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In the news: Setti Warren

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In the news: Setti Warren
Setti Warren (Photo: Courtesy Setti Warren)

At the 85th Annual USCM Meeting, Newton Mayor Setti Warren received a first place award in the 2017 Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards, for small cities.

Warren received the award for the Newton Community Share Solar Initiative, a groundbreaking partnership to provide solar credits to low-income households in Newton. This unique program provides modest economic benefits to over 900 low-income Newton households by sharing solar credits from the city’s solar development projects. It also reduces the city’s carbon footprint, increasing the amount of clean, renewable energy in the community. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia received the equivalent award for a large city.

“Mayors Setti Warren and Robert Garcia are national climate leaders, taking us into the next decade of mayoral climate leadership and demonstrating how action helps our cities and the nation” said Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Mayors continue to be the first responders in our global climate battle, and the innovative programs underway in Newton and Long Beach will help inspire actions by other cities here in the U.S. and throughout the world.”

“Newton has made sustainability through solar energy a priority, as well as reducing inequality. This project came out of our desire to marry these two priorities in a way that is efficient, innovative, and inclusive and share the benefits of solar technology with lower income households,” said Warren. “We are honored to receive this reward from Walmart and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and appreciate their ongoing support of mayors’ work to address the climate challenges before all of us.”

The award program recognizes and honors mayors for their outstanding and innovative practices that increase energy efficiency, expand renewable energy and/or reduce carbon emissions. For this achievement, Newton has been awarded $15,000 to continue working towards sustainability goals.