NORWICH — Selectboard members this week described a 2019 Town Meeting advisory article calling for the town to completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels by 2040 as “aspirational,” but officials nonetheless expressed a commitment to finding ways to cut back.
Seven years ago, residents overwhelmingly approved an advisory article to decrease fossil fuel use by the town at least 5% annually for 20 years. The article also called for regular data reporting by the town manager.
On Wednesday evening, the board outlined ways to action: researching solar power, using energy efficient heating sources, adding insulation at the fire department and purchasing electric vehicles.
But there remains a lack of clarity over how best to prioritize them.
“We govern. We’re not doing this work ourselves,” Selectboard Chairman Kimo Griggs said during Wednesday’s meeting. “How do citizens and employees make this happen?”
Wednesday’s meeting came after several residents spoke at a March 11 Selectboard meeting calling for a stronger effort to live up to the spirit of 2019’s Article 36.
And 30 residents signed a formal letter outlining progress that could be made this year.
“There’s a lot of interest here,” Selectboard member Brendan Classon said during Wednesday’s Tracy Hall meeting, which had about 10 attendees in person and remotely. “The sense of urgency is very clear from our townsfolk.”
The Selectboard previously established an Article 36 Task Force to conduct research and provide recommendations on how to make the article a reality. In 2022, the task force released a comprehensive report outlining greenhouse gas emissions across town departments along with potential reduction opportunities.
The task force recommended starting with heat in buildings before moving on to electric vehicles.
Neither Town Manager Brennan Duffy nor any Norwich employee has reported fossil fuel data since the task force disbanded following the 2022 report.
“To have a resolution and have nothing happen is not a great thing,” Selectboard member Mary Layton said Wednesday. “I do think that to some extent, Article 36 is aspirational, especially when you consider some of the practical decisions.”
Harry Falconer, who serves as a shared energy coordinator for the towns of Norwich, Bradford, Vt., Sharon, Thetford, Strafford and Woodstock, said Wednesday that the 2022 report remains relevant.
The biggest opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use are buildings and equipment due for life cycle upgrades. Heavy duty electric trucks are out of reach right now, Falconer said, as they can’t yet meet the cost and level of performance of diesel trucks.
One option for the town is a Chevrolet Blazer electric police cruiser, Falconer said, adding that mowers are another possible area for electrification.
Resident Jude Stull expressed concerns over the potential ramifications of energy policy on housing affordability. While the article itself did not directly create expenses, he said it has created an appetite for a brand new fleet of vehicles, which could prove expensive.
When it comes to renovating public facilities and replacing vehicles to become more energy efficient, significant grants are “few and far between,” Falconer said, though it’s possible to leverage tax credits and low-interest loan programs.
Resident Kris Clement requested that the town manager do more reporting on the matter, and that the Selectboard task the town manager with providing materials in the meeting packet to inform the public.
“When you guys have an agenda item of this magnitude, supporting documentation would have been really great,” Clement said in a public comment.
Duffy was in attendance Wednesday via Zoom but did not respond to the request by Clement nor speak to the agenda item.
Layton agreed to put together a memo of some of the ideas discussed on Wednesday, including solar power at town buildings, electric police cars, insulated garage doors for the fire apparatus bay and fuel tracking.
“People with expertise ought to be telling us what they advise be done and then we vote on that,” Griggs said, regarding the memo items.
Straightforward fossil fuel reduction projects may be considered by the Selectboard itself. The duty of the Selectboard is to initiate these projects, said Layton, which could mean looking into costs themselves or delegating research to experts.
Energy Committee member Linda Gray encouraged the Selectboard to determine who to task with carrying out the , suggesting Duffy and Falconer take it on, with the possibility of recruiting a citizen group to weigh in as well.
“I think staff is certainly capable of this if you just give them the assignment and prioritize the work,” said Gray.
Article 36 will be back on Selectboard agenda for its next regular meeting, scheduled for April 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of Tracy Hall, 300 Main Street.
