CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITIES

Program Summaries and Resources

The DEC’s Climate Smart Communities program offers a framework for communities at any stage of progress to advance along the path to decarbonization and sustainable development.  Grounded in climate science, the program recognizes specific types of actions at levels ranging from Bronze to Gold, with higher levels earning greater access to funding opportunities.  The program provides structured guidance to help municipalities achieve their climate goals.

The frameworks are here [Text in italics is from the DEC website]:

1. Build a climate-smart community. Building a local team to foster positive change by designating a point person and creating a CSC task force with community members. Connect to larger networks by joining a regional or national climate campaign focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or enhancing sustainability.
   

2. Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action.  Gather data about local GHG emission sources.  Develop baseline emissions inventories for government operations and the community.  Develop a local action plan for reducing emissions that includes specific GHG reduction targets and strategies to achieve those targets.

   The field of greenhouse gas emissions measurement is maturing, with many models of approaches and experts available to help those who are just getting started.  

   Erie County, NY has structured its climate planning framework in alignment with the Paris Climate Accords, focusing on global standards for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Similarly, Ulster County, NY conducts an annual GHG inventory for its buildings and municipal fleet, using this data as the foundation for setting measurable climate action goals. This inventory informs the county’s Climate Action Plan, enabling Ulster County to track emissions reductions and develop strategies that contribute to sustainability and resilience in line with international climate goals.
   

   Philipstown, a small community with a committed group of citizens supporting the government's climate action, has developed a sophisticated inventory that considers not just direct emissions for energy use but the emissions involved in producing and transporting goods and services, allowing the inventory to drive more complete decarbonization while strengthening the local economy. “Sink, Store, Reduce, Offset:  An Innovative GHG Inventory and its Implications for Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Philipstown” 
   

3. Decrease energy use.  Decrease energy use. Lead by example. Reduce emissions and save taxpayer dollars by reducing energy demand in public facilities, infrastructure, and vehicle fleets, and maximizing energy efficiency across municipal operations..

   This can be done in many ways and is being tackled to some extent by most municipalities. Approaches include setting efficiency standards for new buildings, as Yonkers did in its Green Building Ordinance (General Ordinance 3-2013), which established policies for green construction and energy audits in municipal projects; switching to LED lighting; and doing many kinds of physical plant upgrades, which can often be financed by working with an Energy Services Company using a “performance contract” that commits to savings.
   

4. Shift to clean, renewable energy.  Shift to clean, renewable energy. Adopt a policy to power government operations with clean energy. Conduct studies to examine the feasibility of renewable energy installations on public property. Implement renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, geothermal, or small hydro.

   Clean renewable energy is increasingly available to municipalities for government operations, residents, and businesses through Community Choice Aggregation, an approach to providing energy to an entire jurisdiction in a coordinated fashion. Westchester Power, which serves municipalities such as White Plains, New Rochelle, and Peekskill, along with Joule Community Power and Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, covering towns like Beacon, New Paltz, and Kingston, are CCA providers serving many municipalities in the region.

   Marbletown has committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy, with detailed plans that emphasize utilizing local energy sources and implementing innovative strategies wherever possible.

   Ulster County helps towns identify preferred sites for Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) through its Planning Department, which assists communities in selecting appropriate land based on zoning, environmental factors, and infrastructure. The county supports towns in drafting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to attract developers, ensuring projects align with community energy and sustainability goals. This approach fosters coordinated renewable energy development across the region.
   
   The City of Beacon has enacted an ordinance mandating that all new residential and commercial construction be fully electric and powered by renewable energy sources. This local law is part of Beacon’s broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development within the community. 
   

5. Use climate-smart materials management. Use climate-smart materials management. Reduce the volume of solid waste and increase recycling in government operations. Encourage and support waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting of materials. Educate the community and offer recycling and composting programs, and waste-diversion opportunities that focus on reducing and reusing materials.

   Many Hudson Valley communities involve their residents in climate smart materials management by participating in the Repair Cafe of the Hudson Valley.  There are also abundant experiments in increasing recycling like local “take it or leave it” sheds at transfer stations.
    
   More comprehensively, the New York Circular City Initiative is a policy framework that could be adapted by Hudson Valley counties or municipalities.  It aims to transition New York City’s economy into a predominantly circular mode through the intelligent reuse and design of materials and multi-sector collaboration. Its underpinnings include policies such as circular procurement and extended producer responsibility, and catalytic projects.
   

   The 2023 PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done also incorporates circular economy principles, including organics recycling and sustainable construction. A key driving project is developing a Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC), a global hub for climate research and innovation, at the site of a full block City University campus in the Kips Bay neighborhood which will be deconstructed for salvage of the materials.
   

6. Implement climate-smart land use. Minimize the GHG impact of new development through smart-growth strategies. Adopt community plans, land-use policies, building codes, and multi-modal transportation actions to limit sprawl, reduce vehicle miles traveled, support local agriculture, and protect open lands, wetlands, and forests. 
   
   The City of Kingston adopted a form-based code in 2023 as part of its broader Climate Smart Communities initiative to promote sustainable and climate-smart land use. This more flexible zoning framework replaces traditional use-based zoning, which often leads to sprawl and car dependency, with regulations focused on building form, public spaces, and mixed-use development. The code encourages walkability, infill projects, and the creation of accessory dwelling units, while eliminating minimum parking requirements, making it easier to develop resilient, climate-friendly communities. By fostering affordable housing, reducing energy use, and promoting alternative transportation, Kingston’s form-based code supports the city’s commitment to sustainability and equitable neighborhood growth.
   
   Many municipalities are figuring out climate-smart land use practices that are politically realistic for them. Ancram and Hillsdale have updated their zoning laws to promote mixed land use, compact building design, and the preservation of open space and farmland, while also strengthening development in existing community centers. These laws encourage walkable neighborhoods and community collaboration on development decisions. Meanwhile, Bethlehem and Chatham have developed comprehensive community preservation plans, focusing on conserving natural resources, protecting scenic landscapes, and guiding sustainable growth to enhance the quality of life for residents.
   
   The Model Local Laws for Resilience, developed by New York State’s Department of State (DOS), provide municipalities with tools to address climate risks, including laws that support flood resilience, green infrastructure, and sustainable development. These laws are designed to help communities incorporate climate adaptation and resilience into their local land use planning, ensuring that new developments are more resilient to the impacts of climate change

    

7. Enhance community resilience to climate change. EEnhance community resilience to climate change.  Establish a climate resiliency vision and associated goals, identify vulnerabilities to climate change effects for both government operations and the community, and develop and implement strategies to address those vulnerabilities and increase overall community resilience.
   

   Waterfront communities have been early leaders in resilience planning due to their vulnerability to climate impacts. Hudson’s “Design for Six Feet” focuses on adaptive design strategies to address rising sea levels and create a more resilient urban waterfront. Kingston’s Weaving the Waterfront  project emphasizes integrating natural and built environments to enhance coastal resilience and public access. In Piermont, the Resilience Roadmap outlines strategies for protecting the community from flooding and other climate threats while planning for future development. These initiatives showcase innovative approaches to safeguarding waterfronts against climate change.
   
   The Town of Gardiner has developed a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness program that includes proactive measures for both extreme heat and cold. The town designates cooling centers during heat waves and warming centers when temperatures drop below freezing to provide relief for residents. Locations and services, such as transportation via UCAT, are coordinated in partnership with Ulster County Emergency Services. Additionally, Gardiner emphasizes community resilience through food pantries and safety measures for food and water during emergencies. The town also provides educational resources on maintaining food safety, storing emergency supplies, and ensuring access to clean water during crises.
   

8. Support a green innovation economy. Lead and support the transition to a green economy by incorporating climate action and sustainability into economic development plans. Promote local green industries and offer incentives for supporting them. Adopt policies that support residents and businesses in being energy-efficient. Invest in green jobs training, farmers' markets, and brownfield redevelopment.

   Despite the pressing need for a comprehensive green innovation economy in the Hudson Valley, no such initiative has yet been introduced.  A national model in Vermont could be adapted to our region:  the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, which operates at the level of entire industries, developing conditions for their growth including supply chain, work force, markets and enabling policies.   New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan also has guiding principles that could be applied in the Hudson Valley, including the development of innovation parks that use land and resources regeneratively and produce innovative products, and public investment strategies that build markets for sustainable products.
   

9. Inform and inspire the public. Inform and inspire the public.  Host events and organize campaigns to educate citizens about climate change and help them discover their role in building a low-emission community that is attractive, healthy, and equitable.  Create websites, and use social media outlets to publicize the local government's commitment to reducing GHG emissions and adapting to a changing climate.
   
   The Hastings-on-Hudson Public Engagement and Education Plan outlines a strategy to involve the community in environmental sustainability initiatives. The plan focuses on increasing public awareness of climate change and resilience through educational programs, workshops, and outreach efforts. It aims to foster collaboration among residents, local businesses, and municipal bodies to develop and implement sustainable practices. The plan emphasizes the importance of public input, transparency, and ongoing education to drive community-wide engagement.  

   Even small communities with limited resources can meaningfully educate their residents and businesses.  The town of Northeast/ Village of Millerton show what’s possible with a comprehensive educational website.  Sustainable Putnam, a volunteer-led, county-wide organization, likewise shows the impact of simple, consistent programming supported by a website, newsletter, tools for planning and decisionmaking for homes, businesses and local governments alike.   Bedford 2030, a twenty-year-old organizations, has developed a unique but replicable approach that inspires and connects as well as informing, with awards and celebrations, challenge campaigns, demonstration projects and other collaborations that have begun to make participation the “new normal.”
   

10. Engage in an evolving process of climate action. Engage in an evolving process of climate action. Monitor and report on progress toward achieving goals. Engage with community members on an ongoing basis as part of considering new ideas and modifying strategies as opportunities emerge and technologies evolve. Update strategies and plans. Share success stories and cooperate with neighboring communities.
    

    Additional points are awarded for innovative actions and for achieving measured emissions and waste reduction.   A detailed breakdown of actions and incentives is here.

    CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITIES

    NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities program works alongside Climate Smart Communities to provide additional incentives, rewards, tools, resources, and technical assistance as communities take the lead in combating climate change. This program focuses on specific steps to transition government operations and community practices to renewable energy and efficiency. Points earned for each action contribute toward a community’s eligibility for grants within the program.  Comprehensive toolkits, including model resolutions and codes, make clean energy improvements accessible, even for communities just beginning their involvement. Detailed guidance and resources can be found here, with the program guidance document available here.
    
    The High Impact Actions are:
    

• Adopting a standard “unified” solar permit to make it easier for contractors and local agencies to get solar installed.

• Hastings-on-Hudson adopted the Unified Solar Permit, simplifying the solar installation approval process, streamlining it for contractors and local agencies.

• Enforcement Training for New York’s Energy Code, a minimum efficiency standard for buildings.

• The City of Kingston participated in Energy Code Enforcement Training, ensuring building inspectors and code officials are trained on New York’s Energy Code for energy-efficient construction. 

• Benchmarking current energy use as a first step toward measuring and managing improvements

• Ulster County has been a leader in benchmarking energy use for its municipal buildings, setting the stage for measurable improvements in energy management.

• Community Campaigns to make it easier and more affordable for homes and businesses to switch to solar, heat pumps, energy efficiency and other clean energy options.  The principles of “community based social marketing” which use social psychology to encourage voluntary behavior change, have empowered numerous marketplace campaigns to expand the adoption of solar, electric vehicles, heat pumps and energy-efficiency.  

• New Paltz successfully ran community campaigns promoting solar, heat pumps, and energy efficiency, making clean energy more accessible to local residents.

• An evergreen model program demonstrated in 2015 - 17, Solarize Hudson Valley engaged a dozen population centers, using incentives and convenient grup purchase opportunities, to help over 400 households and small businesses to go solar at a time when this technology was still unfamiliar.

• In 2024, the Clean Energy Communities Program has supported easy, flexible, small-scale campaigns for adoption of these clean technologies, attaching generous funding awards to community achievements. 

• County-Hosted Trainings focusing on numerous topics such as the energy code and safety considerations in EV maintenance.

• Dutchess County regularly hosts trainings on energy code compliance and electric vehicle (EV) safety considerations

• Community Choice Aggregation, a model for electric service delivery that allows communities to  choose the source of their energy supply, maximizing renewable sources while negotiating lower rates

• Numerous local governments are partnered with Hudson Valley Community Power to deliver Community Choice Aggregation, enabling communities to select their energy sources while negotiating lower rates.   

• Mid-Hudson Energy Transition is newer CCA provider with more comprehensive services, right now organized to demonstrate its approach with the City of Kingston.

• Adopting PACE financing, an innovative approach to financing clean energy improvements for businesses.

• Orange County promotes PACE financing, allowing businesses to finance clean energy projects through loans that are repaid as part of the property tax bill and transfer to a new owner seamlessly if a property is sold. 

• Municipal Clean Energy Upgrades, replacing outdated equipment, with points available whenever at least a 10% greenhouse gas reduction is achieved.

• Ulster County implemented clean energy upgrades in municipal buildings, including HVAC system improvements and lighting retrofits, leading to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

• Dutchess County was an early adopter of solar energy on one of its largest facilities, the Dutchess County Airport. 

• Clean Heating and Cooling Demonstration, showcasing air- or ground-source heat pumps in local government operations to educate the public on these options.

• Kingston also led in demonstrating clean heating and cooling solutions with air-source heat pumps. 

• Achieving 100% Renewable energy for Municipal Operations, which can be done through any combination of local installation and purchasing renewable power.

• Ulster County achieved 100% renewable energy for its municipal operations, leading the way in sustainability.

• Climate Smart Communities Certification itself earns points.

• Poughkeepsie earned Climate Smart Certification through comprehensive climate planning and clean energy initiatives 

• Upgrading to LED Streetlights, which can save up to 65% of a municipality’s energy costs and use.

• Kingston replaced over 2,200 streetlights with LEDs, resulting in significant energy and cost reductions.

• Clean Fleets: planning for the switch to electric vehicles for municipal fleets, transit, school buses and other local government uses, and establishing the needed charging infrastructure.

• Hastings-on-Hudson invested in electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations for its municipal fleet. 

• Hyde Park began switching out its police fleet to electric and conducted a detailed analysis of the business case for doing so.