Clean Energy NH presents circuit‑rider support to Lyme Energy Committee

Sarah Brock of Clean Energy New Hampshire told the Lyme Energy Committee on May 11 that CENH’s circuit‑rider program has supported more than 350 projects in 140 New Hampshire communities and that the Upper Valley currently lacks a dedicated rider. Brock, who attended as a CENH representative, provided handouts summarizing common municipal projects and technical‑assistance options and described how circuit riders help towns find grants, plan projects and review local ordinances.

Committee member Jim asked members to review the handout before the next meeting and to bring ideas drawn from other communities that might work in Lyme. Brock said she had already reviewed Lyme’s solar zoning ordinance and thought it was generally sound; she offered to provide a few specific, follow‑up comments after the meeting if the committee wanted them.

Brock also explained that circuit riders typically help identify funding sources and best practices, and that CENH’s regional staffing has left some gaps that she fills from Concord. The committee discussed the potential to use circuit‑rider assistance for town buildings, school projects and zoning guidance. No formal commitments or funding approvals were made at the meeting; members were asked to return with prioritized suggestions at the committee’s next meeting.

The presentation is likely to guide the committee’s near‑term outreach and project scoping; the committee will decide at a future meeting whether to request specific follow‑up assistance from CENH.