Renewable Energy on School Ballot Vote on March 7

When Hanover and Norwich voters go to the polls on Tuesday, March 7, they will see articles on the Dresden (Article 5) and Hanover (Article 9) school warrants pertaining to renewable energy.  These articles call for the schools to transition to renewable energy with “strategies (that) seek effective and sustainable outcomes while being fiscally responsible.”

If passed, these articles will signify to the Dresden and Hanover School Boards that our communities support their taking action to transition the school districts from fossil fuels to renewables.  It will be the Boards’ first statement on a transition from fossil fuels, connecting school energy policies to community-endorsed renewable energy goals adopted by the Towns of Hanover and Norwich.

The warrant articles were developed and amended through a review process that included the School Boards, Yolanda Baumgartner and Judi Colla of Sustainable Hanover, and Linda Gray of the Norwich Energy Committee. Also advocating for the warrant article at the Dresden School Board meeting of January 24 was Hanover High student and Environmental Club leader Vidushi Sharma who pointed out that “it is important to make a commitment … I think we have a lot of work to do in terms of becoming a more sustainable school”.

School board members have expressed their intention to develop sustainability policies that will be informed by a district-wide facilities audit commissioned last fall. Those results were expected to be available at the end of January.

Note: Voting on the Dresden and Hanover school warrants will take place on Tuesday, March 7th from 7 am to 7 pm in the Hanover High School cafeteria for Hanover voters and in Tracy Hall for Norwich voters.

2023 School Election – March 7
Warrant Article on Renewable Energy

Dresden District Article 5 and Hanover District Article 9

“To affirm that the (Dresden or Hanover) School Board will establish policies to support the transitioning of school facilities and operations to renewable sources of electricity and renewable sources for heating/cooling and transportation. Strategies for moving forward will seek effective and sustainable outcomes while being fiscally responsible.”

NOTE 1. The Hanover community adopted these 100% renewable energy goals by unanimous vote at the 2017 Town Meeting. Since then, the Town, many businesses and residents, Dartmouth College and other organizations have begun to transition their energy usage to reach these 100% goals by their target dates.

NOTE 2: In 2019 the Norwich community adopted a similar mandate for municipal operations: "to gradually and continually reduce the Town’s direct use of fossil fuels, beginning at a rate of no less than 5% per year starting in the 2019-20 fiscal year and continuing until they are eliminated entirely." This would eliminate fossil fuel use by 2040.