Resources for local energy committees in NH:

LOCAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE
June 20, 2009 at the Grappone Center
Concord, NH

The Carbon Coalition Local Energy Committee Working group held the first annual LEC state-wide training and information sharing conference for energy reduction efforts at the local level. Click here for conference information, photos and presentations.

• NH Community Energy Project WIKI Page: Town Committees are strongly encouraged to create their own Wiki page on this new site. This interactive page helps to organize NH energy committee information so that users can learn, edit, and update content for sharing with everyone. This site will only succeed if towns share their information and experiences. So log on, create an account, learn what other towns are up to, and share your committee's story.
  

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• Small Town Carbon Calculator Your Local Tool to Inventory Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

  Creating a greenhouse gas and energy inventory will be simpler with the STOCC calculator, developed to serve the needs of small towns addressing the growing costs of municipal energy use and emissions.  By using STOCC, you can help your town understand and assess where you spend the most money on energy as well as the sources of the majority of your greenhouse gas emissions.

• The STOCC and supporting documents are available for download on the Clean Air-Cool Planet website.

• ENERGY COMMITTEE HANDBOOKS: New Hampshire Handbook on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change - This handbook helps to meet the immediate needs of the energy committees that are forming around the state.

Volume 1: This guide gives New Hampshire citizens a brief introduction on how to help mitigate climate change at the local level. Community-scale activities such as energy benchmarkingand efficiency upgrades will not only reduce your town's fossil fuel emissions and fuel-related costs; they will also make an important public statement about your values and priorities. This guide is based on a Handbook that was created by Clay Mitchell, Julia Dundorf, and Wes Golomb. Download Volume I of the NH Handbook on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change here.

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Volume II: This volume is provided to help local governments and energy committees or commissions measure and manage their energy consumption.  Volume II explains how to obtain your energy data, what tools and software exist, and includes a chapter focused on financial resources available to communities. Download Volume II here.

• NH Energy Committee Current Events: List and view upcoming energy committee events in NH

Local Energy Committee News

Take advantage of this brief, bi-weekly newsletter and learn the latest on (1) regional workshops, (2) local best practices and (3) energy resources for Local Energy Committees.

Other helpful resources for local energy committees:

• In the meantime, check out the online COMMUNITY TOOLKIT, created in partnership between Clean Air-Cool Planet and Jeffrey H. Taylor and Associates.

• We recommend THE CITIZEN POWERED HANDBOOK to any citizen or energy committee looking for ways to help improve the use of energy in their local communities. Support a local bookstore through www.booksense.com

• The New England Grassroots Environment Fund will entertain proposals for small grants to help communities plan and implement local projects.

• The Sustainable Energy Resource Group has helpful links for towns and communities and is working with town energy committees in New Hampshire and in Vermont through the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN).

• The NH Coalition for Sustaining Agriculture has published a guide to forming a local agriculture committee.

Among the Organizational Members of the Local Energy Committee Working Group:

• Looking for town and municipal help?
  Clean Air-Cool Planet started the Carbon Coalition in 2003. We are in the business of solving the global warming problem, developing economically efficient and innovative climate policies and mobilizing civic engagement to implement practical climate solutions.

• Looking for household and residential help?
  The New Hampshire Carbon Challenge is driven by a dedicated crew of New Hampshire residents who firmly believe that climate stabilization requires changes from all of us: as residents, homeowners, consumers, and citizens.

• Looking for help with schools and other public buildings?
  The Jordan Institute works to curtail greenhouse gas emissions by dramatically reducing energy consumption in buildings. Its programs include LEED consulting, educational seminars, advocacy at the legislature and Public Utilities Commission, energy usage analysis of school and municipal buildings, and development of a privately funded state wide revolving loan fund to finance energy efficiency improvements.

• Looking for small grants for LEC assistance?
  The New England Grassroots Environment Fund is designed to foster and give voice to grassroots environmental initiatives in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Fund provides grants to fuel civic engagement, local activism, and social change.

• Nashua Regional Planning Commission
  Since its formation in 1959, NRPC has provided its 12 member communities with comprehensive solutions to local environmental, land use, transportation, and regional planning issues as well as cutting edge mapping and data services. In addition, NRPC functions as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Nashua region.

Please bookmark this page and return frequently for resources and examples. Questions or ideas?  Contact [email protected].