Milton's Fall Special Town Meeting will consider an article to set clear, measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals for our community. These targets align with Massachusetts state law and our Climate Action Plan, ensuring Milton does its part to address climate change while building a cleaner, more resilient future.

The Article Text

ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to: 

Authorize the Select Board to adopt community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in alignment with the limits set by Massachusetts law and to measure progress toward these goals by updating the Town’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory no less than once every 5 years;

and authorize the Select Board to direct relevant boards, committees, and departments to 

proactively pursue fiscally responsible actions, investments, and policies to achieve the goals mentioned above and increase the Town’s resilience to the detrimental effects of climate change. 

And to act on anything relating thereto.  

Submitted by the Climate Action Planning Committee  

The Proposed Goals

The 2021 Massachusetts Climate Roadmap Act set state-wide greenhouse gas emission limits, targeting

• at least 50% reduction from 1990 levels by the year 2030 (M.G.L. Chapter 21N, Section 4(h))

• at least 75% reduction from 1990 levels by the year 2040 (M.G.L. Chapter 21N, Section 4(h)), 

• net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050 (M.G.L. Chapter 21N, Section 3(b)(vi))

The act codifies these targets into state law, requiring state agencies to develop detailed roadmap plans and publicly report on progress. 

Financial Benefits for the Town

While the law does not directly obligate local communities, it has triggered the development of voluntary programs to support cities and towns that partner with the state to reduce emissions.   Specifically, the Climate Leader Communities program provides funding, tools, and resources to help municipalities reduce emissions by replacing end-of-life fossil fuel with efficient and clean electric alternatives and maximize the energy efficiency of buildings and transportation.

Without legally committing the town to specific investments, this article will empower town staff to tackle the climate challenge creatively: pursuing responsible investments in the town's clean energy resilience, tapping into grants and incentives for clean energy projects, and lowering long-term energy costs while acting to preserve a stable climate and abundant natural resources for future generations. Of course, this won't be free, but neither is our current fossil-fuel energy.  Clean energy technologies are frequently cost-competitive with fossil fuel alternatives, especially when government and non-profit incentives are factored in.  Specific future investments will be evaluated through the normal town processes, including Town Meeting approval for the budget. Importantly, adopting these goals will make Milton eligible to apply for generous state grants through the Climate Leader Communities Program.

The Massachusetts Climate Leader Communities program provides tools and resources to help municipalities reduce emissions through two new grant programs:

• Decarbonization Technical Support Grants — up to $150,000 to hire vendors for recommendations and engineering design for clean energy projects at municipal facilities.

• Decarbonization Accelerator Grants — up to $1 million (or, as recent updates indicate, up to $1.15 million) for projects that significantly reduce municipal GHG emissions. 

A community can receive both grants once per program cycle, the first of which is open for 3 years, so the cumulative financial support could be as much as $10 million through 2050. 

The Accelerator Grants can be used for:

• on-site solar

• renewable heat such as heat pumps of any kind or solar thermal

• energy storage (e.g. batteries) and energy resiliency projects

• other building decarbonation or energy efficiency activities

To be eligible, Milton must complete six requirements. Milton has already completed three of these:

By adopting this article, Milton would fulfill requirement #3 and give town staff and leaders a mandate to work toward completing requirements #4 and #5 of the program.

How is this Possible?

In a nutshell, the strategy to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions is to replace the fossil fuels we use in our homes and vehicles with efficient, electric alternatives while transitioning the electricity supply to clean, renewable sources. This means adopting technologies like heat pumps and electric vehicles, improving energy efficiency in our homes, and expanding the use of solar, wind, nuclear and other zero-emission power sources. For a deeper look at the full strategy and specific actions Milton can take, we encourage you to review the Milton's draft Climate Action Plan and Sustainable Milton's Climate Action Guide for residents.

“The main components of the path to Net Zero are clear to Massachusetts, with four key priorities:    The first priority is reducing emissions from energy “end-uses,” such as vehicle transportation or building heating, via electrification or fossil-free alternatives.  The second priority is maximizing the efficiency and flexibility of energy use to ensure electric grid reliability and cost-effective decarbonization.  Third, the electricity supply must transition to low-emitting sources.  Fourth and finally, in a 2050 future where some emissions are likely to remain, Massachusetts must balance residual GHG emissions with carbon sequestration approaches.    These tenets are the guiding pillars of the Commonwealth’s 2050 planning process, illustrated [below]”   Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) for 2050

Why It Matters

Climate change is an urgent challenge that demands both immediate action and long-term planning. While Milton’s dependence on fossil fuels clearly cannot be ended overnight, delaying measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the climate impacts that are already inevitable jeopardizes our children's future.  We risk leaving them a world that is increasingly inhospitable, where the natural environment is too unstable to provide the level of prosperity that we have enjoyed.  Proactive steps must be taken now to ensure a safe and livable environment for future generations. 

Health & Quality of Life: Cleaner air, fewer heat waves, floods, wildfires, and damaging storms, along with stable food and water supplies and controlled sea level rise, are all essential to ensuring prosperity and well-being for future generations.

Energy Security & Lower Costs At the same time, investing in clean energy infrastructure will make Milton more energy-independent and has the potential to reduce energy costs over time.

Get Involved

Your voice matters! We encourage you to:

• Contact the CAPC with questions or feedback at ahasha@sustainablemilton.org

• Talk to your elected leaders and town meeting members about this article and voice your support (see our guide for speaking at Select Board meetings)

• Learn more about climate solutions by reviewing Milton's draft Climate Action Plan

  
  

By engaging in these ways, you can help steer Milton toward a sustainable future.

About the Climate Action Planning Committee

Created by the Select Board in 2023, the Climate Action Planning committee's charge is to "review and evaluate Town bylaws, regulations, and policies and make recommendations for strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate risks, and expand energy efficiency opportunities for the Town." The Committee seeks input from residents, stakeholders, and experts to produce a Climate Action Plan for Milton.

The committee developed this article at it's July 29th, 2025 meeting and September 11th, 2025 meeting and voted to submit it to the Select Board for inclusion on the Fall Town Meeting warrant

FAQ

What is a Greenhouse Gas Inventory?

A greenhouse gas emissions inventory is a standardized measurement and reporting process.  It uses data about activities that generate emissions — like how much fuel and electricity people use, and how much driving happens in town — and combines that information to calculate the community’s total emissions. It shows the big picture of our climate impact in a clear, measurable way. Milton’s 2017 and 2022 Greenhouse Gas inventories can be found on the town website’s Climate Action Planning page.

In a Greenhouse Gas Inventory, total emissions are measured in MTCO₂e means “metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.” MTCO₂e combines all greenhouse gases into one scale, so we can see their total impact in the same “currency” as carbon dioxide.

• A metric ton (MT) is about 2,200 pounds, roughly the weight of a small car.

• CO₂e is a way to compare all greenhouse gases by expressing their warming effect in terms of carbon dioxide.

Some gases trap far more heat than CO₂. For example, the refrigerant R-410A (commonly used in air conditioners) has a global warming potential (GWP) of about 2,088.. That means 1 pound of R-410a warms the planet as much as 2,088 pounds of CO₂ over 100 years.

How much does Milton need to reduce its emissions to meet the state goals?

In 2017, the baseline year for Milton’s Greenhouse Gas inventory, Milton emitted 282,031 million tons of CO2-equivalent (MTCO₂e).  By 2017, Massachusetts had already reduced its annual statewide GHG emissions to 22.4% below the 1990 level.[2]   While an emission baseline for Milton from 1990 is not available, if we assume  that Milton’s emissions reductions followed the statewide trend over that period, we find that Milton would need to achieve the following emissions reductions to align with the Massachusetts goals:

• 36% reduction from 2017 levels by 2030, or 181,721 MTCO₂e

• 68% reduction from 2017 levels by 2040, or 58,544 MTCO₂e

• 87% reduction from 2017 levels by 2050, or 7,544 MTCO₂e.

In 2022, Milton’s emissions had increased 3.6% from 2017, to 292,120 MTCO₂e.  We are headed in the wrong direction, and  prompt action is needed to start bringing these numbers down.

What would be the impact of adopting a “Zero-Emission First Vehicle Policy”, and what would it cost the town?

It is important to understand that passing this article will not compel the Town to adopt such a policy, but will instead trigger the careful consideration and planning that would be necessary to adopt it in a financially and operationally responsible manner.  However, since moving toward climate leader certification is a primary rationale for the article, and a ZEV-first policy is the most significant remaining requirement, curiosity about the cost impacts is understandable.  

Fully electrifying the fleet electrification would be a long, complex process requiring significant planning and preparation.  Consulting services are available through utility programs and other sources to help municipalities plan.  A full transition would require new charging infrastructure and training for town staff in addition to the vehicles themselves.  However, a ZEV-first policy would not force the town to transition the fleet quickly or immediately.  It would apply only to new vehicle purchases, as existing fleet vehicles reach end-of-life.  It would also include exemptions for vehicles that are commercially unavailable, operationally impractical, or cost-prohibitive, allowing the town’s capacity to maintain and operate zero-emission vehicles to progress at a realistic pace.

 The Town already complies with a fuel-efficient vehicle purchasing policy required to maintain its Green Communities status, purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable. 

Many vehicle types are currently exempt from this fuel-efficiency requirement, including:

• Any vehicle with emergency response capabilities (i.e. vehicles with radios, computers,

• emergency lights, and sirens) 

  • Note however that police cruisers are exempt only if fuel-efficient pursuit-rated cruisers are not commercially available

• Heavy-duty trucks, such as fire trucks, ambulances, and public works trucks

• Off-road vehicles

Towns that have achieved Climate Leader Certification, such as Amherst, Lexington, and Acton, have retained these exemptions and also added exemptions for vehicle classes where battery-electric models are cost-prohibitive.  

What would completing a “Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap” require, and what would it cost the town?

While not directly required by the article, the Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap process is a straight-forward information gathering and planning process that can be completed at no cost to the Town.

It is administered by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), which provides  planning assistance  to work with consultants to complete the roadmap.

The Decarbonization Roadmap involves developing an inventory of fossil-fuel burning equipment used by the Town, identifying the town’s energy infrastructure and fleet, mapping remaining lifespans, and modeling replacement costs and options. That kind of systematic planning is critical for sound budget planning whether or not the town later decides to pursue the climate-friendly choice at each decision point.

Are the state’s emission reduction goals realistic?  What happens if they are not met or if they are changed?

It is important to acknowledge how daunting—even paralyzing, the state’s climate goals are. It is entirely reasonable to have doubts about whether they can be achieved by 2030, 2040, or 2050.  But progress on big challenges requires strategic clarity. The targets are non-binding in the sense that the law does not impose fines or punishments for missing them, but they give direction and urgency to coordinate the efforts of multiple government agencies, utilities, and related organizations.  Adopting the goals enrolls Milton as a partner in this broader effort, and we will succeed or fail together.  Also, note that the article authorizes goals aligned with “the limits set by Massachusetts law”, and so would implicitly change if Massachusetts law is amended.  

We shouldn’t let timeline anxiety become an excuse not to get started.  The best available science from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will give the world the best chance of avoiding the worst potential impacts of climate change, but it’s not a binary outcome.  Qualitatively, sooner is better, so we should just get started and move with as much urgency as we practically can.