Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.
Chun provides Select Board with draft of new electric vehicle policy
Town vehicles like this Ford Explorer would be replaced under a proposed zero-emission vehicle policy once the car has reached the end of its lifecycle. PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD
At last week’s Select Board meeting, members discussed a draft of a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) policy that could reshape the town’s fleet of vehicles.
Julia Chun, the town’s sustainability, economic development and equity project manager, presented the new policy to the board. She explained that it would replace the existing efficient vehicle policy that was adopted in 2010 and revised in 2022.
Chun claimed the policy was “necessary to reach our net zero goals and our commitment that we pledged to reach net zero by 2045.”
Based on models from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the ZEV program would establish a hierarchy on how to replace vehicles in the town’s fleet as they reached the end of their life cycle. Battery electric vehicles (EVs) would be the highest priority for replacing retired vehicles.
Excluded from the program will be any vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross weight rating of more than 8,500 pounds. This includes fire engines, ambulances, public works vehicles and so on.
Chun reviewed the benefits of the policy, stating it would help reduce fuel expenditures, maintenance costs and public health risks.
The ZEV policy also is a prerequisite for becoming a certified Climate Leader Community through the Massachusetts Green Communities program.
Under that certification, the town can access grant funding for other energy projects, including geothermal power for the new Charleswood School, Chun explained.
While the Select Board had some logistical questions about the draft, members appeared to be in support of the policy.
“I think it’s the wave of the future,” said vice chair Mary Jo LaFreniere.
Next steps for the proposed policy are the finalization of a fleet assessment report from Eversource and a second hearing in front of the Select Board for final approval.
Latest News
During Tuesday night’s meeting, the Board of Health recognized public health nurse Simone Carter’s leadership and work innovating and standardizing public nursing both in town and across the state.
Thomas Mullen Sr., 83, passed away on Nov. 7. He was a graduate of the Hopkinton High School class of 1959.
This week’s Senior Snippets features information on updated holiday hours, a presentation from the Ringling Museum and an emergency preparedness seminar.
The Hopkinton Center for the Arts presents a Holiday Movie Magic winter concert with the Treblemakers on Saturday.
Town meetings tonight include the Board of Appeals (7).
Photo of the Day
Members of Hopkinton-based nonprofit Mental Health Collaborative give a presentation on mental health to Senate President Karen Spilka’s Youth Advisory Council at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts on Tuesday.
Electric vehicles are not “zero” emissions—they create more emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles when they are produced. The battery needs to be replaced after 10 years and this creates waste. Furthermore, did we not just replace the town vehicles in 2024? HOW much is the state grant providing?
And let’s not forget that a key component of EV car batteries is colbalt, the vast majority of which is sourced from the Republic of Congo, where workers (ncluding children) labor under inhumane slave-like conditions. I hope the Select Board carefully considers all sides of this policy before adopting it.
All of the police vehicles have a gvwr under 8500lbs. Are you really proposing we replace police vehicles with electric as they age out of the fleet? Will the police department then need to carry additional vehicles to account for downtime while charging? What happens if there is a massive power outage? How will the police charge their vehicles? While we’re at it, how will the costs to regular maintenance items like tires and brakes increase? Electric vehicles are substantially heavier and go through tires/brakes considerably faster. In a fleet that is constantly on (slow) move through a town environment, brakes and tires are often #1 in fleet maintenance costs.
What type of fuel is used to generate the electricity that will charge these new electric vehicles? How much of a premium will the town pay in the initial cost for electric compared to ICE vehicles? What fire fighting capabilities need to be improved upon to handle all the electric vehicles housed in town facilities? These idealists tend to neglect the reality of the situation. I’m all for using electric and hybrid vehicles where it makes sense. Blanket policies do not make sense here.