Generating ideas
Implementing plans
Increasing our resiliency

 Solar canopies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Who We Are

Local Energy Advocates of Western MA (LEA)  was created to provide a place to generate ideas and facilitate the implementation of plans to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, as much and as quickly as possible, from the electricity, transportation, public infrastructure, and building sectors in Western Massachusetts; and to increase the resiliency of our local energy systems. That includes supporting many kinds of projects, involving:

  • electrification of our energy, transportation, and building sectors

  • creation of local renewable distributed energy resources, including energy storage

  • improvement of energy efficiency in buildings

  • promotion of energy conservation

  • education of our community through outreach

  • development of local leaders

LEA works to benefit low income residents in our communities and places a high priority on projects that promote environmental justice.

LEA intends to raise funds and engage in partnerships with non-profit, for profit, and grass-roots organizations; foundations; municipalities and other similar entities, in order to accomplish our goals.

The founders of LEA were among the initiators of the joint inter-municipal (Northampton, Amherst and Pelham) electricity aggregation. That aggregation will have goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and continually increasing the percentage of local renewable energy as energy sources. LEA will strive to work with the joint inter-municipal aggregation to help achieve our similar goals and to develop local leaders to engage in energy decisions.

Membership in LEA is open to anyone committed to finding ways to reduce our GHG emissions and increase our energy resiliency in Western Mass.  Individuals requesting membership in LEA will be added to a group email list to keep them abreast of organization activities and related news and opportunities, and to invite them to general meetings.

The LEA general membership meets on alternate months on the third Tuesday. Contact us at info @localenergyadvocates.org to get on our mailing list.

LEA Board of Directors

Darcy DuMont, Clerk

Darcy DuMont moved to Amherst in 1995 and is a retired teacher and lawyer. As a volunteer, she headed up the 350Mass campaign to divest the MA pension fund from fossil fuels. She served on the Climate Action Now Steering Committee and Legislative Workgroup. In 2018, Darcy ran for Amherst Town Council, representing District 5, and there sponsored the legislation creating a town Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC). She was a member of ECAC as it established bold goals and a Climate Action Adaptation and Resilience Plan. Darcy was an original member of the resident group that helped to motivate Amherst, Pelham, and Northampton to embark on a joint energy aggregation focused on reducing GHG emissions. Most recently, she is a co-founder of Zero Waste Amherst. Darcy has two children who attended the Amherst schools, is a member of Brookfield Farm and a supporter of the Amherst Food Coop. 

Adele Franks, Treasurer

Adele is a retired public health physician who moved to the area in 2003, living in Northampton since 2006.  She helped create Grow Food Northampton as a nonprofit organization in 2010, and served on its board for 9 years.  Beginning in 2012 she began engaging in climate advocacy as part of the campaign to divest the MA pension fund from fossil fuels, and proceeded to advocate for better statewide energy legislation and policy.  She currently serves on the Steering Committee of Climate Action Now, Western Mass (CAN), and helps lead the CAN Legislative Workgroup.  She was an original member of the group that encouraged Amherst, Pelham, and Northampton to create a joint energy aggregation to reduce GHG emissions.

Andra Rose, President

Andra has been an Amherst resident since 2002. She has worked as a consultant on education and energy efficiency. She is a leader in the local Mothers Out Front chapter which helped to pass the details of Amherst’s Zero Energy Municipal Buildings Bylaw in 2017-2018 and ran a series of workshops and a tour to educate the community about net-zero buildings. Her work in Mothers Out Front at the state level includes serving on the state steering committee and leading the Legislation and Regulation Team. She was an original member of the resident group that helped to motivate Amherst, Pelham, and Northampton to embark on a joint energy aggregation focused on reducing GHG emissions. She has served as Vice-Chair of Amherst’s Energy and Climate Action Committee since 2019. When her children were students, she worked on the Fort River School Diversity Committee and organized community events in support of GLBT+ teachers and parents in the regional school system.

Terese Hammerle

Terese Hammerle is a UMass graduate who returned to the valley almost 30 years later.  She is  retired speech pathologist, wife, and mother to two grown children.  While living in the Watertown/Belmont area, Terese worked with Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment; Watertown Community Gardens; and Sustainable Belmont.  Terese is also a current member of Mothers out Front.  She can usually be found in the community garden or at the pottery studio.