Springfield City Council Approves Community Choice Energy
December 22, 2022

Live Well Springfield Climate Change Health and Equity coalition has advocated through the City Council Sustainability and Environmental Subcommittee for the support of Community Choice Energy (CCE) in Springfield. On December 5th, the subcommittee called for a vote through the City Council, and the council members unanimously supported it. CCE is an energy-supply option that would allow the City of Springfield to get up to 100% of its electricity from clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind power. Eversource would still provide our energy, and we would still pay our electric bills to Eversource.

This vote is one step towards bringing forth energy price stability and climate resilience for residents in Springfield. Our CCE Factsheet (Hoja de hechos) highlights the further steps we need to take to have CCE in Springfield. The coalition will continue to educate community residents about Community Choice Energy through its CCE informative video and community outreach. The coalition will now advocate to the mayor and city staff to see what department will take up the charge to implement CCE in the institution.


Let your voice be heard today by signing the Springfield Community Choice Energy Petition (Petición de Springfield Community Choice Energy (Opciones Comunitarias de Energía). To learn more about Community Choice Energy, visit www.livewellspringfield.org/cce.



By Samantha Hamilton February 26, 2026
This month, Live Well Springfield (LWS) and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) partnered with the City of Springfield to host a listening session on inland flooding. Inland flooding happens when rain overwhelms local drainage systems, for example, when basements flood or when streets and sidewalks turn into rivers and ponds during heavy rain. Participants heard directly from Chris Cignoli, Director of the Springfield Department of Public Works (DPW), about the city's history and infrastructure related to waterways, piping, and flood prevention. Residents gained a deeper understanding of how city systems respond to flooding, what the DPW is responsible for, and the budget constraints the department faces. Chris encouraged residents to contact the city using the local 311 line to report potential flood risks or flooding-related issues, which creates a formal service request that must be investigated. The workshop centered resident voices and explored how flooding from heavy rainfall and the Connecticut River is impacting daily life across Springfield. Residents shared firsthand accounts of flooded basements, eroding yards, blocked storm drains, and chronic street flooding, revealing how widespread and interconnected these challenges are across neighborhoods. Working in small groups, participants mapped the areas in their neighborhoods most affected by flooding, connecting personal experiences with broader patterns of risk across the city. The information shared by residents will help inform Springfield's upcoming 10-year infrastructure plan, as well as regional flood risk reports being developed by PVPC and FRCOG.
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