SESSION 1: Welcome & Plenary Session
Welcome & Introductions:
Bringing It Home – Climate Change & Action for Our Local Communities
Dorothy Savarese
President
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
The President of the Board of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative (the Collaborative) is Dorothy Savarese. Savarese is Executive Chair of Cape Cod 5, recognized as a leading bank and top employer, a position she has held since 2005. She recently stepped down from her position as CEO after 17 years leading the community bank, which has grown to more than $5 billion in assets with 550 employees in 26 locations. Savarese recognized that the vitality of the communities served by Cape Cod 5 were directly tied to the health of the fragile and beautiful environment of the region. During her tenure, she formalized the integration of environmental stewardship into each of the “5 Ways” the Bank serves its customers and communities, and expanded it to include mitigating and adapting to climate change. Some highlights of the Bank’s efforts include the introduction of an innovative solar loan program and the construction of an 80,000 square foot LEED Gold Certified headquarters completed in 2020.
Savarese extends her commitment to combating climate change and building resiliency to her volunteer and community activities, in addition to her service to the Collaborative. She was appointed by the governor of Massachusetts to the Clean Heat Commission. She just recently joined the Board of the Alliance for Business Leadership and with them traveled to Denmark in June 2022 to learn more about the country’s clean energy transformation.
Savarese has also been recognized for her efforts in the banking industry, being named to the list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker Magazine for the 11th consecutive year, was the chair of both the American Bankers Association and the Massachusetts Bankers Association and has been named to committees advising the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the FDIC. She is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Suffolk University and recently joined the Board of Trustees. In addition, she has served on a number of local boards serving the region.
Richard Delaney
Executive Director
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Executive Director of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Inspired by COP21 (aka the Paris Climate Accord) of 2015, Rich Delaney co-founded the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative in 2016. The Climate Collaborative is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to reduce the Cape & Islands region’s contributions to climate change and protect our region from its potentially devastating impacts. Its leadership team includes a coalition of business, environmental, energy, building, transportation, conservation, policy, housing, faith, and civic leaders while its audience comprises over 3,000 concerned individuals from the Cape & Islands and the Commonwealth.
Delaney is well known for his environmental work spanning 45 years, including 14 years as President and CEO of the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown where he continues to serve as part-time Senior Advisor and interim Director of the Marine Policy Department.
Previously, Delaney founded the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston; served as Assistant Secretary of Environmental Affairs in Massachusetts; and was National Chair of the Coastal States Organization in Washington DC. Delaney has consulted to governments in over 20 countries regarding climate change, coastal and ocean management, capacity building, institutional development, and public outreach, and participated in numerous international conferences.
Keynote Address:
The Denmark Story: How Local Action Fomented an Energy Revolution
Hermansen has helped lead an energy revolution on Samsøe Island–a blustery island off Denmark’s coast the approximate size of Martha’s Vineyard–that has transformed his region and country from a fossil-fuel-based economy to a model of sustainability and world leader in the use of renewable energy. Believing local organizing and activism are the keys to a sustainable future, Hermansen will discuss his theories of change, community engagement, and consensus-building. A “world-class energy magician,” Hermansen has been recognized internationally for his efforts on Samsø and as director of the Samsø Energy Academy.
Søren Hermansen
Director
Samsø Energy Academy, Denmark
Søren Hermansen has been the driving force behind the transformation of Samsø into a world famous renewable energy island. His strong leadership is recognized worldwide.
Situated in the middle of Denmark, Samsø, an island of 3,800 inhabitants, won a 1997 competition launched by the Danish Ministry of the Environment to select Denmark’s Renewable Energy Island. The effort started with Mr. Hermansen, a former high school environmental studies teacher, who tirelessly explained the benefits of clean energy to the people in his community during countless town meetings. Within ten years, the island succeeded in becoming 100% self-sufficient through renewable energy, and is now exporting its excess wind-powered electricity to the rest of Denmark.
Mr. Hermansen is currently Director of the Samsø Energy Academy, which opened in 2007. The Academy arranges yearly exhibitions, workshops and corporate events, which regularly attract 6,000 politicians, journalists, and students from around the world. Researchers from both Danish and foreign educational institutions are able to conduct energy research at the Academy, and island residents can get free advice on sustainable solutions.
For his innovative work, Mr. Hermansen was named one of the “Heroes of the Environment” by Time Magazine, and in 2009 he was awarded the Gothenborg Award, which some call the Nobel prize for the Environment. He is a highly renowned speaker at conferences and international events, presenting on solutions for the deployment of renewable energy and promoting the experience of Samsø as an inspiration and a model for other regional sustainability projects worldwide.
Keynote Address:
The Biden-Harris Agenda for Climate & Justice: Huge Challenges, Endless Opportunities
The Biden-Harris Administration is making tremendous strides in infrastructure investment and climate policy, delivering on its promise to make government work for working families. EPA Region 1 Administrator Dr. David Cash will discuss opportunities arising from administration actions, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). EPA and other federal agencies’ investment of billions of dollars in deploying zero-emission technologies will enable a just transition to clean energy, create energy security, lower costs, create good jobs, provide cleaner air and healthier communities, and fundamentally for environmental justice. Learn what these historic climate actions mean for our region and local communities.
Dr. David Cash
Administrator, Region 1
U.S. EPA
David W. Cash has spent his career in public service harnessing science, innovative policy and participatory decision-making to solve challenges and seize opportunities at the intersection of environment, economy and equity. Prior to coming to EPA, Dr. Cash was the Dean of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Dr. Cash also spent a decade in Massachusetts state government where he held a range of senior positions, working to transform the Commonwealth’s environmental and energy policy. As Assistant Secretary of Policy in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in Governor Deval Patrick’s Administration, he was an architect of a range of nation-leading climate, clean energy and environmental justice policies. All of these initiatives were grounded in the notion that wise environmental policy, economic policy and policies for equity can and should go hand-in-hand. He then served as a Commissioner in the Department of Public Utilities, followed by serving as the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Keynote Address:
The Climate Economy: A Whole Community Approach, from Somerville & Beyond
Thanks to $369 billion in federal investment, the climate economy is about to boom. It will be the next major job creator not just in our region, but across the nation and around the world. Yet how do we seize those opportunities at the local level, turning them into a strong local economy and impactful climate action? Former Somerville Mayor and current Northeast Clean Energy Council President Joe Curtatone will discuss how local leadership and citizen action will be critical elements in developing a thriving, eco-friendly economy.
Joe Curtatone
President
New England Clean Energy Center, Former Mayor of Somerville, MA
Before stepping into the role of NECEC President, Joseph A. Curtatone served as the nine-term Mayor of Somerville, MA. Under his leadership, the city was one of 95 world-wide to make the CDP Cities A-List for climate planning and action. He also spearheaded a comprehensive net-zero action plan for his city with a strong focus on equity. He worked to establish Somerville as a leader in climate technology, recruiting Greentown Labs to the city, where it has been steadily growing since 2013. Thanks to his pursuit of cutting edge industries, Somerville saw its workforce increase by more than 40% during his tenure as the city became the home to billions of dollars of new economic activity. Curtatone also did significant work to reshape the city. In 2014, Somerville opened the first new station in Greater Boston’s core light rail transit system in 27 years, and soon it will open six more new stations as part of the first major expansion of that system since the 1980s. In addition, during his time in office Somerville built a network of more than 40 miles of bicycle lanes inside a city of just 4.1 square miles. He is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, the New England School of Law and Boston College.
BREAK
SESSION 2: Offshore Wind: Impacts & Opportunities for Cape Cod & The Islands
Keynote Address:
Introduction and MA Climate Framework
Dan Wolf, Moderator
Founder
Cape Air, Former MA State Senator
Dan Wolf founded Cape Air in 1989 and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer from its founding through 2021. Dan continues to serve the company as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and stays current with his Air Transport Pilot license. Dan was elected in November 2010, 2012, and 2014, respectively, to represent Cape Cod and the Islands in the Massachusetts State Senate, where he served from 2011 through 2016. Each term, Dan was appointed as the Senate Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, focusing on legislation around labor, workplace safety, and workplace development. As a business and community leader, Dan continues to serve on many of the region’s most important non-profit and civic organizations.
Keynote Address:
Environmental Impacts & Protection Frameworks for Offshore Wind
When large scale offshore wind projects are proposed, public concern on the Cape & Islands naturally focuses on potential impacts to our region’s treasures: a historic fishing industry,diverse wildlife, sensitive ecosystems, and treasured coastal environments. Susannah Hatch will provide an overview of the federal and state regulatory processes at play during offshore wind project review. Environmental safeguards and protections for our environment, ecosystems, fishing industry and communities throughout Massachusetts and New England will be detailed.
Susannah Hatch
Director of Clean Energy Policy
Environmental League of Massachusetts
Susannah joined the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) in January 2020. Her work focuses on clean energy policy, coalitions, and advocacy. In this role, Susannah serves as the Regional Lead for the New England for Offshore Wind (NE4OSW) coalition, which ELM launched in 2020. NE4OSW is a broad-based coalition of over 100 organizations committed to combating climate change by increasing the supply of clean energy to our regional grid through more procurements of responsibly developed offshore wind.
Prior to joining ELM, Susannah worked in volunteer management at the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), a regional conservation and recreation organization. At AMC, Susannah facilitated alignment and effectiveness across the organization’s volunteers, staff, and members. She served as a liaison, partner, and adviser to AMC’s volunteer chapter organizations and focused on organizational development, capacity building, strategic planning, and project management. In addition to her volunteer management responsibilities, she served on AMC’s Board of Directors strategic visioning committee, and led and facilitated its community engagement and analysis.
Susannah holds a Bachelors in French and International Studies from Colby College. Her passion for clean energy and environmental policy stems from her interest in sustainability and climate policy, and she is delighted to bring her experience in capacity building and community engagement to ELM and NE4OSW in support of their goals to drive ambitious state policies for clean energy and climate action.
Keynote Address:
Offshore Wind & Our Economy: Abundant Opportunities & the Costs of Doing Nothing
While eroded shorelines, flooded streets and extreme weather events are everyday and undeniable signs of climate change, economic impacts of the climate crisis are less visible but no less destructive. Charles Goodhue will examine the “cost of doing nothing” to lower our greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to renewable forms of energy – costs to our economy, infrastructure, housing stock, tax base and virtual ways of life. He will also discuss the economic opportunities afforded by offshore wind projects in the Cape and Islands region.
Charles Goodhue
Senior Economist
Eastern Research Group, Inc.
Charles Goodhue, PMP, is a senior economist who works at the intersection of economics and both resilience and greenhouse gas mitigation. His expertise includes benefit-cost analysis – weighing market and non-market benefits against costs; economic impact analysis—assessing the impacts of hazards or policies on jobs, wages, and revenue; survey development and implementation; and stakeholder engagement.
For federal agencies, Mr. Goodhue has led over 40 economic analyses related to greenhouse gas mitigation or the ocean-related economy—many including an offshore wind component—for the, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has included the development of the Marine Economy Satellite Account for NOAA and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
At the local, state, and regional-level, Mr. Goodhue has performed economic analysis in support of adaptation and mitigation strategies for the State of Maine, Barnstable County, MA, the Cities of Alameda, CA and Cambridge, MA, Martha’s Vineyard, MA and the Town of Acton, MA.
Keynote Address:
The Offshore Wind Industry in Our Communities: The Barnstable Story
The town of Barnstable has inked Host Community Agreements with offshore wind developers Vineyard Wind and Avangrid Renewables in recent years. By working proactively and collaboratively with industry representatives, Barnstable has negotiated successful agreements establishing substantial short-, mid-, and long-term benefits for the community. Telling the Barnstable Story, Town Manager Ells will describe negotiation processes and outcomes including enhanced revenue, cost savings, environmental safeguards, and protections for townspeople, businesses, and municipal resources.
Mark Ells
Town Manager
Town of Barnstable, MA
Mark Ells has served as Town Manager in Barnstable, MA since 2016 and has served as a manager in the Town of Barnstable for 33 years. Prior to working in municipal government, Mark worked for 5 years as an engineering consultant. He has been an adjunct faculty at Cape Cod Community College since 2001. He serves on numerous state and regional committees in representation of the Town of Barnstable. His education includes a BS in Environmental Engineering, MBA, and MPA.
Moderated Discussion
Dan Wolf, Moderator
Founder
Cape Air, Former MA State Senator
Dan Wolf founded Cape Air in 1989 and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer from its founding through 2021. Dan continues to serve the company as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and stays current with his Air Transport Pilot license. Dan was elected in November 2010, 2012, and 2014, respectively, to represent Cape Cod and the Islands in the Massachusetts State Senate, where he served from 2011 through 2016. Each term, Dan was appointed as the Senate Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, focusing on legislation around labor, workplace safety, and workplace development. As a business and community leader, Dan continues to serve on many of the region’s most important non-profit and civic organizations.
BREAK
SESSION 3: Buildings, Climate & Equity
Welcome & Introductions
Dorothy Savarese
President
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
The President of the Board of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative (the Collaborative) is Dorothy Savarese. Savarese is Executive Chair of Cape Cod 5, recognized as a leading bank and top employer, a position she has held since 2005. She recently stepped down from her position as CEO after 17 years leading the community bank, which has grown to more than $5 billion in assets with 550 employees in 26 locations. Savarese recognized that the vitality of the communities served by Cape Cod 5 were directly tied to the health of the fragile and beautiful environment of the region. During her tenure, she formalized the integration of environmental stewardship into each of the “5 Ways” the Bank serves its customers and communities, and expanded it to include mitigating and adapting to climate change. Some highlights of the Bank’s efforts include the introduction of an innovative solar loan program and the construction of an 80,000 square foot LEED Gold Certified headquarters completed in 2020.
Savarese extends her commitment to combating climate change and building resiliency to her volunteer and community activities, in addition to her service to the Collaborative. She was appointed by the governor of Massachusetts to the Clean Heat Commission. She just recently joined the Board of the Alliance for Business Leadership and with them traveled to Denmark in June 2022 to learn more about the country’s clean energy transformation.
Savarese has also been recognized for her efforts in the banking industry, being named to the list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker Magazine for the 11th consecutive year, was the chair of both the American Bankers Association and the Massachusetts Bankers Association and has been named to committees advising the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the FDIC. She is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Suffolk University and recently joined the Board of Trustees. In addition, she has served on a number of local boards serving the region.
Save Money While Saving the Earth: Building Efficiency & Weatherization
As energy costs increase exponentially, Maggie Downey and Briana Kane will share timely information about ways residents, renters, businesses and nonprofits can implement energy-efficient, cost-saving measures while taking tangible steps to reduce carbon emissions. People can easily begin their energy efficiency journey with an energy assessment, and for those who’ve already begun, move to electrification as their next step to help mitigate climate change impacts. The two will also introduce a proposed offering designed to address equitable participation in renewable energy paired with building electrification measures. Learn about the ways you can save money, save energy and save the environment!
Maggie Downey
Compact Administrator
Cape Light Compact
Ms. Downey is the Administrator for the Cape Light Compact. Prior to serving as the full-time Cape Light Compact Administrator, Maggie served as both the Assistant County Administrator and Compact Administrator for 17 years. The Cape Light Compact service territory consists of Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, approximately 205,000 year-round residents. The Cape Light Compact is the first municipal aggregator in Massachusetts. Ms. Downey is responsible for management and direction of the Cape Light Compact’s electric power supply aggregation program and energy efficiency programs. Ms. Downey has been working on energy-related issues for over 20 years.
Maggie earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington at Seattle and holds a Graduate Certificate in Management from Harvard University Extension School.
Briana Kane
Energy Efficiency Implementation Program Manager
Cape Light Compact
Briana Kane is the Energy Efficiency Implementation Program Manager at the Cape Light Compact. Briana has 20 years of experience in government and has been with Cape Light Compact since 2008. She has an environmental background and received her Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Case Study:
Help Your Bottom Line While Helping Our Environment – The Business Perspective
Coastal communities like the Cape and Islands are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. And for business owners like Bernard Chiu, owner of the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown, energy efficiency and sustainability are important on many fronts. In this video case study, hear how this local business used Cape Light Compact’s program incentives and rebates to install energy efficiency measures throughout the hotel. And how businesses, large and small, can benefit their bottom lines and their communities by taking advantage of CLC’s energy reduction programs.
Bernard Chiu
Owner
Harbor View Hotel, Martha’s Vineyard
Bernard is the founder and Chairman of Upland Capital Corporation. Prior to founding Upland Capital, Bernard founded Duracraft Corporation, a home comfort appliance manufacturing and marketing company. Under Bernard’s leadership as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman, Duracraft became one of the fastest growing and most successful brands and companies in America. The company was one of the most successful IPOs when it went public in 1993. As a result of Duracraft’s success, the company was approached by, and sold to, Honeywell in an unsolicited transaction of nearly $300,000,000. Following his accomplishment with Duracraft, Bernard became Chairman of the Board of First Act Inc., a pioneer and leader in musical products. First Act offers an innovative line of musical instruments for all ages, and was named “Company of the Year” by Music Trades Magazine. A Hong Kong native, Bernard has been a U.S. Citizen for more than 30 years and has become a successful business and real estate entreprenuer who supports various educational and local community groups.
Case Study:
Reducing Energy Costs: Financial & Energy Savings for Residents of Low-&-Moderate Income Housing
With costs of energy skyrocketing, low- and moderate-income households are hit hardest, spending far greater percentages of income on heating costs than upper income households. Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) – which serves 190,000 low- and middle-income households on the Cape & Islands – offers a direct line between HAC clientele and Cape Light Compact’s energy audit services. Cassi Danzl will explain CLC’s energy audits, eligibility requirements, and application processes as well as other resources offered by HAC.
Cassi Danzl
Chief Operating Officer
Housing Assistance Corporation
Cassi joined Housing Assistance in the beginning of 2017. Originally from the Chicagoland area, Cassi has experience in the mental health field as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, community-based services supervisor, and most recently as an Outpatient Clinic Director. Cassi was formerly our Senior VP of Programs and Client Services before moving to the role of COO in 2022. Cassi lives on Cape and enjoys cheering on her favorite Cape Cod Baseball League team.
Innovation in Affordable Housing: Net Zero & Passive Housing Design in Wellfleet
Affordable housing production and net zero goals change are not mutually exclusive! The new 46-unit affordable and community housing neighborhood at 95 Lawrence Road in Wellfleet has been designed to be highly energy efficient, maximize solar electric generation, and meet standards for “passive house” design. Best of all, these new homes–under development by CDP and the Preservation for Affordable Housing – will be fossil-fuel-free while providing much needed housing on the Outer Cape. Conference participants will learn how our communities can create sustainable affordable housing that helps meet net zero energy goals.
Jay Coburn
Chief Executive Officer
Community Development Partnership
Jay Coburn serves as President and CEO of the Community Development Partnership – the non-profit community development corporation serving the Lower and Outer Cape. The CDP works to build a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive on the Lower Cape by promoting, developing and managing affordable housing; nurturing the launch and growth of small businesses; and facilitating collaboration with business, non-profit and government partners.
Jay serves on the Board of the Mass Association of Community Development Corporations and Chairs the MACDC’ Policy Committee. He also serves as the Cape Cod Commission’s representative on the Massachusetts Rural Policy Advisory Commission and was a member of the Truro Select Board from 2012 to 2018. He is a graduate of Cornell University and lives in Provincetown.
Advancing Equity & Affordability through Net Zero & Energy Efficient Homes: The Habitat Story
Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s commitment to providing home ownership opportunity to families of low and moderate income is well known. Perhaps less well known is its deep commitment to energy-equity. Beth Wade will provide an overview of Habitat’s evolving commitment to clean, energy-efficient construction, from the organization’s program inception, to its near-universal construction of solar-powered, energy-efficient homes, to its recent national recognition for producing the most energy efficient Habitat for Humanity-built home in the United States.
Beth Hardy Wade
Director of Land Acquisition & Project Development
Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod
Beth oversees Habitat’s land acquisition from identification of suitable municipal or privately owned properties through project permitting and closing. She then provides administrative support to Habitat’s Director of Construction throughout the build process. Beth also supports Habitat’s energy and environment initiatives stewarding resources, providing equitable access to healthy and clean-power homes for our low-and moderate-income home buyers.
Elizabeth (Beth) Hardy Wade is a graduate of Cape Cod Community College (AA), Emmanuel College (BA), and the Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Leadership at Tufts University (INP Leadership Certificate). She is currently the Director of Land Acquisition & Project Development for Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod. A passionate advocate for affordable housing, economic development and environmental sustainability, Beth has volunteered with many local non-profit organizations, including Friends of Chatham Affordable Housing, the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, the Community Development Partnership and is currently the Clerk of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative. She also has a special interest in local and sustainable food systems and farming, spurred on by her past work at Maine Farmland Trust.
Elizabeth (Beth) Hardy Wade,
Director of Land Acquisition & Project Development Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, Inc.
411 Main St. (6A), Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
Cell-preferred: (207) 930-5918
Phone: (508) 362-3559 x24
Fax: (508) 362-3569
land@habitatcapecod.org
Building homes, changing lives, preserving community.
www.habitatcapecod.org
Case Study:
The ABC’s of Greening Your Home – One Homeowner’s Story
Retired Air Force Colonel Jane Ward and her husband purchased their 3-bedroom home on Long Pond in Centerville in 2017 after retiring from long careers in the military. Drawing on past home renovation experience (17 homes across the country!), they immediately set out to renovate and “re-green” this neglected “Nickerson-Built” dwelling. Using a variety of cost- and energy-saving techniques and incentives – including insulation, all-electric-zoned HVAC, Energy Star appliances, solar photovoltaics, ventilation and humidity control – this couple has been saving money and the environment. And this step-by-step case study will show you how!
Dr. Jane Ward
Colonel, U.S. Air Force (ret.)
Resident of Barnstable
Dr. Jane Ward, OD, MD, MPH, Colonel (retired) USAF, completed 26 years in the US Air Force as an ophthalmologist and flight surgeon. Jane is a passionate advocate for promotion of better health through the embrace of lifestyle medicine and planetary health. Dr. Ward graduated from Wellesley College and received her doctorate in optometry from the University of California, Berkeley. She subsequently completed medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland, and serves there today as adjunct faculty.
After her USAF career, Jane turned her attention to the public health priorities of chronic disease prevention and health promotion through optimal nutrition, physical activity, the built environment, and active transportation. While earning a master’s degree in Public Health at George Washington University she was a founding member of the National Institutes of Health, “Health in Buildings Roundtable.” This group organized in 2011 partly in response to the US Green Building Council’s initial LEED certification scoring system which allowed certain indoor air quality standards to be optional. Jane earned a LEED Green Associate certificate from the USGBC to broaden her understanding of energy saving green building principles and practices.
During this catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Ward has collaborated with built environment and health professionals advocating for preventing and slowing the COVID-19 pandemic by bringing “fresh air and sunshine” indoors with a few simple behaviors and use of clean air technology to optimize ventilation and indoor air quality.
Jane and her husband Dr Steve Waller have lived in Centerville, MA, since 2017. They enjoy travelling the world to spend time with their three daughters from Alaska to California to London!
BREAK
SESSION 4: Climate Action: Thinking Regionally & Acting Locally
Welcome & Introductions
Kristy Senatori, Moderator
Executive Director
Cape Cod Commission
Kristy Senatori leads the Cape Cod Commission in designing innovative land use policies, environmental and community resilience strategies, and comprehensive economic development initiatives through a multi-disciplinary approach. She promotes collaboration among communities through information and regionalization projects and the implementation of decision support platforms designed to create efficiencies. Ms. Senatori has been a featured speaker at regional and national conferences. She graduated from Hamilton College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received her law degree from Vermont Law School. Ms. Senatori worked in the private sector for several years before joining the Commission in 2008 and serving as the Commission’s Chief Regulatory Officer and Deputy Director. Ms. Senatori is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.
A Moderated Panel Discussion
Bringing it Home: Developing Local Climate Action Plans
Julie Curti – The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) oversees regional planning for 101 Massachusetts’ cities and towns, with planning for climate mitigation and adaptation among its top priorities. Director of Clean Energy Policy Curti will present the agency’s suite of tools to support community climate action planning, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prepare for the effects of climate change. She will focus on the Town of Acton’s recent Climate Action Plan, and the process used to inclusively engage community members and develop and model strategies to meet their ambitious net zero goals.
Vince Murphy – Developing Nantucket Island’s Coastal Resilience Plan was no easy feat. As Vince Murphy will share, it was, in fact, a multi-step process involving intensive scientific study and extensive community involvement. Murphy will outline the major steps this community took to assess coastal flooding and erosion impacts, understand how climate-induced sea level rise amplifies those risks, and develop solutions to adapt to climate change. Nantucket’s community solutions are wide ranging and varied, including strategies such as green infrastructure, new regulatory policies, and climate-forward bylaws for addressing coastal flooding, erosion and sea level rise.
Steven Tupper – The Cape Cod Commission has developed a robust regional Cape Cod Climate Action Plan incorporating numerous tools, studies and resources for regional and local climate action planning. Since the report’s issuance, Commission staff have undertaken additional efforts to advance the goals of the plan. Deputy Director Steve Tupper will discuss new projects and resources that support local climate action, including guidance on incorporating climate into local planning, model climate-targeted bylaws, and prioritizing climate resilience and adaptation projects.
Kristy Senatori, Moderator
Executive Director
Cape Cod Commission
Kristy Senatori leads the Cape Cod Commission in designing innovative land use policies, environmental and community resilience strategies, and comprehensive economic development initiatives through a multi-disciplinary approach. She promotes collaboration among communities through information and regionalization projects and the implementation of decision support platforms designed to create efficiencies. Ms. Senatori has been a featured speaker at regional and national conferences. She graduated from Hamilton College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received her law degree from Vermont Law School. Ms. Senatori worked in the private sector for several years before joining the Commission in 2008 and serving as the Commission’s Chief Regulatory Officer and Deputy Director. Ms. Senatori is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.
Julie Curti
Clean Energy & Climate Strategy Manager
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Julie Curti is the Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Clean Energy Department. The Clean Energy Department supports the 101 cities and towns in and around the Greater Boston region on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change. Grounding the team’s work is a strong focus on supporting a just clean energy transition using inclusive community engagement and equity-centered planning and implementation. MAPC’s climate work supports cities and towns on net zero and climate planning, renewable energy deployment, building decarbonization, energy efficiency, extreme heat preparedness, energy resilience, clean transportation, green workforce development, and more.
Prior to MAPC, Ms. Curti worked at the Cadmus Group (previously Meister Consultants Group), where she worked on climate change and clean energy strategy, policy, and planning projects for public sector and nonprofit organizations. She also served as the Associate Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships Center, focusing on outreach to community organizations to increase food security and build local food systems around the country. She is a trained facilitator and certified mediator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ms. Curti holds a Master’s in City Planning degree from MIT and a BA in Geography and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Department: Clean Energy
Email: jcurti@mapc.org
Phone: (617) 933-0716
Vincent Murphy
Coastal Resilience Coordinator
Town of Nantucket, MA
Vincent Murphy is the Coastal Resilience Coordinator with the Natural Resources Department, Town of Nantucket. Vince is a former Environmental Consultant, has a an M.Sc in Ecosystem Conservation and Landscape Management from University College Cork, Ireland, and is now and proud Irish-American. He has lived in several parts of Europe and north America including Ireland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Finland and Arizona before settling on Nantucket with his family. His time and experience of environmental practices in these varied countries, most notably including Netherlands and their flooding issues has given him the required experience to work on flooding and erosion issues on Nantucket. Vince is the staffer for the Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee (CRAC) and together with the committee developed the Nantucket Coastal Resilience Plan. The plan was completed in late 2021 and accepted by the Select Board in January 2022. Vince, with direction and assistance from CRAC are now implementing the 40 recommendations in Coastal Resilience Plan to alleviate flooding and erosion in the coastal zones around the Island in the face of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise.
Steven Tupper
Deputy Director
Cape Cod Commission
Steven Tupper joined the Cape Cod Commission in 2009 and currently serves as the agency’s Deputy Director. Steven has contributed to developing several regional plans, including the Cape Cod Regional Transportation Plan, Climate Action Plan, and Regional Policy Plan. He leads a multi-disciplinary team working to craft solutions and identify funding to address the regional priorities identified in these plans. A registered professional engineer, Steven also provides technical assistance to Cape Cod municipalities looking to tackle local challenges in a way compatible with community character. Steven received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The Climate Collaborative & Local Climate Action: Programs, Resources & Support
Fran Schofield
Co-Vice President
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Fran Schofield is a co-founder of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative and has been one of its core volunteers since 2016. Currently the organization’s co-vice president, she sets and implements strategic priorities, chairs its Outreach & Communications committee, and co-chairs Finance & Development and Net Zero planning teams.
With public/private sector experience in coastal zone management, land planning, historic preservation, real estate development, sales and marketing, she brings broad perspective and experience to the issue of climate change. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Fran studied landscape architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. She has been active in environmental and political realms for decades and is a past recipient of the Cape & Islands Democratic Council’s “Democrat of the Year” award.
Janet Williams
Co-Vice President
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Co-Vice President, Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Chatham Climate Action Network, Steering Committee Member
With a background in environmental law, education, and consulting, Janet Williams brings a unique set of experiences and skills to the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative. She spent a dozen years as an environmental enforcement attorney with the EPA, five years providing legal counsel to commercial real estate developers and lenders, and several years building and teaching social science education programs at the secondary level. She discovered a passion for and commitment to fighting climate change while volunteering as a pro bono legal researcher with the Climate Justice Programme in London in 2005 and has been in the fight ever since.
Other: Member, Chatham Conservation Commission; Coordinator, Chatham Climate Action Network; Board Officer, Pleasant Bay Community Boating; Member: Conservation Law Foundation
Janet has a BA from Boston College, Teaching Certification from Northeastern University and JD from Villanova University School of Law and is a LEED Accredited Green Associate.
Conference Conclusion & Announcements
Dorothy Savarese
President
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
The President of the Board of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative (the Collaborative) is Dorothy Savarese. Savarese is Executive Chair of Cape Cod 5, recognized as a leading bank and top employer, a position she has held since 2005. She recently stepped down from her position as CEO after 17 years leading the community bank, which has grown to more than $5 billion in assets with 550 employees in 26 locations. Savarese recognized that the vitality of the communities served by Cape Cod 5 were directly tied to the health of the fragile and beautiful environment of the region. During her tenure, she formalized the integration of environmental stewardship into each of the “5 Ways” the Bank serves its customers and communities, and expanded it to include mitigating and adapting to climate change. Some highlights of the Bank’s efforts include the introduction of an innovative solar loan program and the construction of an 80,000 square foot LEED Gold Certified headquarters completed in 2020.
Savarese extends her commitment to combating climate change and building resiliency to her volunteer and community activities, in addition to her service to the Collaborative. She was appointed by the governor of Massachusetts to the Clean Heat Commission. She just recently joined the Board of the Alliance for Business Leadership and with them traveled to Denmark in June 2022 to learn more about the country’s clean energy transformation.
Savarese has also been recognized for her efforts in the banking industry, being named to the list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker Magazine for the 11th consecutive year, was the chair of both the American Bankers Association and the Massachusetts Bankers Association and has been named to committees advising the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the FDIC. She is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Suffolk University and recently joined the Board of Trustees. In addition, she has served on a number of local boards serving the region.
Richard Delaney
Executive Director
Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Executive Director of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
Inspired by COP21 (aka the Paris Climate Accord) of 2015, Rich Delaney co-founded the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative in 2016. The Climate Collaborative is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to reduce the Cape & Islands region’s contributions to climate change and protect our region from its potentially devastating impacts. Its leadership team includes a coalition of business, environmental, energy, building, transportation, conservation, policy, housing, faith, and civic leaders while its audience comprises over 3,000 concerned individuals from the Cape & Islands and the Commonwealth.
Delaney is well known for his environmental work spanning 45 years, including 14 years as President and CEO of the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown where he continues to serve as part-time Senior Advisor and interim Director of the Marine Policy Department.
Previously, Delaney founded the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston; served as Assistant Secretary of Environmental Affairs in Massachusetts; and was National Chair of the Coastal States Organization in Washington DC. Delaney has consulted to governments in over 20 countries regarding climate change, coastal and ocean management, capacity building, institutional development, and public outreach, and participated in numerous international conferences.