Projects now underway (2/12)
Durham Energy Committee has been working with Button Up New Hampshire and four local cosponsors to host our first Button Up 101 & 201 workshops on February 23rd, 2012 between 6:30 and 9:30PM. Early registrations have been coming in steadily. We are grateful for the organizing and free presentation provided by the Button Up NH organization.
The DEC is also wrapping up the completely new and important "energy chapter" (as yet untitled) of the Town's Master Plan. We look forward to a vibrant dialogue as the draft moves through the public and internal approval process.
Finally, the DEC continues to analyze the Peregrine
Energy and STOCC (Small Town Carbon Calculator) energy
profiling reports that we produced last year from municipal
energy bills. We hope to narrow down and implement practical
conservation and renewable energy solutions at several
high priority municipal facility sites
Electricity savings in the
works (11/10)
The Durham Energy Committee has partnered
with the Town Administrator to research potential savings from
switching suppliers for the Town's electricity. After several meetings
with potential suppliers, the Town has contracted with Constellation
NewEnergy at an anticipated annual savings of approximately $43,000.
The Energy Committee is also pleased to
report that these savings may be compounded by energy efficiency
measures undertaken by the Department of Public Works at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant — the largest single municipal user of electricity —
that may reduce the Town's consumption of electricity.
Durham adopts PACE-enabling
legislation (11/10)
On November 1, 2010, the Durham Town Council adopted the provisions of New
Hampshire's RSA 53-F (see House
Bill 1554). In addition, it also designated Durham
in its entirety as an "Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy
District." At this time, it appears that Durham is the
first municipality in New Hampshire to take these steps.
These measures pave the way for the Durham Energy Committee
to move forward a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
program, which will provide the opportunity for more
property owners to finance significant energy-efficient
retrofitting and/or progressive improvements. Stay tuned
for updates!
Energy and the Durham Master Plan:
Still seeking input (1/12)
As Durham moves forward with its update of the Master
Plan 2000, active participation from the community at
large will be critical. One way you can make your voice
heard is to send the Energy Committee comments about
energy-related topics that you think should be addressed.
Please contact us at dec@ci.durham.nh.us
see below for more on the master plan update process.
Meetings are open to the public
The Committee welcomes public attendance at our regular
meetings, currently held the second Tuesday beginning
at 7:00 p.m. at the Durham Police Station, 86 Dover
Road, unless otherwise posted. For further information
or to provide suggestions, please contact the Committee
by email at dec@ci.durham.nh.us
Vacancies: Interested in becoming
a member or helping on a project?
The Durham Energy Committee periodically has vacancies
and frequently works on specific projects of limited
duration. To find out how you can help, contact the
Committee by email or attend a meeting.
If there is an opening, we invite you to apply whether
or not you are a resident of Durham — particularly
if you have expertise in a related field. Contact the
Town Administrator’s office at 603-868-5771 or
go to the home page of the Town website at http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/
to download an application (scroll down the page).
In mid-2008, the Durham Planning Board
requested that the Energy Committee draft a chapter of the Master Plan
to steer the actions of the town with respect to energy. Across the
state, towns are making choices either to integrate their energy goals
into existing chapters of their master plans or to add a separate, new
chapter. The Durham Energy Committee has chosen the latter approach but
intends to follow closely the updating of the existing chapters and to
advise accordingly to ensure consistency. An important component of developing the Master Plan is public input
and public involvement. The Plan reflects the will of a town’s
residents. Make sure that your voice is heard. One way is to join the
Committee — which currently has two vacancies — while the Master Plan
is being developed. Another way is to volunteer to work on a specific
related project. A third way is to attend our public hearings, listen
to what your neighbors have to say and give us your own input — all
ideas are welcome.
The first of these public hearings was held
in the Durham Town Council chambers on September 23, 2008. At the
second public hearing, held on November 19, about 30 members of the
community joined us for a conversation on how Durham can ensure its
economic vitality and energy stability and reduce its environmental
impact. The Committee has analyzed the many terrific ideas brought
forth at that meeting. These primarily fell out into three topics —
Transportation; Land Use and Architecture; and Alternative and
Renewable Energy. As we continue our work in drafting Durham’s Energy
Vision and Master Plan, we will use these topics as working titles for
what we are calling the Three Pillars of our vision.
This is a critical time in our history — and
other small New Hampshire towns, as well as for countries around the
globe. Energy is at the heart of many issues that we all face going
forward. Our current dependence on fossil fuel influences both our
personal and our municipal decisions. The Durham Energy Committee
believes that it is incumbent upon Durham, as a town, to face the
challenges associated with energy use and climate change and to plan
for a more sustainable future.
On March 13, 2007 the voters of the Town of
Durham adopted the New Hampshire Climate Change Resolution by a margin
of 1447 for and 254 against. The New Hampshire Climate Change
Resolution contained the following paragraph: “In addition, the town of
Durham encourages New Hampshire citizens to work for emission
reductions within their communities, and we ask our Town Council to
consider the appointment of a voluntary energy committee to recommend
local steps to save energy and reduce emissions.”
The Durham Town Council, the governing body
of the Town, on April 23, 2007 adopted Resolution #2007-14 creating an
advisory committee called the Energy Committee Steering Committee to
advise the council on ways to reduce energy use, develop alternative
energy sources, and increase the economic security and energy
independence of the town.
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