SWAMPSCOTT – At last Wednesday’s Select Board meeting, the Climate Action Plan Committee was established with two high school members appointed.
According to the Chair of the Select Board Neal Duffy, the reason to have a new committee is that some work has been done by a volunteer group, and they should be appointed as a committee to continue implementing the climate action plan.
Previously, the Climate Action Resilience Coalition group consisted of volunteers and was not an official town committee but brought the climate action plan to the Town Meeting.
“They’ve already met with multiple committees and done a lot of outreach and surveys. So, the work has begun,” said Duffy.
During the last Renewable Energy Committee meeting, the committee also discussed whether to have a separate climate action plan committee. The chair of the Renewable Energy Committee said the Select Board should make the final decision which brought the conversation to last Wednesday.
Duffy is a voting member of the Climate Action Plan Committee. The rest of the members are the core members from the Climate Action Resilience Coalition group, including Lillian M Worthley, Martha Schmitt, Suzanne Hale, Sierra Pope Munoz, and Diana B Eddowes.
Two of the members are from Swampscott High School. Select Board Vice Chair David Grishman said he loves the idea that young citizens serving the committee. He said, “I think that’s a fantastic idea and it would be great to get the involvement of our younger citizens within some of these committees.”
The mission of the Climate Action Plan Committee is to develop and draft a Climate Action Plan for the Town of Swampscott in accordance with the below excerpts from the Climate Action Plan resolution that passed unanimously at the June 14th, 2022 Annual Town Meeting.
The newly established committee will continue to battle greenhouse gas emissions and climate change and promote a clean energy economy.
Duffy said their goal, hopefully, is to have the Climate Action Plan presented at the springtime meeting.
