[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6086293,"mediaKeyId","2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c","parentId",2897072,"title","Needham staff report grant applications, finance committee recommendation for climate match funding","audioSeconds",2807,"startMs",2189095,"endMs",4996140,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c&start=2189&end=4996","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c/thumbnail_2189095.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086293/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-staff-report-grant-applications-finance-committee-recommendation-for-climate-match-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086293-f641362a3bfe7fbb63ee2ff3833eb5d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136253&Signature=PIxKvT8UoiM4miswELe2dF16ERTOTKSWdy3L5LXXHEprfqeKdsZBDcvw8jKHNzLCfT0Fec8vxuIF1Zd-s4-d97tiTJ6-UHClWolxBmI0u8dbW5UQWuVm5hVgXgsCrxm8DTlkod7~UGsxjbW3YzcUNiyg2wjFVNWXcHK5z6PDhPkvGDfQUwkCUlAML4CG2aUbfcC4kAZHrSmsJmJ87tItSusu6haZEdGgcAY3c-FssdAHDh3-12XJIxhg9anEVbJHmj0TXjWZQQG3LgfeKwB8HL0xmLZ8xnb~d0iemK3AOSUIdMXPjKxhQIGSr8N5Pc1mhXcoP2iDfUnKAywfQM9NPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Needham, MA","date","2025-04-08T00:00:00Z","article","Town staff and committee members updated the Town of Needham Climate Action Planning Committee on April 7 about several grant applications and a Finance Committee recommendation tied to Climate Action Roadmap implementation.

A committee member reported that the Finance Committee voted last week to recommend an article for $250,000 of match funding to be used if the town is awarded grants supporting actions related to the Climate Action Roadmap. The recommendation is on the warrant; the Finance Committee’s recommendation was not unanimous, but it was forwarded for town meeting consideration.

Staff reported several grant applications and awards:

- Green Communities competitive grant: Needham submitted an application for about $216,000 to fund Broadmeadow LED upgrades, Mitchell attic installation and equipment replacements (condenser/evaporator replacements and walk‑in freezer work). Staff said that particular Green Communities application does not require a local match.

- Drought resiliency and water‑efficiency grant: Needham received approximately $14,000 for Memorial Field irrigation equipment upgrades to low‑flow, high‑efficiency equipment; staff said this award did not require a match.

- Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant: Needham applied for approximately $383,000 to fund flood modeling for the Linden Street subwatershed, stream restoration design for a drainage easement surrounding the Linden Chambers property, native wetland planting design and a design for subsurface flood storage/infiltration under the High Rock School playing field. Staff said this MVP application would require a 10% local match and that award notifications for some programs are expected in August or early September.

Staff also briefed the committee on the municipal decarbonization roadmap: the town must have the roadmap adopted by the school committee and the Select Board by June 30 to be eligible for a designation that opens grant opportunities in August. Staff said the roadmap work is being coordinated with PowerOptions and internal building managers.

Staff noted that a congressional earmark request was not included in federal funding because the continuing resolution process omitted earmarks this year; no Needham federal grants were clawed back as a result.

Committee members asked about controls and accountability for the $250,000 match funding article; members said the committee will act as an internal watchdog to help ensure funds are used for priority projects if the article is approved and grants are awarded. The Finance Committee’s recommendation and staff updates set a timeline for the committee to stay involved as grant opportunities move forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Needham: Climate Action Committee 04/07/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members were briefed on a Finance Committee recommendation for a $250,000 match funding article, several grant applications (Green Communities, MVP, drought resiliency) and a municipal decarbonization roadmap deadline for Select Board and school committee adoption.","taxTitle","Town of Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",54445,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086298,"Needham climate committee votes to keep FY26 priorities focused on projects already underway",302,4411974,4714739,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c&start=4411&end=4714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c/thumbnail_4411974.jpg","/articles/6086298/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-climate-committee-votes-to-keep-FY26-priorities-focused-on-projects-already-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086298-92f78d7ce17869e73778de3d80cfbfe5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136253&Signature=LwYJ0DcTmHoB45tcwcaHVsxx2HJ5mh1jpWyjOtYt6OYfrBMebc2bGlhius5zDv3BNvubiNrAQ8zJ7i-5obv9YAWIMWDIuai6vx~hCEGts3B79ijz5Ix9P6TW8JuCsm5GzdGfZEjBHlk6byafI8rs72NfKzMkDp~vYO9MQ4X7Zys65zGqNjzNXb~STzsqwQYgVlei17TSDDMoTF1Ks98fmd84sT-h4adp~RVGSY75aF6fipJq8RO8cPUvKiMwJwy0sGYE92q0XpcOSw-nRALbMLZR-F8Typ~30mXuJcx8eIZxBDeYwtLoVWtwnN-VG9TfAm~UUAuPYZOfPMfeLtTsYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its April 7 meeting, the Town of Needham Climate Action Planning Committee voted to recommend that the Select Board not add new climate priorities for FY26 beyond those projects already underway and to reaffirm support for work in flight.

A committee member moved “that we not add new priorities to the select board list for the or not recommend additional priorities beyond what is already in flight and to underscore that we still support everything that's under flight.” Another member seconded the motion. During discussion members emphasized a preference for narrowing tasks and focusing on execution for items already underway — for example, the stormwater bylaw work, the tree preservation planning committee, Electrify Needham and the Needham Power Choice efforts — rather than adding new initiatives this fiscal year.

The committee called the vote. Members recorded as voting in favor were Perry (yes), Penny (yes), Erwin (yes), Paul (yes) and the committee chair (yes). One member stated that they do not vote. The motion carried.

Committee members also discussed an overarching communications theme and encouraged establishing a routine outreach mechanism — for example, a quarterly update or newsletter — to inform departments, boards and the public about Roadmap progress. Members noted that the Select Board has separately identified a comprehensive climate communication strategy as a FY26 priority that staff expect to pick up next fiscal year.

Outcome: the committee approved the motion to refrain from recommending additional Select Board priorities at this time and to concentrate on executing items already underway.","The Climate Action Planning Committee moved and approved a proposal to recommend no additional Select Board priorities beyond items already in flight; the motion passed unanimously among voting members present.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086303,"EV working group to profile apartment and commercial sites after mixed vendor experiences",1136,1053809,2190620,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c&start=1053&end=2190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c/thumbnail_1053809.jpg","/articles/6086303/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/EV-working-group-to-profile-apartment-and-commercial-sites-after-mixed-vendor-experiences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086303-1ef95225cfd7f93edde64cd05ea1227d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136253&Signature=S9Z1~7rhIeTUe9aO6X5BAzxeMcLGCnFv~iT6boMqGaY2DRSpDvRhiKRxuHYg13hWXjk-FHGc-n2N7RcRaP7~XNXhjlVcntiMtUCaD-ioxhdOdRbCFH~2S~Z1t1~s0159SOoXiYQmXYpbySrJFAleOHIPFbUXTyC5tlHAsUkrqAi9GyDcwdzE2xHwc0Yr1RIR3wXSGPXnqJHgvN7BD35Qmr7eikJzXtCAEN0JPL4r1zSJPfXswCScBblmHy9q~kA0rjo8MXQJGkrr-MvpS4nyCHX3n3TX4WMlwf2vFumg3f7vsSarb0-~GW3Y2-M52b-W1LJ9UZwN~gjz-MuAbElNOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Needham Climate Action Planning Committee’s EV working group reported on April 7 that it will begin profiling apartment buildings and select commercial sites to document procurement models, charger pricing and usage.

Ajay, an EV working group member, said outreach to several large apartment complexes (Modera, Charles River Landing and Vander) produced few responses: “I sent emails to each of them, and I got 0 responses.” He said the group plans follow‑up visits and in‑person requests to secure meetings and produce an initial profile of at least one building’s procurement, vendor choice and usage data.

Committee members discussed recent local charger installations and vendor arrangements. Paul said he spoke with the manager of the Whole Foods in Wellesley and described a vendor change there: the store replaced ChargePoint units with Shell equipment. Paul said the Whole Foods manager told him Shell operates and collects revenue from the stations and Whole Foods does not receive a share; as a result, Paul said, “they used to be free. Now they’re no longer free, and the pricing is more expensive.” Committee members raised concerns that high per‑session fees and per‑use transaction charges could reduce utilization.

The group discussed candidate locations for charging infrastructure and business models that encourage long‑dwell charging (office parking, employee charging) versus short‑dwell retail locations. Members identified multifamily housing and office campuses as high‑priority locations because residents and employees park for longer periods. Suggestions for candidate sites included TripAdvisor, Coca‑Cola facilities, Staples, YMCA locations and private corporate lots where lot owners could control access.

Committee members noted existing incentives and costs. A working‑group participant said Level‑2 installations are substantially cheaper than Level‑3 and that major cost drivers include trenching distance and the need for additional transformers or utility upgrades. The transcript discussion included a rough illustrative cost contrast offered by a participant: multifamily projects can run into tens of thousands to millions depending on complexity; by contrast, a simple Level‑2 installation may be in the low thousands when utility capacity is adequate.

Paul shared a planning idea: when a parking lot is redeveloped, require underground conduits or other “future‑proofing” so charging infrastructure can be added later at lower marginal cost. The group also discussed available rebates for multifamily charger installations and noted a regional MAPC pilot on bidirectional charging that could inform future work.

Next steps: the EV working group will try to secure at least one detailed building case study (procurement, vendor, usage) to use as a model for broader recommendations on procurement, siting and potential town encouragement measures.","Needham’s EV working group will begin profiling apartment buildings and select commercial sites to document procurement models, pricing and usage after members reported low response to outreach and inconsistent public charger performance.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086308,"Needham committee shares primer on embodied carbon, recommends further review",662,212889,875001,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c&start=212&end=875","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2897072-bb29d42a333d0e377ad787006fceeb5c/thumbnail_212889.jpg","/articles/6086308/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-committee-shares-primer-on-embodied-carbon-recommends-further-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086308-a5876c45e61ab1f19c77f09e4ea7cace/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136253&Signature=HPGtr9IsUDWnSjGKBQHIbyLdzW6iwt-hKkpCVi3i~UjVy8echJ2hYsyF0cXEQ9XBs7mmG5rEFEFEBfGub44o9f783CLv~t2RaBqzt2rLsnv7RwDvPLKDZ~KtO1S5clGzdeidvQNn8MZeSub30iB2XIdiL5vULUqcshEFeObRmTnlDBe29cqo9AHmwQ9PT1Yzi5sdIVwsI30NiN~15aHv~N1ASndeJ~Y~q4lupkbUJNPMWswjC~RuZTewLf5b2y05i7f0uZszq23VNV8phbixckObhfCNzxvXdB9pTFHVYw3UihHdk963GKsUxdgsmCjULflkfj~wMHtCJY50BQ0W5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steven, a member of the Town of Needham Climate Action Planning Committee, told the committee on April 7 that a small working group prepared a primer explaining embodied carbon and options for municipal action.

The committee was given an 11‑page document that, according to Steven, defines embodied carbon as “all of the materials, the processes, the transportation, the energy that goes into building a building” and distinguishes that from operational emissions. Steven said the paper sets out municipal tools — voluntary programs, outreach and education, zoning and master‑plan guidance, public procurement guidance, waste management policy, goal setting, and tracking/reporting — while noting legal and practical limits on local authority.

The report, Steven told the committee, also lists examples from other Massachusetts municipalities, including Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Brookline, Amherst and Somerville. He recommended the group read the primer as “homework” before returning to discuss potential Needham‑specific steps at a later meeting.

The primer’s provenance and drafting method attracted attention. Steven said he had sought legal guidance on whether the small working group could meet outside open‑meeting requirements but did not receive a firm response. He told colleagues he “used chat GBT” and the service’s paid “deep research” feature to prepare the paper, and said the product was “very well written, well researched.” The committee asked that when the document is shared, Steven also provide the prompts he used to generate the draft.

Committee members discussed what parts of municipal practice could be affected. Some members said Needham already conducts limited life‑cycle assessments (LCAs) for municipal projects, particularly for projects pursuing LEED certification; others said LCAs in town are often operational (energy, systems) rather than whole‑building material LCAs. The committee suggested the primer could be used to prompt small, non‑regulatory steps — for example, encouraging LCAs on municipal projects, incorporating material selection into project design conversations, and educating residents and boards about embodied carbon considerations when deciding between repurposing and new construction.

Members emphasized limits on municipal authority: building codes are state controlled and many production‑chain factors are outside local control. The primer, as described, also highlights ongoing state‑level working groups examining whether embodied carbon measures should be added to state codes.

The committee did not adopt any new policy at the meeting. Members agreed the primer should be circulated to the full committee for review and discussion at a future meeting; Steven said he would share the document and the prompts used to create it.

The committee also discussed using student projects (high‑school seniors) to run simple LCAs as a low‑cost way to build capacity and public awareness.

The committee asked staff to confirm which LCAs (whole‑building versus operational) the town already requires for municipal projects and to report back before the next discussion.","A Town of Needham working group produced an 11‑page primer explaining embodied carbon, its limits for municipal authority and possible local actions; the author disclosed using a paid “deep research” AI feature to draft the document and the committee agreed to review it ahead of a future discussion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Needham staff report grant applications, finance committee recommendation for climate match funding

Needham climate committee votes to keep FY26 priorities focused on projects already underway

EV working group to profile apartment and commercial sites after mixed vendor experiences

Needham committee shares primer on embodied carbon, recommends further review