The city has launched a program of collaboration with the green tech industry.

Two miles northwest of Boston, the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, has determined to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. While many cities, states, and countries have set targets for drastically reducing their carbon footprint, few have set such an ambitious goal. Bordering Cambridge, and surrounded by world-class universities, the small but densely packed city is "home to the largest green tech incubator in the country," Elizabeth Daigneau reports. "Somerville figured that if it was going to be carbon-neutral by 2050, it was going to need the help and cooperation of the business community."
The recently launched Green Tech Program will initially focus on pilot projects and facilitating information exchange through green tech networking events. The stated goal of the first event "is to raise the profile of municipal-ready technologies while providing a forum for city and industry officials to exchange opportunities and challenges." The first event was held in June in partnership with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
The first pilot program will be launched in partnership with Understory, a weather intelligence firm that caters to the insurance industry. According to their website, the startup provides "hyper-local data to power advanced damage analytics." The firm will install solar-powered weather stations at two local schools in order to share weather data with the city and the public. Daigneau writes, "Ultimately, Somerville has three broad goals with its pilot projects: They must help with climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and quality of life."
FULL STORY: How Does a City Get to Zero Carbon Emissions?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie