Adams, Dalton and Sandisfield Awarded Green Communities Grants

11:14AM / Wednesday, August 12, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced more than $8 million to cities and towns across Massachusetts to fund energy efficiency and clean energy projects.

The Department of Energy Resources selected 57 municipalities to receive Green Communities Competitive Grants.

In Berkshire County:

Adams was awarded $33,573 to fund energy conservation measures, weatherization and related administrative assistance for the police station.
Dalton was awarded $124,397 to fund energy conservation measures, heat pump and attic insulation at the Senior Center.
Sandisfield was awarded $54,150 to fund energy conservation measures, heat pump and LED lighting at Fire Station 2.

With the announcement, DOER will have awarded more than $208 million to Green Communities in Designation and Competitive Grants since 2010. These funds have helped reduce municipal energy costs by over $30 million annually and have reduced pollution.

"Our administration is committed to helping cities and towns lower energy costs and make public buildings more efficient," said Governor Maura Healey. "These investments will reduce energy use, save money and help communities make the most of every taxpayer dollar."

The projects are expected to save about $701,411 each year in energy costs and leverage $3.2 million in utility incentives. Annual energy savings of 28,141 MMBtus is equivalent to the energy use of 320 Massachusetts households. These projects also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,634 metric tons annually, which is roughly equivalent to 3,783 barrels of oil consumed.

Eligible projects include installing high-efficiency lighting and building weatherization, upgrading to energy management systems, insulating pipes and attic spaces, and transitioning HVAC systems away from fossil fuels by installing air- or ground-source heat pumps.

Under the Green Communities Act, DOER's Green Communities Designation and Grant Program can make available up to $20 million annually to qualified cities and towns.

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Adams Prudential Committee Evaluating Truck Replacement

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:21AM / Thursday, September 03, 2026

ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department's Engine 2 is suffering from rust and the Prudential Committee needs to decide if it should be fixed or run until it can be replaced.

Fire Chief David Lennon told the Prudential Committee on Monday about the condition of the 20-year-old truck and acknowledged it's going to be an costly endeavor.

"If we choose to do this, it's going to be so expensive that it would have to be put out for multiple people to look at and possibly bid on, but moreover, we have to look at what the long-term plans are to decide if we want to spend that money on that truck," he said. "If we're going to replace it on its usual schedule, which would be in under 10 years now, so we have to decide."

Lennon said his thought was that it was similar to getting a medical diagnosis: since they've got one opinion, "it'd behoove us to get a second opinion to see.

"We see that it's rusting, but is that rust going to be completely detrimental to running that for the period that we want to run it for, and have somebody else look at it now," he said. "As far as who that would be, I don't know, but I think that's what we should discuss and see moving forward."

The committee set a workshop for Friday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m.

Superintendent John C. Barrett said he plans to install a new system and water main for the Adams Housing Authority's 64 one-bedroom units in the Columbia Valley facility, which will mean a new suppression system for all of the buildings.

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