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Coolmonadnock
Cool Monadnock Year One Program Goals
Phase I: Project Start-Up and Launch
This phase of the project involves selecting securing commitments from Southwest Region Planning Commission and the Cheshire County government, forming a local steering committee, building community support, developing a regional GHG inventory, and organizing the launch event.
• Form Management Team and Steering Committee: The Steering Committee is responsible for raising the initial public awareness about climate change issues, overseeing the preparation of the GHG inventory, gaining support among other community leaders, and organizing the launch event. The Steering Committee will be composed of a diverse group of representatives from key constituencies and interests, including local and regional government, universities, businesses, and non-profit organizations. The Steering Committee will constitute a large group of these stakeholders and include a representative from each town in the region. This representative can be the chair of the town’s energy committee that was or is being formed as a result of the passed Carbon Coalition resolution. The majority of towns in the southwest region passed this resolution.
The Management Team will be select members of the Steering Committee that will serve as chairs and guide the work of the Steering Committee. CA-CP/ANEI will work with the local community leaders/management team to help establish the Steering Committee. CA-CP and ANEI will be responsible for the first meeting on the initiative and forming a steering committee through a presentation that is geared to all of the towns included in the initiative in the region.
• Conduct a report on baseline greenhouse gas emissions: CA-CP/ANEI will use software and technical support from ICLEI Global – Local Governments for Sustainability, to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory. The inventory report will identify where greenhouse gases are being generated and help identify priority areas to target for GHG reductions. Graduate student interns will be hired to create the inventory for the region, and will also participate in the Steering Committee and update the project website.
• Build community support: CA-CP/ANEI will work with the Steering Committee to raise public awareness and solicit public involvement by conducting web-based surveys, holding “neighborhood meet-ups,” and working with students to reach out to the community. The NHGF portion of this money will include a regional web site that is created to inform the public of the initiative and progress of the steering committee.
• Organize launch event: The Steering Committee will hold a public forum to officially launch the project that will bring together representatives from the community, businesses, educational institutions, community organizations, local government, and regional organizations such as the regional planning commissions and development corporations. The launch forum will be designed to educate participants about the project, identify potential action areas, and solicit participation of community members to serve on the Task Force. CA-CP/ANEI will release the results of the GHG inventory at the forum and participants will be asked to identify potential priority actions to reduce GHG emissions during small group sessions facilitated by trained local facilitators.
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