Celebrating Town Progress in Climate Action 🌎✅
- msmith627
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
This spring marked one year since Yarmouth adopted its Climate Action Plan! To celebrate the milestone, the Sustainability Department completed a comprehensive progress review, thanks to support from Town staff, departments, volunteers, the Climate Action Board, and our Climate Action Fellow.
In addition to tracking implementation progress, we also analyzed local energy use and emissions to identify opportunities for reducing fossil fuel use on the path to Net Zero.
Read on for highlights, and check out the full reports for more detail!
Select the ‘Be Part of the Solutions’ button in each section for a list of related resources so you can contribute to Yarmouth’s green future.
Nearly a third of all actions in the CAP were initiated within this first year!
Across the 5 focus areas of the CAP there are 10 Goals and 74 total actions. Town departments and Committees have made significant progress in kickstarting implementation on many actions!
Focus Area:
Efficient Transportation & Land Use
Goal 1: Reduce emissions from transportation.
Goal 2: Plan for future land use that reduces emissions and is resilient to climate change.
OUR PROGRESS
Planning Department and Bike Ped Committee committed funds to develop a town-wide Active Transportation Plan for building safe, connected biking and walking networks. Related to finalizing a Vision Zero policy.
Climate Action Board has proposed an EV ordinance to expand charging infrastructure requirements for new and redeveloped parking lots.
The Planning and Sustainability Departments are working with GPCOG to identify opportunities to incorporate climate resilience into Town ordinances.
Focus Area:
Healthy Buildings & Renewable Energy
Goal 3: Reduce emissions from buildings while making homes and businesses resilient to climate change.
Goal 4: Meet 100% of electricity needs with renewable energy.
OUR PROGRESS
The Sustainability Department was awarded a grant to initiate a free Energy Coaching service to households, which will be a new offering of Efficiency Yarmouth in 2025-2026.
The Town is working with a developer to propose a 1 MW community solar project on Sligo Road that will generate clean energy for subscribed Yarmouth households.
Maine adopted the 2021 IECC building code which went into effect in April, 2025. This code requires buildings to be more energy efficient compared to the older State code.
Focus Area:
Circular Economy
Goal 5: Reduce community waste.
OUR PROGRESS
Merrill Library has purchased portable power stations, among other items to launch a ‘Library of Things’ borrowing program focused on resilience and energy.
Clam Festival directors continue to explore and integrate and explore waste reduction practices for the event, such as increased composting and reusables.
With successful waste diversion efforts in the last few years, including Pay-As-You-Throw (blue bags), the Town has seen a 20% decrease in total waste incinerated compared to 2019, and a 9% increase in recycling tonnage.
Focus Area:
Thriving Natural Environment
Goal 6: Permanently conserve 30% of Yarmouth land by 2050.
Goal 7: Adopt stewardship practices that increase carbon storage and enhance the ecosystem’s resilience to climate change.
OUR PROGRESS
Climate Action Board members have been engaging stakeholders to update data from the Open Space Plan (2019) Priority Map and assess how to move forward strategies under Goal 6.
Yarmouth Community Services team is implementing the Invasive Plant Management Plan and incorporating climate resilience into town-owned space management plans.
Various Town projects are incorporating green infrastructure, such as a new bioswale in Royal River Park to be installed in 2026 that reduces flood impacts while creating habitat.
Focus Area:
Connected & Safe Community
Goal 8: Protect public safety by integrating climate projections into emergency preparedness protocols.
Goal 9: Enhance public health to improve community resilience to climate change.
Goal 10: Protect critical infrastructure.
OUR PROGRESS
Land use ordinances have been updated to incorporate the most recent FEMA maps. Policies required by MDEP related to reducing flood risk and managing stormwater development practices are upcoming in 2025-26.
Economic and Community Development Department has committed funds to create a Working Waterfront Master Plan, incorporating climate change data and adaptation strategies for waterfront infrastructure and businesses at risk.
Merrill Library held several events focused on climate change topics, including an event highlighting staying safe during intensifying storms.
What does the data tell us?
The Sustainability Department analyzed the community's energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from 2019 to 2024, using a combination of modeled estimates and actual utility data. The snapshot below previews the full Data Report. For a deeper look at energy and emissions trends in context, view the full report.
51% of our emissions come from the use of heating fuels and electricity for residential and commercial buildings.
43% of our emissions come from in-town transportation.
In 2024, emissions from Town and School operations equal 3% of the community-wide total.
Compared to 2019, community-wide emissions are about 4% lower overall.
Over the last several years, transportation emissions have been trending upward. In both and 2024, gasoline used for vehicles is the largest single source of emissions locally. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) has also been increasing over time. In 2024, 8 million more miles were driven in Yarmouth compared to 2016.
Looking at 2019 and 2024, modeled data shows that emissions from residential buildings decreased and commercial building emissions increased. Both commercial and residential sectors are using less electricity overall, pointing to gains in energy efficiency. As the State’s grid becomes greener, emissions from electricity should decrease.
Waste emissions are significantly lower than they were in 2019. That aligns with the observed 20% decrease in total waste and the 9% increase in recycling tons between 2019 and 2024.
Combined, Municipal and School emissions increased 44% from 2019 to 2024. This aligns with an increase in electricity and natural gas use for School facilities and more energy used for wastewater treatment and Town facilities.
What’s Next?
Using these data trends and lessons learned from action implementation in this first year of the CAP, the Sustainability Department and Climate Action Board will:
continue to work on in-progress actions and initiatives
select additional priority projects for 2026
facilitate projects or policies that address gaps or areas where GHGs are steadily increasing
continue to pursue external funding for programs and projects
center projects and policies on those most vulnerable to climate impacts or who could benefit most from climate ‘solutions’
The Board and Department are eager to hear from residents and businesses about what would be valuable to support community action. Don’t hesitate to reach out with concerns, feedback, or ideas!
Email the Sustainability Coordinator at msmith@yarmouth.me.us
Looking for resources so you can reduce YOUR carbon footprint?
The Sustainability Page on the Town’s website is one place to start!