Team Members:
Tanya M. Bourgoin (D), Co-Chair
Amalia Shaltiel (D), Co-Chair
Amber R. McDonnell (U), Secretary
Jay H. Fortner (U)
Honora L. Myers (U)
David P. Oakes (U)
Alan N. Ponanski (D)
Jesse S. Scott (D)
Thomas J. Sevigny (D)
Vacancy
1 Plains Road
P.O. Box 385
Moodus, CT 06469
sustainability.team@easthaddam.org
The East Haddam Sustainability Team normally meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Office Complex, Meeting Room 3. The public and volunteers are welcome to attend in person or on zoom or to send comments to sustainability.team@easthaddam.org. If you would like to attend via zoom please send your email to sustainability.team@easthaddam.org 2 days before the meeting.
The Sustainability Team was created by a supporting resolution of the Board of Selectmen on January 16, 2019 and repopulated by the Board of Selectmen in April 2022. The team is also the project of an agreement of the Town of East Haddam to participate in the voluntary Sustainable CT program.
Sustainable CT is a nonprofit organization created through the council of municipalities with a mission to foster inclusive, resilient, and vibrant Connecticut municipalities that provide opportunities through which all can thrive. Sustainable CT provides a menu of sustainable actions that build local economies, support equity, and respect the finite capacity of the environment; offering technical assistance to help advance sustainability initiatives; and recognizing and certifying municipalities for their achievements.
The mission of the Sustainability Team is to document, support and educate municipal and local organizations and residents of East Haddam on best sustainable practices to create a thriving and equitable community, using guidelines and support from Sustainable CT.
The Sustainability Team, local organizations, Board of Education and town staff and committees completed 44 actions in 2025 and earned 805 Certification action points. As a result, the Town of East Haddam was awarded Gold Certification. East Haddam also completed 155 points that qualified the Town to Climate Leader Certification. The certification action report can be accessed at https://sustainablect.org/archived-town-applications/2025-certification-reports . Other towns’ reports are also available so we can learn from their successes.
For our application the Sustainability Team supported the Board of Educations Initiative to create and Equity Statement for the schools. We collaborated with the Economic Development Commission on their initiative to expand the Business Directory on the Municipal website and also promoted EDC events. The Sustainability Team requested the EDC include, and also share here information on C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy), an innovative solution enabling all types of commercial properties to make green upgrades to new and existing buildings. Higher performing buildings are made possible thanks to an experienced contractor network and access to attractive financing repaid through a simple and secure repayment mechanism. East Haddam is a member of C-PACE program.
The Sustainability Team collaborated with the Conservation Commission on Invasive Species Education. A Community Resilience Building Workshop with The Nature Conservancy and a conversation on forest management initiatives. Creation of a database of all public land in East Haddam with the help of the Land Use Administrator in East Haddam including the legal status and ownership that can be accessed Here . Documentation of our connection with Eight Mile Wild and Scenic River and Salmon River Partnership, some of the most important watersheds in our town. We worked with Public Works Department on Recycling and Composting Education and the transition to a hazardous waste collection area. Supporting the Broadband Implementation Committee in their Campaign to educate residents and businesses about community broadband was also championed by the Sustainability Team.
For the second year the Town and Sustainability Team partnered with Energize CT for no cost Home Energy Assessment for income eligible residents and a Heat Pump Campaign. In 2025 the Town connected to PACE’s Heat Smart campaign https://www.heatsmartct.org/easthaddam/ and initiated a letter from the First Selectman to reach out to all East Haddam households.
The Sustainability Team hosted 3 Repair Cafes and numerous Composting workshops, participated in a Community Fundraising Campaign with Troop 22 for a new container for returnable recycling and the Transfer Station. 6 Community Gatherings were held to learn what our community residents wanted in terms of a more sustainable town and engaged with different nonprofits in town. Participation in local community events were documented. Some of local events which we initiated such as a Family Earth Day Celebration, and support to families of neurodiverse individuals by creating sensory-safe spaces at many of these events were provided.
In December 2025 the Sustainability Team presented our achievements and goals in 2025 before the Board of Selectman. The Powerpoint of our achievements can be accessed Here.
In 2026 the Sustainability Team plans to continue supporting these initiatives, expand our recycling initiatives to include plastic film, and expand our connection with Sustainability Teams in surrounding towns for regional impact.
We will continue educating residents through newspaper articles, our East Haddam Sustainability Team FB and Instagram pages and through contact with residents wherever we meet.
We will expand our relationships with nonprofit organizations by sponsoring joint events pertaining to the different action categories suggested by Sustainablect.org. https://sustainablect.org/actions-certifications/actions.
Check out the Municipal Events Calendar, our East Haddam Sustainability Team Events page and follow our East Haddam Sustainability Team social media pages for coming events and activities.
Finally, we extend an open invitation to all East Haddam Residents regardless of age, to attend a monthly meeting to participate and bring forward any ideas or projects that you feel will benefit our local environment or make East Haddam more resilient for future generations. Please reach out to a Sustainability Team Member or Town Official directly as well. The Team encourages community discussion and feedback, we only move forward when we collaborate and are comfortable speaking openly with our neighbors and friends.
Thank you, East Haddam!
