Concord Named State Climate Leader Community

The Town of Concord announced Oct. 29 that it has been certified as a Climate Leader Community by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.

The designation places Concord among 44 communities statewide eligible to apply for two competitive state grant programs totaling up to $1.15 million. The programs include up to $150,000 for technical assistance and engineering design, and up to $1 million to support eligible municipal decarbonization projects such as energy efficiency improvements, heating system electrification and renewable energy installations.

The certification was announced alongside eight other municipalities: Framingham, Milton, Newburyport, Northampton, Sherborn, Wellfleet, Wenham and Westborough.

Town Manager Kerry Lafleur said in the release that the recognition "reflects Concord's ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental leadership" and called the certification "an important milestone that creates new opportunities to invest in our municipal facilities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and advance our long-term climate goals."

Gov. Maura Healey said in the release that the grants "will help communities move forward with projects that save taxpayer dollars and deliver lasting benefits for residents."

Brad Dye, chair of Concord's Climate Action Committee, said in the release that the designation "is an important milestone along Concord's path to sustainability, acknowledging the excellent work town staff and elected officials have already performed, and setting us up with new funding for the next phase in our work."

To achieve certification, Concord demonstrated a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning away from fossil fuels in municipal operations by 2050. The town also adopted a zero-emission vehicle first policy and developed a Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap to guide future investments in cleaner, more energy-efficient municipal buildings and vehicles.

Building on that roadmap, town leadership is identifying next steps to advance municipal decarbonization efforts and make use of the new grant eligibility, according to the release.

Source: Town of Concord announcement, October 30, 2026.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the original announcement.