Our Municipal Expansion of the State Energy Management Program
We are excited to extend the energy savings and resilience concept of the State Energy Management Program to Vermont municipalities. The Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) provides staff support, application and technical assistance, and funding to increase energy resilience, reduce energy use and operating costs, and curb greenhouse gas emissions by promoting weatherization, thermal improvements, fuel switching, renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and enhanced comfort in municipal buildings.
Act 172 (2022) gave MERP $45 million to support dependable and sustainable connections to critical municipal services for all Vermonters. Municipally owned buildings in cities, towns, incorporated villages, fire districts, and all other governmental incorporated units (except school districts) are eligible.
MERP targets communities in need of energy resilience investments, often having excessive energy burden (the portion of income spent on heating, electricity, and transportation). Visit Efficiency Vermont's webpage and view their 2019 report on Vermont's energy burden to learn more. Though MERP draws on the 2019 report, Efficiency Vermont released an updated report in August 2023 that is also worth checking out.
MERP provides the following funding opportunities:
- Up to $4,000 Community Capacity Building Mini Grants
- Free building Energy Resilience Assessments.
- Up to $500,000 Implementation Grants for weatherization, thermal efficiency, and supplementing/replacing fossil fuel heating systems with more efficient renewable or electric versions (coming soon).
BGS is partering with Vermont's Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs), Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Efficiency Vermont, and Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network to develop and implement MERP. RPCs will also assist with grant and assessment applications and provide programming and technical assistance.
Find your RPC contact for MERP
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Addison County Regional Planning Commission (ACRPC) Maddison Shropshire – Energy Planner Deron Rixon – Planner |
Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) Victoria Hellwig – Planner Alberto Della Torre – Assistant Planner |
Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) Maggie O'Brien – Regional Planner Jeremy Gildrien – Utility Planner |
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Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC) Callie Fishburn – Regional Planner/Energy Program Coordinator |
Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) Martha Harrison – Planner |
Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) Harry Falconer – Planner |
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Central Vermont Planning Commission (CVRPC) Sam Lash – Planner, Energy and Climate |
Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) Carter Finegan – MERP Coordinator Allie Webster – Energy Planner Alison Low – Senior Planner |
Windham Regional Commission (WRC) Margo Ghia – Planner, Natural Resources Mike McConnell – Senior Planner |
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Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) Ann Janda – Senior Energy Project Manager |
Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) Marlena Valenta – Energy and Climate Planner |
