Wellesley Town Meeting Voted In Favor of Renewable Energy Opt-Out Article

Thank you to all who worked to support this Citizens Petition

Remember our last LIVE Action Meeting where we discussed the Citizens Petition to expand the Town’s Voluntary Renewable Energy Program (VREP)? 

Well, great news...It passed! 158 Town Meeting Members voted in favor vs. 48 against.

This vote expresses our communities desire for the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant to enroll all town electricity customers in the program by adding a fee of 7% to the electric portion of the utility bills, with the understanding that any customer may opt out of the program, thereby avoiding the monthly fee. This article complements other current and planned measures by Wellesley’s Municipal Light Plant, Sustainable Energy Committee, and Board of Selectmen, as well as what is in the Town Unified Plan. 

The passing of this Article will have a real impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while keeping Wellesley’s electricity costs 30% lower than the Massachusetts average. The Article will allow our Light Plant to fund voluntary renewable energy measures to be selected by the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant for their impact on greenhouse gas emissions reduction.  Potential projects include purchase of additional renewable electricity, installation of community solar generation facilities, battery storage capacity, and electric vehicle charging stations, and other related initiatives.

Thank you to all who worked to support this Citizens Petition. Your efforts paid off.

What can we accomplish next?
Please join us for another action meeting on Zoom tomorrow night, Tuesday, June 30th from 7.30-8.30pm to find out what we can accomplish next. Feel free to invite friends, family, and neighbors to this meeting. 
Please click here to get the link for the online meeting.

Topics Include:

• Climate Justice in MA - Transparency is Key
  
• Sustainable Landscaping - native plantings, reduction of pesticides, watering, blowers + more
  
• Reducing, Renewing & Recycling in the COVID era - Gain insights straight from the Head of the RDF
  
• Dabble or go all in -- Plant Based Eating