MAPC Climate Newsletter | September 2025

Email header graphic showing waterfront, buildings, and other clean energy elements in a community.

October 1, 2025

Happy Climate Week! While global leaders, innovators, and communities convene in New York City to accelerate the transition to a cleaner future, we are excited to highlight resources and opportunity to act for climate in our region. This month, we are featuring the achievements of the Accelerating Climate Resiliency Program. Over the past five years, MAPC has awarded which has awarded $2.68 million to 40 municipalities in our region for capital projects, designs and conceptual plans, feasibility and engineering studies, policy initiatives, capacity building efforts, and regional collaboration efforts that advance climate resilience. This month's newsletter also highlights upcoming webinars and opportunities to shape the clean energy siting and permitting regulations, open municipal clean energy roles, and funding opportunities for climate resilience and EV charging infrastructure.

Reflecting on Five Years of MAPC's Accelerating Climate Resiliency Program

As the impacts of climate change intensify, so does the need for municipal leadership and action. MAPC’s Accelerating Climate Resiliency (ACR) program aims to advance climate resilience planning into implementation in Metro Boston through grantmaking, a Resilience Community of Practice, and a publicly available Speaker Series. In a new blog post, MAPC reflects on the first five years of the grant program, which has awarded $2.68 million to 40 municipalities for capital projects, designs and conceptual plans, feasibility and engineering studies, policy initiatives, capacity building efforts, and regional collaboration efforts. With a focus on building social equity and cohesion, projects ranged from construction of floodplain gardens to installation of shade structures to development of community education and engagement programs. Read the blog as well as the press release announcing the sixth and most recent round of ACR awards, which expanded eligibility to non-municipal, community-based entities.

Chart with ACR grant priorities and the relative proportion of projects targeting the priorities. Large box area indicates more projects targeting that priority.

Read the blog

Open Public Comment Period for Draft DOER Small Clean Energy Siting and Permitting Regulations

The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has released draft regulations 225 CMR 29.00, which aims to create an expedited and consistent local siting and permitting process for small clean energy infrastructure projects. DOER will be collecting written public comments on the draft regulations until Friday, October 17th at 5:00pm. If you are interested in submitting comments on behalf of your community, please email comments as attached pdf files to DOER.Siting.Permitting@mass.gov.

Upcoming Information Sessions for Draft DOER Siting and Permitting Regulations

DOER Information Sessions

DOER is hosting a series of in-person public information sessions across the state on the draft regulation:

Monday, October 6, 6 pm| Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Tuesday, October 7, 6 pm | Essex North Shore Agricultural Technical School
Wednesday, October 8, 6 pm | Fitchburg State University
Thursday, October 9, 7 pm | UMass Amherst

Can't make it to the in-person sessions? DOER is also hosting a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, October 15 at 7pm. Register for DOER's public hearing.

MAPC Webinar: Breaking Down the Small Clean Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting Draft Regulations

MAPC will also be hosting its own information and discussion session on the new clean energy siting regulations, with a focus on municipal staff. Join MAPC on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 2 pm to learn more about the recently published Small Clean Energy Siting & Permitting draft regulations and what we have heard from our conversations with DOER, and to share your thoughts, reactions, and experiences with other municipal staff. Your insights will help us inform the written comments we will be submitting to DOER.

Training: Solar Storage Permitting and Zoning Co-Hosted by MAPC

On Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 11:30 pm to 1:30 pm, MAPC and SolSmart are partnering to host a training on best practices for permitting and inspection of solar PV and battery energy storage systems. This training will provide ICC and AICP CM credits respectively for attendees. Additionally, if you are interested in getting designated by SolSmart or upgrading your current designation, these trainings will contribute to your designation efforts. Sign up for the event. If you're interested in getting designated with SolSmart, reach out to the SolSmart team.

Submit Expression of Interest to ECO One Stop

EOI Submission Deadline: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 11:59 pm

Award Potential: Up to $1 million

The new Environment & Climate One Stop (ECO One Stop) provides eligible applicants with a simplified, single point of entry for multiple state climate and environmental resilience grants. The program currently encompasses applications to: EEA Dam & Seawall, EEA MVP Action, CZM Coastal Resilience, CZM Coastal Habitat and Water Quality, EEA Cooling Corridors, DER Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance and Training, and EEA Planning Assistance. Applicants are encouraged to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) by the October 28 deadline. The formal application period is expected to be open early 2026. Please note that the MVP Action Grants are now part of the ECO One Stop!

Apply to MassCEC Ride Clean Mass Charging Hubs Program

Application Deadline: Friday, October 3, 2025

Award Potential: Upto $1 million

The Ride Clean Mass Charging Hubs (RCM Hubs) Program is kicking off Round 2 of Site Host recruitment for installation of DC fast charger hubs across Massachusetts. Eligible site hosts, including grocery stores, malls, gas stations, municipal parking lots and other high-traffic locations, can receive over $1 million in state-funded investment to install public fast chargers, attract more visitors, and support clean transportation. Sites located within Boston’s Metro North region are especially encouraged to apply, but applications from across the state will be accepted and reviewed.

Learn more and apply!

Applications Open: CELT Municipal Fellowship Program

Massachusetts municipalities and regional planning agencies can now apply to host a Municipal Fellow! The Municipal Fellowship Program provides no-cost support from skilled undergraduate and graduate students tailored to each community’s needs, ranging from clean energy initiatives to community outreach, grant writing, and more. To host a fellow, complete the application form by Saturday, October 11, 2025 for January 2026 placements.

Applications are also open for students interested in serving as a Municipal Fellow. Spread the word, and encourage them to apply!

Open Municipal Energy Manager Positions

Several towns and cities across Massachusetts are hiring Municipal Energy Managers, supported by the Mass Save Municipal Energy Manager (MEM) Grant. This grant helps a municipality, or a group of municipalities hire a dedicated staff member to lead efforts in managing energy use, improving energy efficiency, and reducing municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. See below for open positions and apply today:

Municipality	Reports To	Link
Town of Medfield	Town Administrator	Learn more and apply!
Town of Southbridge	Economic Development and Planning Department	Learn more and apply!
City of Brockton	Department of Public Works	Learn more and apply!

Job Opportunity: Program Director at the Building Electrification Accelerator

The Building Electrification Accelerator (BEA) is a nonprofit, no-cost network with the mission of accelerating equitable building decarbonization in Massachusetts via municipal action. The BEA is entering a new chapter as an independent nonprofit, and is seeking a Program Director.

Read the job description and apply! To apply, submit a resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the role and how your experience aligns with the BEA’s mission. Please email materials to info@electrifybuildings.org with the subject line “Program Director Application”.

Upcoming Training on Food Systems and the Impacts of Climate Change

On Wednesday, October 8th, 2025, at 11 am, the Community Health Training Institute is hosting a virtual training on Food Systems & the Impacts of Climate Change, with MAPC's Rachel Weil (trainer). The training will be led by MAPC's Rachel Weil and will explore how climate change is changing food systems, including food access, along with frameworks and strategies to build resilience in food access work.

MassCEC Webinar Series: Overcoming Obstacles in Transitioning Fleets to EVs

Join the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to learn how mobile charging solutions can accelerate fleet electrification. This webinar series brings together mobile charging station manufacturers, fleet owners, operators, and industry experts to explore how to pursue fleet electrification with mobile charging solutions.

Upcoming Webinar: Introduction to Mobile Charging Solutions: Meet the Mobile Charging Manufacturers

On Wednesday, October 8 from 1 pm to 2 pm, MassCEC is hosting a webinar where participants can hear from mobile charging manufacturers about semi-permanent, off-grid, and grid flexible charging solutions. Register for the webinar!

This is the second part of the series. The recording for Part 1 (held on Tuesday, September 30th, at 1pm) will be uploaded to MassCEC's website.

Other upcoming trainings:

Mobile Charging Case for discussion of lessons learned from active mobile charging station deployments | November 2025
Medium- and Heavy- Duty Mobile Charging Solutions Pilot | March 2026

Community Charge: Simpler, Cost-Efficient EV Charging Installation

On Tuesday, October 14 at 12 pm, PowerOptions, LISC Massachusetts, and Green Energy Consumers Alliance are hosting a webinar on the Community Charge Initiative, a program that helps public and nonprofit organizations bring EV charging stations to their neighborhoods, cutting through red tape and reducing cost. There are two ways to participate in the program:

Charging as Service: A Community Charge provider installs, owns, operates, and maintains the station on your property. No upfront costs or maintenance required.
Host-Owned: You own the station, while Community Charge helps you procure hardware, software, and installation. Choose à la carte services or a bundled turnkey package.

Webinar Series: Navigating Federal Shifts: Building Community Power in Uncertain Times

The Fall 2025 series, organized by Emerald Cities Collaborative, Resonant Energy, and Alternatives for Community and Environment, will bring together guest speakers to unpack evolving federal policy changes and share practical strategies for local action centered on community resilience, equity, and collaboration. The webinars will be geared towards non-profit and advocacy leaders, local government staff, funders, and community partners working on climate, housing, workforce, and economic justice.

Understanding the Landscape: Federal shifts & on-the-ground impacts | Tuesday, October 7, 12 pm
Spotlight on Community Resilience | Monday, October 20, 12 pm
Building Power Through Collaboration | Wednesday, October 29, 12 pm