New Task Force Studies Alternative Energy

By Becky Evans
Standard-Times Staff Writer
NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Scott W. Lang has launched a new task force to advise him in making the city more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
The group is charged with identifying “things that New Bedford can do to immediately cut costs and increase conservation,” Mayor Lang said.
Recommendations and implementation plans for municipal energy and environmental initiatives will be submitted to the mayor in the fall. The mayor will review the findings and “prioritize them based upon feasibility and anticipated results,” according to a release from the mayor’s office.
Thirty-two members were appointed to the task force, including nine city department heads.
The group will seek public involvement and guest presenters throughout the process.
“We have assembled a team of residents with expertise on these issues who are passionate about energy efficiency, sustainability and improving the environment in our city to complete this assessment and provide us with comprehensive feedback,” he said.
Former Mayor John K. Bullard, who was trained in global warming issues by Al Gore, will lead the group.
“The time for debating whether climate change is happening is over,” he said in a prepared statement.
“As the International Panel on Climate Change has reported, we must fashion mitigation strategies to minimize carbon emissions and plan adaptations to counter the impacts that are inevitable from the momentum already in the system.
Given the situation in Washington, it is likely that the most meaningful actions will be those that occur at the local level.”
The task force includes the following members: Scott Alfonse, John Andrade, Kenneth Blanchard, Mr. Bullard, Ron DiPippo, Lynn Donahue, Dennis Galvam, Guilermo Gonzalez, Susan Jennings, Emily Johns, Gary Kaplan, Peter Kavanaugh, Ronald Labelle, Rafael Leonor, Jill Maclean, Jennifer Marshall, Bruce Morell, Matthew Morrissey, Lee Nason, David Oliveira, Lawrence Oliveira, Marissa Perez-Dormitzer, Laurie Robertson-Lorant, Luis Rodriguez, Carol Steinfeld, Robert Sudduth, James Sweeney, Charles Tavares, Elizabeth Treadup, John Vasconcellos, Richard Walega and Lawrence Worden.
Contact Becky W. Evans at revans@s-t.com
July 20, 2007