The town of Victor has earned bronze certification in New York State's Climate Smart Communities program, joining 28 other municipalities and counties recognized by the state Tuesday for local work on emissions and climate resilience.
Victor, in Ontario County, is a newly certified community. Chemung County renewed its bronze certification, while Onondaga County earned bronze for the first time, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Sept. 22 announcement. DEC did not identify the specific projects behind those three certifications in the release.
Eight reach the program's highest tier
Eight communities received silver certification, the program's highest level: Ardsley, Canaan, Gardiner, Ghent and New Rochelle were newly certified at silver, while Irvington, Mamaroneck and Ulster County renewed that status. The remaining 21 communities received bronze certification, including Victor, Chemung and Onondaga counties.
Other new bronze communities were Fenton, Greenburgh, Guilderland, Hartwick, Kirkland, Newfane, Rochester in Ulster County, Rye and Troy. Bronze renewals went to Cazenovia, Grand Island, Hempstead, Hudson, Larchmont, Peekskill, Poughkeepsie, Queensbury and Woodstock, as well as Chemung County.
The latest round brings the statewide total to 198 certified communities: 30 silver and 168 bronze. DEC said 24 of the 29 recognized Tuesday also have designations under the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's Clean Energy Communities program.
How communities qualify
The Climate Smart Communities program awards points for planning and completing actions intended to cut greenhouse gas emissions and help municipalities adapt to changing conditions, including flooding and extreme heat. To be certified, a local government must demonstrate an active task force that includes residents and municipal representatives. DEC said most certified communities also complete local greenhouse gas inventories to identify sources of emissions and possible reductions.
Local governments begin by adopting a pledge to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. Since the program began in 2009, 478 governments representing nearly 18 million New Yorkers have taken that step, DEC said. The certification system launched in 2014 and is led by DEC with support from other state agencies and NYSERDA.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the state views local projects as part of its efforts to improve air and water quality, address environmental injustice and prepare for more severe weather. Her statement described those as program goals; the certification announcement did not quantify emissions reductions or cost savings for the communities recognized this round.
Grants and technical help
Certification is separate from a grant award. DEC said applications for $18 million in Climate Smart Communities grants announced in June are still under review. Eligible work includes relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure to reduce flood risk, cutting emissions from food waste and engineering feasibility studies. Since 2016, the grant program has awarded more than $109 million statewide, funded by the Environmental Bond Act and Environmental Protection Fund.
The agency also runs a municipal zero-emission vehicle program. DEC said it awarded $4 million in August for municipal electric vehicles and public charging equipment: more than $400,000 for 55 vehicles across 14 municipalities and more than $3.6 million for 74 Level 2 charging ports and 24 fast chargers across 23 municipalities. Eligibility has been expanded to include local public authorities, public benefit corporations and Indian Nations.
Regional Climate Smart Communities coordinators offer free assistance to local governments on planning, project implementation, training and community engagement. DEC said its website has certification reports showing the actions completed by individual communities; the Sept. 22 release does not say whether Victor, Chemung County or Onondaga County received any of the separate grants.
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