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By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — The past few weeks have been tough for climate activism, and longtime climate activist Bill McKibben, who makes his home in Vermont, is feeling the heat.This year will be the hottest year on record, breaking the record-setting temperatures...

By JAMES BUCKSER

As the cost of living rises, some families will have trouble paying to keep their homes warm this winter. One option they may not have considered is the Home Energy Assistance Program.

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

ASHFIELD — Energy in Ashfield is about to get a little greener and a little cheaper, now that the town has signed a contract with Direct Energy to purchase electricity that is 63% renewable at a rate of $0.113 per kilowatt-hour as part of the town’s...

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

WENDELL — The Selectboard plans to appeal the state attorney general’s recent rejection of the town’s battery energy storage bylaw. During a Dec. 18 executive session, the Selectboard opted to contract with Springfield-based law firm Doherty Wallace...

By CHRIS LARABEE

NORTHFIELD — The Planning Board unanimously denied BlueWave Solar’s special permit application for a second proposed solar project on Pine Meadow Road, with members citing a litany of reasons why they believe the project does not fit on the parcel.The...

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

ASHFIELD — The Selectboard has approved a plan to reduce fossil fuel use in town-owned facilities by 95.6% by 2050.Over the next quarter-century, the town will work to decarbonize its nine buildings and fleet of vehicles by reducing energy use,...

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — The citizens group that formed last year in opposition to a now-withdrawn proposal for a 105-megawatt battery storage facility held a virtual forum this week to shed light on local permitting and the role of municipal power in the wake of...

By MARA MELLITS

With the new climate and clean energy law changing the permitting process for solar and battery storage projects, western Massachusetts residents are left wondering how the regulations will impact their rural communities.“An act promoting a clean...

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

While the recent passage of a new clean energy law leaves details of implementation to be solidified over the next 15 months before it takes effect, Mass Audubon’s director of legislative and government affairs is feeling hopeful about one aspect...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

SHUTESBURY — A general town bylaw creating a licensing process for large-scale battery storage in Shutesbury has been struck down by the state Attorney General’s Office, for both unreasonably regulating renewable energy and improperly regulating...

By CHRIS LARABEE

NORTHFIELD — Citing a lack of “articulated public health, safety or welfare justification sufficient to justify the prohibitions,” the Attorney General’s Office has rejected the vast majority of the language within two bylaws that were approved at the...

By EMILEE KLEIN

In a “People’s Town Hall” that attracted more than 300 attendees from 25 cities and towns across the region, state Sen. Jo Comerford reminded her “bosses” — the people — that they are the force behind democracy and to make their voices heard as the...

GILL — The Selectboard has approved a contract with Commonwealth Electric Technologies to install 44 LED lights in Town Hall.Per the contract, the total project cost is $4,152. An Eversource incentive of $500 that expires at the end of the calendar...

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — A battery energy storage bylaw that voters overwhelmingly approved in May has been rejected by the state Attorney General’s Office for failing to comply with procedural safeguards embedded into state zoning laws.Wendell residents voted 100...

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

GREENFIELD — A slate of vendors and speakers provided information on clean energy options to a full house of attendees during Greening Greenfields’ Energy Fair at the Jon Zon Community Center Monday night.Seven vendors showcased their energy-efficient...

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Nearly 30 years after the town purchased the property, the new-and-improved Leary Lot opened to residents and travelers on Friday, marking a national milestone.With $2.46 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Charging and...

GREENFIELD — Greening Greenfield is offering an Energy Fair to introduce residents to the new programs and incentives that can help people of all income levels with making energy-efficient building upgrades and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.The...

By CHRIS LARABEE

NORTHFIELD — The long-running public hearing process for a second proposed BlueWave Solar project on Pine Meadow Road will extend into at least December, as the Planning Board continued the hearing once more time to allow the applicants to read and...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Continued efforts to increase the clean energy workforce for offshore wind and “climate tech” in general in Massachusetts are looking to Denmark as a possible model where, even with a smaller population than the Bay State, the wind energy...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON — House and Senate Democrats announced a breakthrough Thursday morning on “comprehensive climate and clean energy siting and permitting legislation,” calling for a vote soon on a major bill that stumbled at the traditional end of formal...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Munching on goldenrod, white woodland aster, white clover, hairy vetch, birdsfoot trefoil, burdock and dandelions, more than 120 sheep are having much of their dietary needs met by a variety of grasses and plants growing at an 11-acre,...