On April 14, 2021, the Chester County Planning Commission awarded a Vision Partnership Program (VPP) grant to East Pikeland, Schuylkill, West Pikeland, and West Vincent Townships for development of a The VPP grant program promotes cooperation between the county and local governments in the implementation of Landscapes3, Chester County’s comprehensive policy plan.
The goal of reducing pollution and regional greenhouse gas emissions starts with a CETP to evaluate current energy use and create a roadmap to transition to predominantly renewable energy by 2050. This will be an evolving plan that will continue to be revised based on advances in renewable energy technologies, progress, priorities, and regional changes. Energy transition planning is already under way in communities across the region, primarily led by volunteers, laying the groundwork for full transition plans. This grant will enable the participating communities to contract the assistance of energy and community engagement consultants to create a roadmap into the future consistent with the county’s recently released Climate Action Plan and the Phoenixville Regional Planning Commission (PRPC) comprehensive plan.
The energy plan will start with municipal operations, maximizing energy efficiency and exploring on-site renewable energy production technologies with consideration to return on investment and preservation of the character and natural beauty of the townships. Additionally, the project will develop an outreach and education plan that engages large energy users and the general public. Municipal teams will encourage and assist their communities with energy conservation and transition, providing avenues for involvement, informed decision-making, and feedback and inquiries from the community.
The four participating townships are part of the Phoenixville Area Clean Energy Alliance (PACEA) which also includes Charlestown Township and Phoenixville Borough. While this grant serves to directly advance the clean energy goals of the four participating townships, the energy and community engagement plans will serve as models to assist other townships’ efforts across the county and region.
