Project Description

This project is in the exploratory phase, with two sites under consideration for a potential networked geothermal system. The first is a city-owned, decontaminated vacant lot that formerly housed Morse Cutting Tool, a brownfield site located in an environmental justice area where indoor air quality was affected by prior industrial use.^1,2 The second is the historic Arnold Mansion, home to the Wamsutta Club, a local private club that expressed interest in geothermal options.¹ Both sites are in the central, historic part of New Bedford in mixed-use neighborhoods.

No site has been selected and no system design has been proposed. Much of New Bedford’s housing stock was built before 1950, making major system upgrades necessary to support geothermal conversion. The city’s industrial history has produced several brownfield and Superfund sites that, while potentially suitable for repurposing, may limit the use of closed-loop networking.¹

Key Actors and Governance

HEET administered the Kickstart grant that funded the feasibility study.² The City of New Bedford is listed as the lead organization, and collaboration with Neighborhoods United, a collective of neighborhood organizations, facilitated outreach and information distribution.² Beyond these, the available sources do not identify specific municipal officials, consultants, or technical partners driving the project forward.

Funding and Costs

The identified funding source is the Kickstart Massachusetts program, which distributed $450,000 across 12 communities. If distributed equally, New Bedford would have received approximately $37,500 for its feasibility study.³ No system cost estimates, net cost projections, or construction funding sources are available in the public record. The project has not progressed to a stage where detailed cost analysis has been conducted.

Permitting and Approvals

Because no site has been selected and no system has been designed, there are no permitting materials at this time. Brownfield remediation requirements and any environmental restrictions associated with the Morse Cutting Tool site would likely add complexity to any future permitting process, though the specific requirements have not been assessed.

Community Engagement and Equity

Community engagement is well documented despite the project’s early stage. Methods included surveys and feedback forms, online and social media outreach, and public information sessions, coordinated in collaboration with Neighborhoods United.^1,2 Survey results showed majority positive reactions: nearly 70% of respondents indicated interest in being considered for pilot programs, and 85% of respondents were single-family homeowners currently heating with natural gas.¹

The first proposed site, the Morse Cutting Tool lot, is in a state-designated environmental justice area.² New Bedford has broader sustainability infrastructure, including an active resilience dashboard.⁴ A separate geothermal project is already under construction as part of a new elementary school, which could cost up to $119 million.⁵ The networked geothermal sites may have been deprioritized in light of that larger commitment.