A Step In A Greener Direction—

Town’s Clean Energy Efforts Make Life Greener In Newtown

By Kendra Bobowick

Newtown is greener than it may appear with a glance at historic homes and antique shops where wrought iron and stained glass clutter front stoops. Sandy Hook Center’s old New England village appeal also distracts the eye from hints of green found in the water, the sunshine, and on the minds of many residents, including those on Newtown’s Clean Energy Task Force.

Just last week First Selectman Joe Borst signed paperwork committing Newtown to the role “to be a statewide leader in the purchase of clean, renewable energy,” stated a letter from task force Chairman Dan Holmes. His letter was attached to a memorandum of understating between the state’s clean energy fund and the town. Mr Borst soon penned his name on the proper line.

“We’re making progress,” Mr Holmes said. Newtown is committed to being a Connecticut Clean Energy Community, which will purchase at least 20 percent of its municipal electricity through renewable sources by the year 2010. The task force members wanted to surpass the state’s watermark. They recommended a 26 percent purchase, intended to make Newtown the front-runner in the clean energy initiative, and to send a message to other towns. “The impetus for us to be a leader to spur other towns,” Mr Holmes said, noting that it is a step toward solutions for sustainable energy.

Recently receiving selectmen’s support now finalized by Mr Borst’s signature, Mr Holmes said, “I would like to see the town making good leadership decisions regarding energy.” Already, Newtown has “tremendous organizations doing wonderful things,” he said, noting the environmentally conscientious groups in the community. Running down his list he mentioned, “There is the GIS [Geographic Information System] storm drain markings [a research tool], the open space inventorying, The Conservation Commission…” His thoughts also included a nod to our town’s Pootatuck Watershed Association, the Land Use Agency, the Newtown Forest Association, and others standing behind preservation.

In past months the task force has passed the green inclinations on to town officials, which led up to Mr Borst’s signature last week. Newtown will purchase 26 percent of its electricity through Community Energy’s wind energy option. (Learn more at www.newwindenergy.com.)

With its work complete in bringing the town into the state’s clean energy community, Mr Holmes would like to continue work as Newtown’s liaison with green efforts. “We want to keep helping,” he said. “We want to prove to the selectmen that we need a Clean Energy Commission, not just a task force” for leading the town in its future decisions, Mr Holmes said.

Extending that thought, he offered ideas for strengthening the town’s green grass roots. Referring again to the many “tremendous organizations doing wonderful things,” he expressed his hope for “less splintering among all these groups. While some groups may be doing water sampling in an effort not necessarily coordinated with open space inventorying, for example, he said, “I do feel we’re working in the right direction.”

At no expense, Newtown will receive through the state, solar panels for every 100 households that subscribe to renewable energy. Already, Newtown has two panels on the way. One panel is thanks to Curtis Packaging, which has gone as far as eliminating its carbon footprint — both through green energy and operations at the packaging plant, and offsetting the remainder by supporting renewable efforts offsite. Learn more at CarbonCounter.org.