Harwich Climate Action Network Pursues EV Charging Grant, Revives Climate Leader Push

HARWICH — June 10, 2026 — Harwich Climate Action Network revives push for EV charging stations and state Climate Leader program under new town administrator. The committee, meeting June 10 with a bare quorum of three members, reported that chair Valerie met with newly appointed Town Administrator Jay McGrail and part-time grant writer Stephanie Hall to advance two long-stalled proposals: installation of public EV charging stations at the Schoolhouse parking lot — for which the state's Mass EVIP program would cover 100 percent of equipment and installation costs on government property — and an application for the state's Climate Leader program, which would unlock additional grant eligibility for Harwich. Select Board member Mark Kelleher attended briefly, sharing state guidance on a statute that would allow Harwich to establish an energy revolving loan fund for private property owners, and offered to speak privately with McGrail about the Climate Leader roadmap. "I keep trying to explain to the town that all we are asking for is to apply for the grant for the roadmap — we're not even asking the town to become a climate leader," the chair said. The committee set its next meeting for Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m.