County committee adopts Climate Smart Communities progress report highlighting grants and EV projects
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Summary
The committee adopted the Climate Smart Communities annual progress report, noting volunteer engagement, grant-funded EV chargers and energy upgrades across Columbia County and agreeing to update town-level entries on request.
The county committee voted to adopt and release the Climate Smart Communities task force annual progress report after a presentation summarizing last year’s work. Committee members highlighted the role of local municipalities and volunteers in securing and using grant funds for electric-vehicle chargers, solar and energy-efficiency projects.
The presenter told the committee the task force counted roughly 170 volunteers across the county and that the county had received more than $1,000,000 in grant awards used for items including EV chargers and energy upgrades at county facilities. Combined since the task force began, staff said the projects have drawn nearly $3.5 million in nonmatch grant funding for county and municipal installations. Committee members asked whether the Clean Energy Communities grant program was open; staff said that program ran out of funds last year but that they had been told it may restart this spring, possibly with an April announcement.
A motion to adopt and release the end-of-year progress report was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff said towns that did not initially submit project details may provide additional information for inclusion in the 2026 report.
The committee did not take additional policy action beyond adopting the report; staff offered to return with updated material if towns submit further project data.
