"This is very important for me and our team, but above that it is of great value to the community. Having zero tailpipe [emissions] from a vehicle as significant as a school bus is incredibly meaningful. That's a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions," said Jennifer Raitt, director of the Department of Planning and Community Development.
The town has been dedicated to the electrification of municipal vehicles in recent years, Raitt said. By 2030, officials want to replace all school buses, police cars, and every other vehicle in the municipal fleet with electric options. Arlington is working with outside parties including PowerOptions, Inc., Horizon Solutions, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Raitt added.
"The district is thrilled to be able to improve the air quality and climate impact of our public-school buses by replacing two of them with new electric buses. We are looking forward to beginning our transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future with the support of the EPA," said Elizabeth C. Homan, Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools, in a press release.
One school bus has already been replaced, thanks to a grant last year. Now, two more will follow suit. The buses being replaced have been in operation for 12 years, according to Raitt, and each has been driven approximately 10,000 miles per year. There are 12 Arlington school buses in total, Raitt said. With the new additions, one quarter of the school bus fleet will be electric. The accompanying charging stations are powerful enough to charge each bus daily. They will be located at Ottoson Middle School.
"The value Arlington has placed is on becoming emission-free. These buses will have zero emissions. It's one of our highest priority measures in our Net Zero Action Plan," Raitt said. "This is a significant step towards meeting that fleet electrification goal."
Arlington's Net Zero Action Plan was released in February 2021, Raitt said, and was in the process of being developed for an entire year beforehand. It was endorsed by the Select Board in August. The action plan is a 44-page document that lays out how the town will reach complete net zero by 2050.
The plan has three components: mobility, buildings, and clean energy. The mobility section covers the electrification of the municipal fleet, public transit, and ways to promote safe biking and walking in town. According to data collected for the Net Zero Action Plan, on-road transportation represents nearly 36% of overall greenhouse gas pollution.
In 2010, the town became a state-designated Green Community. Since then, even more work has been done to make buildings sustainable. High efficiency boilers, HVAC retro-commissioning, and residential solar panel installation are just a few items that have been integrated across Arlington, according to the document.
The 415,000 square foot new Arlington High School, is scheduled to be completed by 2024. It will be completely electrically powered, with no on-site combustion of fossil fuels. Electric heat pumps will instead heat and cool the school.
Between $100,000 and $200,000 is spent annually to make improvements on existing town buildings with net zero goals in mind, Raitt said.
"Arlington has been one of the leading communities working on sustainability since the early aughts," she added. "We've been working in a very dedicated way as a town government on this particular topic for decades now."
Another way Arlington is setting itself apart from other communities on this front is its LED streetlight program. Due to their long lifespan and energy efficiency, LED streetlights are seen as an effective way of reducing carbon emissions. In 2013, the town finished replacing all streetlights in town with new LED lights.
Next, officials are working to develop an "Electrify Arlington" website, Raitt said. This will make it easier for the community to understand how to electrify their homes, find ways to access clean energy, and learn more about how Arlington can reach net zero.
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