Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Friday, October 22, 2021
Round up from the CommonWealth Magazine - anchor mission, MA vaccine rollout for kids, Rep Roy on the Codcast
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
State Rep Roy: What's happening in the district - June 2021 newsletter
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Saturday, June 5, 2021
"the aggregation rate is often lower than the utility rate"
"AROUND THE WORLD, in the White House, and at our State House, leaders are finally beginning to respond to the climate challenge. Here in Massachusetts, we can take pride in bold new legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions. And the nation’s first large-scale off-shore wind project, Vineyard Wind, has been given the go ahead by the federal government. Those are exciting developments, but there’s something happening at the local level that deserves our attention as well.
In Massachusetts, cities and towns are increasingly taking advantage of a process known as green municipal aggregation or community choice electricity, which allows municipalities to purchase electricity directly from suppliers (rather than relying on the utilities to do it for us). Through aggregation, communities can offer options that include more wind and solar than required by state law at affordable rates. Today about 50 cities and towns in Massachusetts have done so and dozens more are at various stages of the approval process. Communities that have been doing this for some time keep renewing and usually add more renewable energy as time goes on."
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Town of Franklin, MA: Quarterly Aggregation Report
"The ToF's Quarterly Aggregation Report provides a summary of the Nov & Dec electrical savings vs National Grid rates. Franklin chose a 100% green product that supports renewable energy, with 100% of the power supply being offset by National Wind Renewable Energy Certificates. " https://t.co/saIwgNIsmO
"This report has been prepared by Colonial Power Group with information/data being provided by the Competitive Supplier and National Grid. The purpose of the report is to provide information about the Town of Franklin's Community Choice Power Supply Program, which currently provides competitive power supply to approximately 9,850 customers in the Town. The data provided by the Competitive Supplier is not available until three months after the month it is used. For example, power is Used in January, Invoiced in February, Paid in March and Reported in April"
Read the full report on the Town of Franklin page: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/franklin_quarterly_aggregation_report-q4_2020.pdf
Town of Franklin, MA: Quarterly Aggregation Report113602 |
Friday, March 26, 2021
MA State News: wind energy and commission report on special taxes
Mariano pledges to turn South Coast into ‘hub of wind energy’
"MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE SPEAKER Ron Mariano on Thursday pledged to make major investments to turn the South Coast into “a hub of wind energy for the region.”
Mariano, in a virtual speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, envisioned using the nascent offshore wind energy industry as a way to create jobs in Massachusetts while positioning the state to be a leader in a growing field."
"A COMMISSION ESTABLISHED to review the effectiveness of special tax breaks issued by the state of Massachusetts raised serious concerns in its initial report about measures benefitting the film, alcohol, and mutual fund industries.The Tax Expenditure Review Commission, in a first-of-its-kind report, tried to rate the effectiveness of 26 of the more than 200 tax breaks that in some cases have been on the state’s books for decades and never been subjected to any scrutiny even though they represent billions of dollars in foregone revenue."
Friday, October 9, 2020
Municipal Aggregation - Information Session Video
Saturday, October 3, 2020
Municipal Aggregation Program Informational Session - Oct 5
Municipal Aggregation Program Informational Session
- Event Date: Monday, October 5, 2020 - 10:00am
Zoom Information
- Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84712272251
- Meeting ID: 847 1227 2251 Call-In Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Municipal Aggregation Program Informational Session - Oct 5 |
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
FM #208 - Jamie Hellen on Municipal Aggregation
During the Town Administrator’s Report segment of the Town Council meeting, Feb 12, 2020, there was a good piece of news. Municipal aggregation is finally here with a good deal.
What is municipal aggregation?
“It seeks to aggregate consumers in the Town to negotiate rates for power supply. It brings together the buying power of over 32,000 consumers. Furthermore, the Town seeks to better manage energy prices.On your electric bill, there are two sections, one for delivery services, and one for the cost of the electricity itself. With aggregation, Franklin has just signed a contract to deliver electricity at a cost of only 10.5 cents for three years. This is one, an improvement over the current rate (around .14 cents) and two, confirms the rate for three years.
Participation is voluntary for each eligible consumer. Eligible consumers have the opportunity to decline service provided through the Plan and to choose any Competitive Supplier they wish.“
This is a good deal. More will be forthcoming on this as we get closer to Sep/Oct 2020. There will be additional information shared, info on how to opt out (accepting a rate other than the 10.5 cents confirmed for three years), etc.
Let’s listen to Jamie Hellen talk about the municipal aggregation deal at the Town Council meeting.
Additional info will be provided at the Town Council meeting on March 4, 2020.
Links to the archives for prior posts on municipal aggregation which was initially approved by the Town Council in 2016 are provided in the show notes
Audio file https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d8099baa-7dc9-49c7-b55a-cfdb619a52d2
From the archives:
Aggregation Plan released for Town Council meeting review and discussion
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/municipal-aggregation-program.html
Link to Municipal Aggregation docs on Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/municipal-aggregation-documents
Embedded copy:
From the Town Council meeting where this was approved
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/03/live-reporting-legislation-for-action.html
Aggregation Presentation doc - March 9, 2016
https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/franklin-community-choice-aggregation-program
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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.
How can you help?
- If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
- If you don't like this, please let me know
Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
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FM #208 - Jamie Hellen on Municipal Aggregation |
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
In the News: Paychecks get smaller; wind power growth threatened
"Paychecks are about to get a little smaller in Massachusetts.
Employer and employee contributions to the state Department of Family and Medical Leave Employment Security Trust Fund begin coming out of paychecks on Tuesday. That’s the funding source for the new paid family and medical leave benefit signed into law last year."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190930/payroll-deduction-for-mass-paid-leave-starts-oct-1
"The winds are blowing fair for America’s wind power industry, making it one of the fastest-growing U.S. energy sources.
Land-based turbines are rising by the thousands across America, from the remote Texas plains to farm towns of Iowa. And the U.S. wind boom now is expanding offshore, with big corporations planning $70 billion in investment for the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farms.
“We have been blessed to have it,” says Polly McMahon, a 13th-generation resident of Block Island, where a pioneering offshore wind farm replaced the island’s dirty and erratic diesel-fired power plant in 2016. “I hope other people are blessed too.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190930/presidents-windmill-hatred-is-worry-for-booming-industry
Saturday, December 15, 2018
"excited about expanding its offshore wind presence"
"A lease auction of about 600 square miles acres off the coast of Massachusetts for the development of offshore wind energy has drawn a record $405 million in winning bids.
If fully developed, the three parcels could generate about 4.1 gigawatts of energy — enough to power nearly 1.5 million homes.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Friday the auction was the nation’s eighth competitive lease sale for the development of offshore wind. He said it smashed the previous highest grossing offshore wind lease sale record of $42 million for an area off New York in 2016.
The provisional winners of the auction were Equinor Wind US, Mayflower Wind Energy and Vineyard Wind. They bid $135 million each for three similarly sized parcels of approximately 130,000 acres."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181214/auction-of-wind-parcels-off-mass-coast-draws-record-405m-in-bids
Image from Equinor's web page |
More about Mayflower Wind Energy LLC
https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=279756673
More about Vineyard Wind https://www.vineyardwind.com/
Saturday, December 2, 2017
In the News: fire fighter health issues; coyote population on rise; Cape Wind ceases operation
"For firefighters across the country, there is a growing realization that a major danger they face lies not just in the flames they battle, but in the fumes they breathe and the toxic soot they touch.
“I can’t think of a fire department or firefighter who doesn’t know someone who’s gone through battling cancer or been touched by cancer or sadly had a death too close to home,” said Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “We’re really trying to sound the alarm on this and make sure people are conscious of this.”
In Massachusetts, the issue of cancer rates for firefighters resurfaced earlier this fall, when Arlington Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Porciello and Watertown Fire Chief Mario Orangio died within a month of each other due to cancers likely related to their work."Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/firefighters-battle-hidden-risk-of-cancer
Franklin's West Central St fire station at night |
"Once completely foreign to Massachusetts, coyotes have become increasingly common throughout the state, turning up in rural, suburban, and even, urban areas.
“We’re now pretty well saturated with coyotes in this state,” said Dave Wattles, a biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. “They started to colonize this state in the 1950s, and we’re now seeing the far end of that colonization. We now have coyotes in every mainland town in the state, and in relatively high densities. All available habitat is occupied by coyotes.
While physical encounters with people are uncommon, the topic of coyote attacks in Massachusetts gained new attention in November after a rabid coyote attacked two people in North Attleboro. The Nov. 20 incident represents the eighth and ninth coyote attacks on humans since the 1950s."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/coyote-population-saturates-massachusetts
"Cape Wind is ceasing development of its wind farm and giving up its federal lease, according to the Cape Cod Times.
Once well positioned to become the nation’s first off-shore wind farm, the project has been buffeted by legal challenges and trapped in financial doldrums.
“Cape Wind has confirmed to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that it has ceased development of its proposed offshore wind farm project in Nantucket Sound and has filed to terminate its offshore wind development lease that was issued in 2010,” Cape Wind vice president Dennis Duffy told the Times."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/cape-wind-gives-up-on-plan-for-nantucket-sound-wind-farm
Sunday, July 11, 2010
wind power
The turbine at St Mary's Abbey stands alone. These turbines are amongst dozens.
Franklin, MA
Saturday, May 1, 2010
In the News - Laviolette, power lines
Franklin's favorite son Peter Laviolette on wrong side of rink
Winds knock down power lines, sparking fires
Franklin, MA
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Abbey Wind Turbine
One advantage of wind over solar, the wind sometimes doesn't stop when the sun goes down. It can continue to generate power during the night as long as there is sufficient wind.
Earlier posts/photos of the wind turbine can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/12/abbey-turbine-gets-wings.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2008/11/whoosh-whoosh.html
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view this video
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Abbey turbine gets wings
It looks like a giant bird
or a funky hang glider
coming over the trees
until you get closer and the white tower appears.
It will be tested before turning on to generate power for the Abbey.
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to the website to view the slide show.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
In the News - affordable housing, Abbey wind power
Franklin to offer grants to first-time homebuyers
Abbey has wind turbine installed
Monday, March 23, 2009
Let's go fly a kite
Ben, are you listening?
Enjoy!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’
MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’
Friday, March 13, 2009
Cape Wind News Release
MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’
MARCH 13, 2009, BOSTON, MA – In a unanimous vote, the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (Siting Board), the agency created by the Legislature to ensure the siting of needed and least environmental impact energy facilities, voted yesterday to grant Cape Wind a Certificate of Environmental Impact and Public Interest (Certificate) that effectively rolls up all nine state and local permits related to the electric cables into one ‘composite certificate’.
Note: The official transcript of the Siting Board's Hearing yesterday is available for download at:
http://www.capewind.org/transcript.pdf
Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “This decision represents a major victory for the people of Massachusetts who are waiting for the clean energy jobs from Cape Wind which will help us become more energy independent and make Massachusetts a global leader in clean offshore wind energy production.” “I am grateful for the assistance that the attorneys representing Clean Power Now and the Conservation Law Foundation provided as participants in the Siting Board process”, Gordon continued.
The Siting Board instructed Cape Wind to work with the Towns of Yarmouth and Barnstable to reach an agreement on reasonable and customary conditions for town permits related to Cape Wind’s buried electric cables and to present this agreement to the Siting Board. In the event parties cannot agree on conditions, the Siting Board will decide on what conditions are reasonable to include. The Siting Board expects to complete this process and take its final vote within 60-days which will conclude Cape Wind’s permitting at the state and local level.
Cape Wind was compelled to file for this Certificate following a denial by the Cape Cod Commission in 2007. The Siting Board also has the statutory authority to grant a comprehensive approval to an energy facility it has previously approved, where that facility has been denied a permit by any other state or local agency in the Commonwealth.
In 2005, the Siting Board approved Cape Wind’s electrical interconnection at the conclusion of a 32-month review of unprecedented length that included 2,900 pages of transcripts, 923 exhibits and 50,000 pages of documentary evidence. The Siting Board found that Cape Wind would meet an identified need for electricity and would provide a reliable energy supply for Massachusetts, with a minimum impact on the environment. The Siting Board’s approval of Cape Wind’s electrical interconnection was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Cape Wind’s proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal would provide three-quarters of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands from clean, renewable energy - reducing this region’s need to import oil, coal and gas. Cape Wind will create new jobs, stable electric costs, contribute to a healthier environment, increase energy independence and establish Massachusetts as a leader in offshore wind power. For more information visit www.capewind.org.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Cape Wind: Record of Decision Request
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Despite unemployment rising precipitously, U.S. wind industry jobs jumped to 85,000 in 2008, a 70% increase from 2007. Wind made up 42% of all added 2008 electricity capacity. We can soon start benefiting locally by Cape Wind joining this explosive growth, giving us health, economic, security and other benefits.
Major conclusions in the federal Minerals Management Services’ (MMS) mid-January very favorable Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on Cape Wind’s proposed project included:
- of negative operation impacts, 3.2% are No Impact, 50% are Negligible, 38.9% are Minor, 6.3% are Moderate, and 1.6% (slightly rerouting the annual Figawi sailboat race) is Major;
- impact to tourism will be negligible and there will be no decrease in beach activity;
- floating wind turbine technology (recently pushed by the Alliance opposing Cape Wind) won’t be commercially available for 10 to 15 years;
- Cape Wind will lower our electricity prices;
- negligible to minor impact on fisheries;
- fossil-fueled plants’ global-warming and other harmful emissions will be reduced;
- no Cape Wind emissions to sea or air;
- world-wide data (including local MMA turbine) showed very few birds will be killed colliding with Cape Wind’s turbines
- no injuries caused to marine mammals;
- nine alternate locations were evaluated - they would all produce more costly (1 to 17.7 cents/kilowatt hour) electricity than Cape Wind; and
- three site-layout alternatives and four types of generation facilities were all found to be less desirable than Cape Wind’s proposal.
With this favorable FEIS expanding on and confirming many previous evaluations, it is sure that we will significantly benefit from Cape Wind.
To support this project, write a brief letter to
Kenneth SalazarSecretary, US Department of the Interior1849 C Street N.W.Washington, DC 20240
and ask them to issue their Record Of Decision promptly.
Jim Liedell
Yarmouth Port
Note: Addressee for letter updated 2/26/09 per email request from Jim Liedell
Sunday, November 30, 2008
"We have to be faithful to our basics"
An earsplitting clanging echoed from the stone bell tower of Mount St. Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, calling to prayer about a dozen nuns ending their morning shift in the convent's Candy House.
The sisters, wrapped in work clothes and aprons, walked down a wooded path and through a clearing as they made their silent way home. By noon, they were wearing the crisp, white robes of their contemplative Cistercian order, and had joined 40 others to chant and pray inside the abbey's airy church.
Up at 3, pray and work all day, retire at 8.
So it goes for these nuns and others in the order that for 900 years has emulated St. Benedict in relying on one's hands for daily sustenance.
Here in Wrentham, off a country lane not far from Interstate 495, that means tending a flock of sheep for wool to make blankets and growing a bounty of fresh vegetables in the summer, and, for these sisters who are rarely seen in public, making Trappistine Quality Candy - and lots of it.
Read the full article in the Boston Sunday Globe West section here
The Abbey web site can be found here
You can order candy via their online web store or make a donation via PayPal.
Postings about the Abbey's wind turbine can be found here