DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee will present its draft of the Climate Action Plan on April 12 from noon to 2:30 p.m. 

 

For the past nine months, the committee has been working with the town's consultant, Blue Strike Environmental, in the development of this document. 

 

The goal of the climate action plan is to aid the town in achieving net zero by 2050 by seeking strategies to decrease the town's dependence on fossil fuels for homes, businesses, municipal facilities, and vehicles.

 

Committee members said the CAP presentation will kick off a vital discussion on climate change within town. 

 

"This is an ongoing process, with this presentation being the initiation of a townwide discussion of this very important topic," according to the committee. 

 

The event will include free pizza, a presentation on the CAP from Rich Swanson, Blue Strike Environmental's director of the climate and energy division environmental, and a 30-minute discussion and demonstration of organic waste composting by Antonio Pagliarulo, green committee member. 

 

It will highlight impactful actions for families and the community, discuss potential funding sources, and provide handouts, including a "Residents Guide For Climate Action." 

 

Additionally, the event will include a question and answer session for suggestions to enhance the plan, marking the beginning of an ongoing conversation on the issue.

 

The plan's draft was created based on input from 246 Dalton residents who participated in the CAP survey, discussions during Green Dalton Committee meetings, and feedback from the Dalton CAP Advisory Group. 

 

This information was combined to generate a final roadmap to a sustainable future "personalized for Dalton, which we call the Dalton CAP," according to the committee statement.  

 

The town also aimed to enhance public engagement through community outreach events. The plan aligns with the state's Clean Energy and Climate Plan and other state initiatives to transition to a low-carbon future.

 

The Green Committee worked with Blue Strike to understand the town's present levels and sources of greenhouse gases. With that knowledge and input from the community, they forged a plan for improvements. 

 

"It will detail Dalton's current energy situation and discuss how the people of Dalton can work together to address needed changes and improve the future prospects for Dalton," the committee stated. 

 

"It will detail the most impactful things residents can do to help their family and the community, and it will discuss sources of funding support we need to develop to help families achieve these goals."

 

The proposed strategies outlined in the plan focused on ways the town could significantly reduce emissions while keeping costs manageable, particularly in areas where there is outside funding.

 

Community support was also very important, particularly for strategies that needed strong public involvement to work well.

 

In some cases, the plan included high-impact strategies along with plans for extra public outreach and education. 

 

The plan demonstrated that the successful implementation of the Climate Action Plan will require broad collaboration across municipal departments, community organizations, and regional partners. 

 

The plan sets clear goals, strategies, and actions to reduce emissions in four main areas: Transportation and Mobility, Buildings and Efficiency, Resource Conservation, and Green Community. 

 

The plan offers a structured approach to promote sustainability, specify clear action steps, and highlight funding opportunities, policy recommendations, and a detailed implementation roadmap. 

 

Key strategies for transportation and mobility include improving public transit options and reducing overall vehicle miles traveled. Achieving this will depend on partnerships with the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. 

 

The building component promotes making buildings more energy-efficient, switching to electric heating and appliances, and expanding renewable energy projects to power homes and businesses. 

 

The Resource Conservation sector demonstrates the need to establish and grow both home and community composting, increase recycling and sustainable materials recovery, reduce water consumption and leakage, and preserve Dalton's forests and natural spaces. 

 

The Green Community section aims to make the town more resilient to extreme weather and natural disasters. 

 

In recent years, there have been significant changes in local weather patterns. Winters now feature more ice and much more frequent heavy winds, and summers have become significantly hotter, green committee members said. 

 

"A wildfire struck the southern Berkshires [and' we have had a drought and a serious flood.  With each passing year, not only are the patterns changing, but the weather is rapidly becoming more intense," green committee members said. 

 

People throughout the world, including Dalton, "urgently" need to take notice and work towards efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, slow down climate change, and prepare for extreme weather with less energy use.

 

The draft CAP proposes carrying out the plan in three phases:

 

• Phase 1 (2025 to 2028) focuses on establishing a solid foundation. This includes proposing the hiring of a Sustainability Manager, increasing community awareness of financial incentives, identifying viable renewable energy projects, and supporting efforts to enhance community resilience.

 

• Phase 2 (2029 to 2034) works towards improvements to infrastructure, including fleet electrification, expanded public transit, and waste management initiatives.

 

• Phase 3 (2035 to 2040) aims towards improvements to stormwater management and expands water conservation measures.

 

The Green Committee hopes the town sees the need for a sustainability coordinator who would write grant requests and assist families in navigating available support and obtaining deserved rebates. 

 

"This should greatly facilitate the implementation of the CAP by being a resource for Dalton residents working through climate change projects and maximizing local, state, and federal financial support for Dalton's climate-related projects," the committee stated.