YARMOUTH – Yarmouth selectmen have given the town the go-ahead to become a green community.
The designation could bring $180,000 in grants for the first year to the town and up to $250,000 for future funding cycles.
There are five criteria that is needed to become a green community and Yarmouth has spent around eight years trying to get the designation.
“You get the benefit of tapping into a source of money we didn’t presently have, you get to do the energy conservation measures, in total you get to save dollars to the town’s energy footprint and at the same time, reducing the Commonwealth’s green house gas emission goals,” said Town Administrator Daniel Knapik.
The town met the first two criteria in 2010, but efforts to complete the final three were stalled up until last year when Town Meeting approved the adoption of a more energy efficient building code.
Last month, selectmen met the final two criteria when they approved a fuel-efficient vehicle policy and new energy-reduction plan.
“The grant money that we would become eligible for is then used towards achieving those goals in the reduction plan,” said Knapik.
At this time, 210 towns across the state hold the designation, including Wellfleet, Truro, Mashpee and Provincetown.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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