Electric Vehicles Discount Program Information Session Set

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williamstown COOL Committee is sponsoring an information session on "Drive Green with Mass Energy," a special program that offers electric cars for purchase or lease at significantly discounted prices, at the Williamstown Youth Center at 66 School Street on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Staff from the nonprofit Center for EcoTechnology will describe the Drive Green with Mass Energy program, which was launched in November by nonprofit Mass Energy Consumers Alliance (Mass Energy) and now runs through June 30. Drivers will be able to buy or lease cars at significant discounts below standard pricing.

Mass Energy has negotiated the discounts with several dealers throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Anyone can participate and buy or lease an electric vehicle through a participating dealer. The available cars will include the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Fusion Energi and Ford C-Max Energi. A waiting list will be set up for the new Chevrolet Bolt, which should be available by the end of 2017.

The session will provide an opportunity for people to have their questions about electric vehicles answered. Clark Semon, a local electric car owner, will share his experience and bring his Nissan Leaf for attendees to view first-hand.

According to Mass Energy, discounts on purchase prices for the listed vehicles will be up to $10,000 below the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). These discounts will be additional to a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 and a state rebate of up to $2,500. Taken together, the purchase price will be up to $20,000 less than the MSRP.

"People have been asking what they can do about climate change on a local level, and given that as much as one third of our greenhouse gas emissions come from the cars we drive, we are pleased that electric vehicles are now an affordable option to reduce our emissions," Wendy Penner, chair of the Williamstown COOL Committee, said.

About 15 dealers have signed up for the Drive Green with Mass Energy program, including several in western Massachusetts.

There are several specific points that CET staff will emphasize:

Williams College Lone Suitor for Development of Water Street Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
11:15AM / Thursday, April 16, 2026

Williams College hopes to replace the current Facilities Services building on Latham Street and use that space for a new  athletics complex. 

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — If the town accepts an offer from Williams College, a 1.27-acre lot that long has been eyed as a possible venue for housing and economic development instead will find a use similar to its history.

 

The college was the lone respondent to the town's request for proposals to purchase and develop 59 Water St., a dirt lot known around town as the "old town garage site." This was first reported Wednesday by Greylock News. 

 

If successful, the college plans to use the former town garage property for the school's Facilities Services building. Or it could be turned back into a parking lot.

 

Williams' offer includes a $500,000 upfront payment and a 10-year agreement to make $50,000 annual donations to the Mount Greylock Regional School District according to the proposal unsealed on Wednesday afternoon.

 

If it closes the deal, the college said it will explore development of a three- to four-story Facilities Services building with "a structured parking facility providing approximately 170 spaces."

 

"[I]f site constraints impact our ability to develop both structured parking and the Facilities Services building, our backup proposal is to develop the parking structure with approximately 170 spaces, also with capacity to support institutional and public needs," the college's proposal reads.

 

The college's current Facilities property at 60 Latham St. has an assessed value — for the .42-acre lot only — of $113,000 and an annual property tax bill of $1,606, according to the town's website.