The Conservation and Sustainability Department provides support, coordination, and professional management to protect the community’s natural resources, including its biodiversity, unique natural areas, beach and barrier properties, open space, wetlands, and other water resources, primarily through the administration and enforcement of the Wetlands Protection Act and Fairhaven Wetlands Bylaw. The Department also coordinates the development and implementation of the Town’s sustainability initiatives, including but not limited to the Green Communities Program, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, and Electric Vehicles Incentive Program.
The Department is staffed by the Conservation Agent and Sustainability Coordinator. For inquiries related to conservation, contact the Department using conservation@fairhaven-ma.gov. For inquiries related to sustainability, contact the Department via sustainability@fairhaven-ma.gov.
Fairhaven became a Green Community in December 2018. The goal of the Green Communities Designation and Grant Program is to support investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that further clean energy goals set forth by the designated communities. To earn designation and qualify for grants, municipalities must pledge to reduce energy use by 20 percent over five years and meet four other criteria established in the Green Communities Act. Receiving this designation makes the town eligible for future grants to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
The Town had to meet the following criteria in order to be designated as a Green Community:
- Provide as-of-right siting for manufacturing or research and development of renewable or alternative energy products. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Establish an energy-use baseline inventory for municipal buildings and facilities; develop and adopt an Energy Reduction Plan (ERP) to reduce energy use by twenty percent (20%) within five (5) years of that baseline. The Town of Fairhaven Energy Reduction Plan was adopted in October 2018.
- Adopt a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Policy and provide a plan for replacing non-exempt vehicles with fuel efficient vehicles. The Town adopted the Fuel Efficient Vehicle Policy in October 2018.
- Set requirements to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction. The Town of Fairhaven adopted a Stretch Energy Code Bylaw at Town Meeting in May 2018.
Fairhaven was awarded a grant of $174,535 with the official designation. The Town was subsequently awarded a competitive grant in 2021 for $184,956.
Green Communities Projects
| Project | Project Status | Electricity Savings (kWh) | Natural Gas Savings (therms) | Annual Cost Savings | Total Project Cost | Green Communities Grant Funding | Utility Incentives |
| Fairhaven High School Energy Management System (EMS) | Completed January 2021 | 33,421 | 8,701 | $16,123 | $99,870 | $96,349 | $3,521 |
| Council on Aging LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 14,400 | 0 | $2,448 | $24,670 | $18,000 | $6,670 |
| Recreation Center LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 71,790 | 0 | $12,204 | $64,634 | $52,649 | $11,985 |
| Fairhaven High School High Efficiency Transformers | In progress | 53,191 | 0 | $9,574 | $84,127 | $73,489 | $10,638 |
| Fairhaven High School Building Automation Controls & VFDs | In progress | 105,631 | 4,868 | $23,881 | $99,300 | $89,700 | $9,600 |
| Fairhaven High School LED Lighting Upgrades | In progress | 17,384 | 0 | $3,129 | $14,767 | $14,767 | $0 |
To become better prepared and more resilient to potential emergencies and disasters, the Town of Fairhaven developed its first-ever natural hazard mitigation plan in 2018.
Fairhaven is vulnerable to a wide range of hazards, which threaten the life and safety of residents and visitors and have the potential to damage or destroy both public and private property and disrupt the local economy and overall quality of life. By minimizing the damaging impacts of natural hazards upon our built environment, we can prevent such events from resulting in disasters.
The Town of Fairhaven’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is an effective means to incorporate hazard mitigation principles and practices into routine government activities and functions. The plan recommends specific actions that are designed to protect people and community assets from losses to those hazards that pose the greatest risk. These mitigation actions go beyond simply recommending structural solutions to reduce existing vulnerability, such as retrofitting buildings or strengthening infrastructure. Local polices on community growth and development, incentives for natural resource protection, and public awareness and outreach activities are examples of other actions considered to reduce the town’s future vulnerability to identified hazards.
The Town of Fairhaven is partnering with Solect Energy to install solar panels on both LeRoy L. Wood Elementary and East Fairhaven Elementary schools. These solar arrays could produce up to 80-90% of the electricity the schools use annually and have the potential to save between $800,000 and $900,000 over the term of a 20-year lease agreement. You can find more information in the presentation provided by Solect Energy. These solar arrays are live as of summer 2021.
With Solect Energy, the Town is also looking at the possibility of installing solar panels on the Hastings Middle School roof as well as installing canopy solar over the parking lot at the Council on Aging/Rec Center.
Solect Energy Proposal Summary for Wood Elementary School
Solect Energy Proposal Summary for East Fairhaven Elementary School
