Deerfield Eyes Up to $1 Million Regional Grant for Frontier School Energy Upgrades

DEERFIELD — March 12, 2026 — Deerfield Energy Conservation Committee advances Frontier Regional School grant planning and solar procurement at March meeting. The committee, chaired by David Gilbert Keith, heard from administrator Alex Galloway that the state has accepted the closeout of the Deerfield Elementary School Building Management System project, making the town eligible for a new Green Communities grant round targeting Frontier Regional School's aging BMS. Green Communities acting Deputy Director Mark Rabinsky told the committee during a recent site visit that a coordinated application across Frontier's member towns — Deerfield, Sunderland, Whateley, and Conway — could pool individual allotments of $200,000 to $250,000 each into a project approaching $800,000 to $1 million, though Galloway said the town will pursue its own application first while exploring regional coordination for a future round. The committee also directed Ryan Kingston to send utility bills from the DPW, wastewater treatment plant, and library to Power Options, a state-authorized nonprofit energy aggregator working with solar developer Solect, for evaluation of potential solar power purchase agreements; the committee faces a practical deadline tied to federal tax credits expiring around 2027. Member M.A. Swedeland reported that the Climate Leader citizens petition signatures have been certified and that a campaign set to launch March 15 drew 16 volunteers at a Saturday organizing meeting.