STOW — For the second time this year, the Town of Stow has received statewide recognition for its long-term environmental sustainability work.
According to a statement from Stow’s Town Administrator Denise Dembkoski, town officials accepted the 2025 Leading By Example Recognition Award during a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.
The award program, administered by the Department of Energy Resources (DER), highlights outstanding decarbonization, clean-energy, and other environmental initiatives across state agencies, municipalities, public colleges and universities, and individual leaders. Stow was one of only two municipal recipients, along with the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department.
“Being recognized by the Commonwealth with a Leading by Example Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to our community’s commitment to sustainability,” Select Board Chair Megan Burch-McMichael said. “This award reflects the hard work, collaboration, and forward-thinking efforts of our staff, volunteers, and residents who continue to make environmental stewardship a priority.”
Town officials have spent more than a decade advancing sustainability and decarbonization goals. Stow was designated a Green Community in 2015, and since then has undertaken numerous initiatives, including:
- Retrofitting the Town Building, police station, and Highway Department office with new heat pumps, supported by aggressive pursuit of grant funding to reduce taxpayer costs.
- Securing a $500,000 Green Communities Building Decarbonization grant in 2024 to support the renovation of Randall Library.
- Completing a Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap outlining how Stow can eliminate onsite fossil-fuel use in municipal buildings and vehicles.
According to town officials, these efforts have reduced municipal energy consumption by 20 percent.
“We are grateful to the Commonwealth for highlighting the efforts of communities like ours that are committed to meaningful, long-term climate and energy solutions,” Town Administrator Denise Dembkoski said. “I’d like to thank everyone in Stow who helped make this achievement possible, whose passion, creativity, and drive truly set our community apart. I’d especially like to recognize our Energy Manager and Chair of the Green Advisory Committee, Arnie Epstein, whose leadership and commitment to sustainability have been instrumental in guiding Stow’s progress.”
This is Stow’s second state-level sustainability honor in 2025. In May, DER named Stow a Climate Leader Community in recognition of its efforts to reduce municipal carbon emissions.
