Green Communities

Overview

The Green Community Designation and Grant Program provides a road map along with financial and technical support to municipalities in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) launched the Green Communities program in 2010 and since then has provided more than $160 million in grants to participating communities.  

Designation

In 2023, Plymouth was designated a Green Community by the DOER. This designation comes with a grant of $270,000 and eligibility for future funding and technical assistance for projects that reduce energy use, costs, and carbon emissions. Plymouth is one of 290 Massachusetts Green Communities, representing more than 89% of the state’s population.

To become a Green Community, Plymouth needed to meet five criteria, including creating a plan to reduce energy use 20% over five years, establishing bylaws for renewable energy development and generation, approving the stretch energy building code, and adopting a fuel-efficient vehicle purchasing policy.

Grant Program

With the Green Community designation, Plymouth is poised to make significant strides in addressing climate change, reducing energy consumption, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Town staff are developing projects and initiatives that would align with the Green Communities Grant Program.