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The Cornwall Energy Task Force members are:
Gordon Ridgway, Selectman
Katherine Freygang, Chairperson
Debbie Bennett
Ruth Charney
Nevton Dunn
Joe Ellis
Joe Fuller
Richard Griggs
Mac Horner
Henry Labalme
Fred Sander
Ira Shapiro
Nick Xatzis
Anne Zinsser
Cornwall Energy Task Force
860 672 6010
info@cornwallctenergy.org
Cornwall Energy Task Force Annual Report 2010
Cornwall Energy Task Force supports our commitments to energy conservation and clean energy resources. We provide educational materials and public events at CCS, winter workshops at the library, reports in local publications, and a consistent presence at town gatherings with presentations of innovative ideas. We review programs made possible by government (and government funded) organizations and make recommendations to the selectmen, educators and residents. Most often we use municipal buildings as models of working solutions. For instance, the Cornwall Consolidated School (CCS uses roughly 75% of our energy budget) has a 9kW photovoltaic system that successfully provides $2000 savings or 5% of annual costs and will for 25 or more years! This was awarded to our town for its 30% participation in the Clean Energy Option program. If you have not signed up yet, please do so at Town Hall. We also completed a municipal ARRA grant to fund soalr panels for the town offices supplying 100% of that building’s energy use!
The theme for this year’s activities has been ‘creating alliances’. Energy management and conservation reaches into the deepest and most aspiring aspects of our lives. We are spreading our experience and creating alliances to develop stronger practices and resources with Cornwall committees, state agencies and other town energy committees.
To start, we have opened a website http://www.cornwallctenergy.org/. (Thanks to Nev Dunn and Joe Ellis.) Overstocked with information, we decided to reserve it for success stories and current notices in Cornwall. Now http://ctclimatechange.com/index.php/towns/muni-actions/ will be the main resource site. We have worked diligently with other towns across the state through the DEP to amass resources and state programs in this one place.
The New England Chapter of the EPA helped us use their Portfolio Manager to monitor our municipal and residential usages. Last year we were honored as the first town in New England to fulfill their Green Power Community requirements. With Kent, we have created a position to monitor our performance and produce reports. (Thanks to Barbara Herbst and Debbie Bennett.) This will help us identify and engage further improvements and to develop a town energy plan. The new alliance with the Kent energy committee shares agendas, public programs and efforts to work more closely with the EPA. We are coordinating with the NW Conservation District in their effort to register new towns as well.
Within Cornwall, we are instituting coordinated projects with Planning and Zoning, the Agricultural Advisory, Housing, the Food Pantry and Motherhouse to promote conservation and green building practices. For example, K. Freygang contributed language to the new town plan that focuses on energy issues, Ruth Charny initiated a Cornwall Farm Camp that will focus on family workshops for best practices, and Deb Bennett initiated a community gardening effort that people will start at home. This winter we will be featuring films, discussions, and programs at the library (such as a Cornwall Fuel Coop and HES Program).
The Cornwall Energy Task Force also aligns with 350.org. (The effort to contain our carbon emissions at 390 ppm to the sustainable level of 350.) This year their campaign is called Moving Planet to bring attention to not only alternate transportation like bikes and walking, but also to encourage the use of public transportation and carpools. Cornwall is celebrating September 25 with a bike ride to connect 4 churches and picnic at Housatonic Meadows.
Independently, the word on successful solar installations is out. The list of state approved installers is growing. Litchfield Solar alone has installed over 58,000 watts of solar power in Cornwall. These systems pay for themselves in a dozen years and afford free electricity for up to another two dozen! Ask us for information on these rebate programs.
Please visit us at the Ag Fair in the Fall and the Memorial Day Fair in the Spring to update yourself on current issues, incentives and programs. Or come join us! We meet quarterly with subcommittees working in the interims. Finding ways to be more efficient and creative in the face of energy and environmental issues is challenging and fun!
Respectfully submitted,
Katherine Freygang, Cornwall Energy Task Force Chair