During Earth Week, the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities program, which supports local efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change. The latest round of certification awards marks the 10-year anniversary of the certification program and includes 15 local governments taking action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, including four that have achieved the highest level of certification as part of the program.
“New York State cannot tackle the climate crisis on its own, and we applaud these local communities for standing with us and taking action to reduce emissions, protect local residents, and create the green jobs of the future,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We must leave the earth better than it was when we inherited it, and programs like this ensure we continue to build a safe and healthy New York for future generations.”
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) also announced the next round of DEC’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Rebate Program, which makes available $750,000 to municipalities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission light- and medium-duty fleet vehicles. These zero-emission vehicles will help New York State achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements as part of the State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act).
Silver Certified Climate Smart Communities
The town of New Lebanon in Columbia County, the village of Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County, and Schenectady County all ascended to the silver level this round. Tompkins County was recertified silver after initially achieving silver status last year.
Some municipalities have also received funding through various grants, including the DEC Climate Smart Communities grant program. Established in 2016, the grant program supports local governments in completing certification actions and implementing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
For instance, in 2017, silver-certified Dobbs Ferry received nearly $307,000 from DEC to renovate the village-owned Embassy Center facility to serve as a cooling and heating station and charging center. The center has emergency backup power to provide air conditioning or heat as well as charging stations during an extended power outage. In 2016, silver-certified Tompkins County was awarded $355,000 for its solid waste department to establish a centralized transfer station to accept food scraps at its existing recycling and solid waste center.
In addition, as part of the DEC Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program, which offers rebates to municipalities to add zero-emission vehicles to their fleets and grants to install electric vehicle charging stations for public use, silver-certified Schenectady County was provided a $15,000 rebate for two battery electric vehicles in 2022, and silver-certified New Lebanon received a $16,000 grant award for two Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations in 2017.
Bronze Certified Climate Smart Communities
New and recertified bronze Climate Smart Communities include:
Capital Region
Town of Copake, Columbia County
Hudson Valley
- Village of Bronxville, Westchester County
- Town of Mamaroneck, Westchester County (recertified)
- Village of Mamaroneck, Westchester County (recertified)
- Village of Nyack, Rockland County (recertified)
- Town of Ossining, Westchester County
- City of Rye, Westchester County
- Town of Saugerties, Ulster County (recertified)
Long Island
Village of Sag Harbor, Suffolk County
Western New York
Town of Evans, Erie County
Town of Porter, Niagara County
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here.
