Dover is probably cooler than your town, at least when it comes to energy efficiency and air quality.

At their June 28 meeting, the Dover City Council officially accepted a $100,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Services. The funds come as the result of a settlement on the part of Waste Management for violations at the Turnkey Landfill in Rochester. The grant will be used to investigate possible ways of improving energy efficiency in the city. The grant is in part a recognition of the efforts Dover has already taken, including an audit of all city buildings for energy efficiency; using natural gas to heat public buildings instead of coal or oil; and installing energy-efficient light bulbs in city streetlights, according to city manager Mike Joyal. The city is going to investigate the possibility of employing hybrid vehicles for the public works and other departments.

In June, the Dover City Council pledged to join the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign, also known as Cool Cities. An international effort, Cool Cities take efforts to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance urban livability and sustainability,” according to the organization’s website. There are currently more than 650 local governments participating in the Cool Cities campaign. Dover is the first city on the Seacoast to take the Cool Cities pledge. Keene and Nashua are the only other cities in New Hampshire to take the pledge, according to the organization’s website.

“(The Cool Cities pledge and the DES grant) allow us to draw awareness and educate the public about the need to be concerned with air quality and energy use,” says Dover city manager Mike Joyal. “It gives us the opportunity to publicize and, where appropriate, take advantage of those (energy-efficient) technologies available.”