ATHOL – A response to a feasibility study and survey has shown little interest in the creation of an off-street electric vehicle charging station in town.
Caitlin McCormack of the energy consulting firm Leidos attended the Dec. 16 meeting of the Energy Committee to go over the results of the feasibility study and survey conducted on behalf of the town.
In July, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center named Athol as one of 21 municipalities chosen to participate in On-Street Charging, an electric vehicle (EV) program aimed at improving access to EV charging. Leidos was selected by MCEC to assist with the program.
Despite notices on social media, local news outlets and the town website, McCormack told the Athol Daily News that response to the survey was limited.
“There wasn’t an overwhelming number of responses,” she said. “There were only 25 surveys completed.”
The level of response, she added, varies from town to town and it was through social media that most of the responses came in.
McCormack said interest in and the need for EV charging stations tends to wane in those communities that lie farther west of the metropolitan Boston area. She added that enthusiasm for EV technology tends to diminish in those communities that are politically conservative.
Still, despite the relatively low number of responses in Athol, McCormack said, “It’s still good information to have.”
“Some of the concerns and comments (in Athol) related to not wanting tax dollars to be used; some confusion over who would pay for the charging,” she said. “People didn’t want to be responsible for paying for the EVs using the chargers, which is a misconception.”
McCormack added that some people expressed opposition to giving up on-street parking spaces to be used solely for EV charging. She said various strategies could be used to address the issue including, for instance, limiting charging time to overnight hours.
“In order for EV charging to grow, there has to be infrastructure in place for people to feel confident that, if they purchase an EV, there’s going to be somewhere for them to charge,” said McCormack.
Locations being considered included Allen Street at Riverbend Street; Orange Street; Sanders Street near Elizabeth Street; Liberty Street; Starrett Avenue; and Canal Street and Lumber Street. While Starrett Avenue received the most support as a location for the station, community response to all six was characterized as “negative.”
How the creation of an EV charging infrastructure moves forward, McCormack concluded, “is up to Athol. This program has concluded for Leidos and for MassCEC. The feasibility study has been completed and the report has been issued, so it’s up to the town now to think all this through and say, ‘Here’s our feedback and here’s what it seems like people are interested in.’”
McCormack said Planning and Development Director Eric Smith will bring results of the study to the Selectboard in January.
“Hopefully, the report helps them to come to some conclusions and make a proposal that’s in mind with what the community seems to want,” she said.