Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hingham Green Energy Action Committee
meeting minutes.
Present: David Killory (briefly),
John Tzimorangas, Russ Heissner, Brian Phillips, Pam Harty, Rob Baynes.
Absent: Ted Alexiades.
Minutes of 11/29 (last
meeting) accepted unanimously.
Russ: we
have a broad scope, we need to narrow it.
Let’s discuss it now. This is a
policy making committee. What should we
focus on ?
John: good
points about open meeting law. Emails to
group may be accepted into the minutes. Move
to elect Rob as secretary, unanimous.
Brian:
still trying to figure out our mission. I
have past experience with energy management.
We need to attack the tangible items.
costs/consumption. Not as green
as others, but we need to look at it practically. e.g. a windmill might take 4-5 years to
approve. See the committee as 3 areas:
demand, supply, alternative energy sources.
Reduce consumption, pay as little as possible for energy, set policy for
usage of alternative energy sources.
Pam: likes
the practical approach to specific energy use.
Likes
Rob:
address usage through stricter building codes.
Pam: Use
the town of
Russ: (taking
notes on big post it):
Demand
Supply
Carbon footprint - captures renewable
energy too
How do we view energy in
Demand : building codes, energy audits, volatile
market, save $
Supply : use bio diesel for home heating
? Supply recommendations go to
light board. We are 10% green, where do we want to go with
it?
John: we
can set policy, e.g. recommend to light board more green energy
Russ: we
could set policy around renewable and carbon footprint
Brian: we
need to set benchmarks for all 3 areas so we know where we are now.
Russ: what
is our policy, how do we achieve it?
John: what
is our mission statement? Goals,
objectives, what it takes to get there.
Russ: it
takes a while to form a mission statement, we can do that tonight.
John: we
have done complete detailed energy audits already. We have the data electronically, to use to
set benchmarks.
Russ: what
are the state, fed. or local building codes for energy usage? We need to meet or exceed that. Process of new state level codes for better energy
usage. We can start with the mission
statement now, and come out with a working plan to forward to Phil Edmunson.
Pam: ICLEI
intl. council for local env. initiatives (and audience member).
Mass climate action network
- they will help us.
Russ: let’s
show some internet info on related topics before we do mission statment. Mass already has a renewable energy standard
- shown online. Mass technology
collaborative (www.mtc.org), what funding and grants at fed. or state level,
rebates for small renewable energy projs.
wind... building code.
www.carbonfootprint.com (Carbon
footprint: impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount
of greenhouse gasses produced.)
NREL national renewable
energy lab. www.nrel.gov
Solar energy websites:
American Solar Energy Society
John:
solar panels on the HS for school curriculum, no storage batteries.
Brian:
doing a small installation like this is good for our education.
John: we
have to start somewhere; this is the first solar proj. in town.
Russ:
energy star website, HMLP already has rebate program. Renewable energy access, news clearing house.
John: will
ask Mat Patrick - State Democratic Rep. from
Pam: building
energy 07 conference. Ai3 (new east
school architect) exhibitor or booth possibly.
Russ: do
we want to be a clearing house of info for other town members, projects? Recommend we set up energy planning office
(permanent)? Visit office as part of building
permit process. Makes sure building
projects conform.
John: this
'energy planning office' would be part of the building dept, planning, zoning,
environmental, etc. process.
Russ: do
we want to make a statement on how energy use affects national security?
Pam:
resource conservation issue, national security, environmental issue.
Brian: we
need to be careful on how we word the mission statement, it's for the the
public.
John: this
committee came out of a
Russ:
shows PPT from earlier
Brian: a
mission statement should be short, no more than two sentences. What is the actual name of this committee?
Russ:
State of town meeting, we were introduced as "
Action Committee". It's our official
name.
Brian:
purpose is to serve the residents of the town of
Group discussion on mission
statement ensues...
John: HMLP
will do free energy audit for any home, just starting for business.
To serve the residents of the town of
Goals:
1.
The establishment of town-wide Renewable Energy
Standards for (1) electric power generation and use, and (2) renewable fuels
for fleet vehicles, heating, and stand-by power generation.
2.
The establishment of “green” building codes that
enhance energy efficiency
3.
The establishment of zoning by-laws for land-use that
promotes energy efficiency, conservation, or alternative power generation.
4.
The establishment of Energy Performance Contracting
Programs for residential, commercial, and municipal purposes.
5.
Identification of Capital Project Incentives Programs
from Private Equity, State, Federal programs
6.
Identification of Operating Incentives from Private,
State, & Federal programs
7.
The establishment of Community Outreach programs that
communicate that benefits of energy conservation and renewable energy
8.
The establishment of benchmarking standards that
compare similar programs established in other towns and municipalities
throughout the
Pam: moves
to vote this as our mission statement.
Brian:
second, unanimous vote.
Russ: next
meeting - workplan, timetable for bullet points. We will be trying to get some air time at the
next town meeting. Meeting is last
Monday in April. Deadline is usually
Jan. 23 to put in a warrant. Perhaps we
put a placeholder in for town meeting for a warrant to change building codes.
Rob: Next
meeting?
Russ:
Agenda: to establish our work plan.
Warrant proposal to advisory committee,
plus speaking slot from Tom Odonell (town moderator).
Russ: I
move we adjourn, seconded, voted unanimous.
Date of next meeting, Thurs. Feb. 8 at 7:30pm
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Rob (post meeting secretary
notes): email John and get whom I email minutes to. Also ask who I notify of next meeting. Ask who I get to make link to our minutes
page to town and HMLP web site: http://www.hingham-ma.gov/towngov_minutes.html
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Email and documents shown in
the meeting from Russ’s computer and later emailed to Rob, the secretary:
Rob:
Here is the presentation that lists the bullet points that we agreed to attach
to the end of our mission statement. Can you please incorporate them and
then publish to the team as part of the meeting minutes?
I also said that I would send out an e-mail with the web links that we reviewed
at the meeting. I will send that out with another e-mail to the group.
We will need to make sure that the e-mail becomes part of the meeting
minutes.
Finally, David Killory passed out a document at the beginning of the meeting
that I gave to Brian Phillips for his review. We can discuss the document
at the next meeting, but I wanted to make sure that the fact that we recieved
it was captured in the meeting minutes, but that we will table discussion of it
until the next meeting.
Thanks!
Go Pats!
Best Regards,
Russ Heissner
Bullets from Russ’s
presentation (also added to mission statement as ‘Goals’ in the minutes above):
Web site links from Russ:
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:57:21 -0500
From: Russell Heissner
To: ...
Subject: Links to web resources discussed at the 11-Jan-07 Meeting
All:
Here are the web links to the resources that we discussed at the meeting:
See you all on Feb 8th!
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/
http://buildingenergy.nesea.org/
http://www.mass.gov/doer/programs/renew/renew.htm
http://www.pathnet.org/index.asp
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/home
Best Regards,
Russ Heissner