MassDEP outlines $5 million GAP 4 grants for water systems, food nonprofits and small food businesses

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection officials used a recorded webinar to describe GAP 4, a $5,000,000 competitive grant round within the Clean Energy Results Program that funds energy-efficiency and clean-energy projects at publicly owned water and wastewater facilities, nonprofit food and agricultural entities, and small food businesses engaged in food distribution and processing.

The program, led by MassDEP in partnership with the Department of Energy Resources and the Clean Energy Center, seeks projects that reduce energy use (kilowatt‑hours, therms, or fuel gallons) and greenhouse‑gas emissions. Michael DeBara, project manager at MassDEP, said, “This grant program provides technical assistance in financial resources with the goal of reducing energy consumption and costs and with those saved dollars being reinvested back into the facilities and communities they serve.”

Applicants must meet several requirements. Projects must be at facilities owned by the applicant (a facility‑ownership and authorization form is required), applicants must provide a minimum 10% cost share on the adjusted project cost, and a completed energy assessment or audit is a prerequisite to apply. DeBara said, “there is a prerequisite that you need to have a completed energy assessment or audit or technical evaluation,” which may come from utilities or external consultants. The application deadline given on the webinar was September 19 at 5:00 p.m.; MassDEP said slides, a second informational session on September 9 at 10:00 a.m., and written answers to submitted…