Somerville's new sustainability chief vows bold climate action at commission debut

Other Committee · Meeting of February 10, 2026

Somerville's new Chief Sustainability Officer made his first appearance before the Interim Climate Action Commission, pledging aggressive action on the city's 77-point Climate Forward Plan. Stephen Nutter, former Executive Director of Green Cambridge, told commissioners Tuesday that implementation "really has to be a real community effort" and said his office would evaluate every development project against the city's climate goals, addressing a resident question about a proposed 26-story Davis Square tower whose submission process he said is currently paused. Energy Manager Garrett Anderson reported that comprehensive building assessments are underway at all city school buildings, which account for just over 60 percent of Somerville's total energy use, with all schools still heated by gas; he noted that a Capuano Elementary walkthrough suggested electrification may be possible without a costly utility service upgrade, which currently carries an 18-to-24 month lead time.

Pending City Council approval, the city also plans heat pump conversion, weatherization, and a new solar array at the Traffic and Parking building — a system Anderson said would be the largest solar array the city owns outright, exceeding its next-largest by about 20 percent. The commission approved January's meeting minutes four to zero, with one abstention, and staff said open applications for new commission seats are expected to be posted within weeks.

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Source: the Other Committee meeting of February 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.