?
• What are the chances that Brookline might be chosen?

In our regular 2nd Monday Monthly Meeting we learned about and voted on endorsing several articles that are on the warrant for the Town Meeting session that begins on May 27.

AGENDA

1) Warrant Article 25: Resolution to Support Establishment of a Climate Change Superfund – Quick Update (CAB originated the article and has already endorsed it) – John Harris

2) Plastics:

Warrant Article 18: Reduce Demand for Single-Use Plastic Food Packaging &

Warrant Article 19: Expand Regulation of Plastic Bags – Brenda Hochberg

3) Warrant Article 16: Expanding Bicycle Parking Spaces, including Spaces for Larger Bicycles – Anthony Ishak

Brookline architects Rick Ames, Elton Elperin, and Deborah Rivers presented a panel presentation on Embodied Carbon.

The presentation included:

• A description of embodied carbon in buildings and how it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions
• The adaptive reuse and/or historic preservation of existing buildings
• A case study of the decarbonization of an existing complex of 10 low-rise residential buildings in the Boston area

Deborah Rivers was a long-time member of the former Select Board Climate Action Committee, and Elton Elperin is a member of the Brookline Preservation Commission. All three presenters are practicing architects.

This year, the Select Board race is competitive. Three candidates, Liz Linder, Carlos Ridruejo and Michael Rubenstein are running for a single seat. Interest is high.

Much is at stake. There are recent policy reversals by the current Administration in Washington DC and leadership re climate change has devolved to the states and to municipalities like Brookline. While disturbing, this is also an important opportunity for Brookline to respond quickly and decisively.

As an informed electorate, we want to know, along with other concerns:

• How committed are the SB candidates to address the climate crisis?
• How familiar are the SB candidates with Brookline’s responses so far?
• What are the SB candidates ideas re expanding Brookline’s response?
• Will Brookline remain a leader in responding to the climate crisis?

The Electrify Brookline program – past, present and future.  Susan Martin and Diane Sokal will bring you up to date on the campaign and where it’s going next, including information on the Brookline Green program, as well as on third-party electricity suppliers.

We will also discuss recent climate events affecting Brookline:

Sustainability Division and ZEAB Membership Update, including ZEAB Washington Street letter of support

The Washington Street Complete Streets Redesign Proposal: Update and Call to Action

Make Polluters Pay Resolution at the May Town Meeting – Update and invitation to become a co-petitioner!

Dan Zackin of the Better Future Project will tell us about the Make Polluters Pay campaign.

Make Polluters Pay is a national campaign that aims to hold Big Oil corporations financially responsible for the extensive climate and environmental depredations – extreme heat, forest fires, floods, sea level rise, etc. – caused by the profligate use of fossil fuels, and to counter the massive disinformation tactics sponsored by the fossil fuel companies.

The campaign is hoping that the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts will pass Resolutions aimed to Make Polluters Pay. The meeting will conclude with a possible vote of the CAB Board to sponsor such a Resolution.

Update on the OMNIBUS BILL/s currently before the MA Legislature – MA State Representative Tommy Vitolo
Will both houses file a version? Will they be reconciled by July 15? Will the legislature vote on a final bill be by the end of the current session on July 31? How can we help?

Renters’ Project – Susan Martin, CAB Board Member & Wendy Stahl, Chair of ZEAB
52% of Brookline residents are renters. For Brookline’s response to the climate crisis to be meaningful, all residents must participate. The Brookline Renters’ Project, a joint effort of CAB, MOF and ZEAB, and funded by a grant from Mass Save’s Community Education Program, is working to reach out to renters to explore their views of climate change, utility costs, Mass Save, and barriers to participation. The project hopes to provide the support needed to help renters understand and implement climate solutions.

State Representative Tommy Vitolo and Energy Sage founder and new ZEAB Board Member Vikram Agarwal discuss climate-responsible uses of electricity in Brookline:

Heat Pumps? Solar Panels? EV Charging? Climate Priorities re Brookline Town Policy AND Personal Choices

As we in Brookline begin to update our Climate Action Plan, it is time to consult experts. Tommy and Vikram have spent years offering professional advice how people, companies and governments can wean ourselves off of fossil fuels and live in more climate-sustainable ways.

Their discussion is intended to help Brookline in determining its official Town policies – and YOU as you make your own personal choices.