2024 Climate Smart Communities Certification Marks 10-Year Anniversary of Program

Local Actions and Projects Support New York State’s Efforts to Implement Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

Governor Kathy Hochul on Sep 10th, announced the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State’s ?Climate Smart Communities Certification program, which supports local efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change. As part of this ?certification round,? 31 local governments are being recognized for taking action to mitigate and adapt to climate change as New York State celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Climate Smart Communities Certification program.

“Over the past decade, more than 425 local communities joined state efforts to tackle the climate crisis head on through the Climate Smart Communities program, benefitting local residents and creating green jobs,” Governor Hochul said. “I congratulate this team on 10 years of implementing policies and plans that are successfully reducing greenhouse gas emissions to help build a stronger, more resilient Empire State.”

To achieve Climate Smart Community certification, local governments accumulate points for planning and implementing actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience in the face of worsening impacts of climate change. As part of this announcement, 26 communities successfully met the criteria to be newly recognized or re-certified by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as leaders at the bronze level. Five municipalities were certified at the silver level, the highest level of achievement under the program.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Municipalities across the state are helping DEC celebrate the 10th?anniversary of New York’s Climate Smart Communities certification program, partnering with us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take local climate action. By achieving certification as a Climate Smart Community, municipalities are promoting sustainability, increasing zero-emission transportation, and reducing harmful pollution. We thank our local governments in supporting Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and advance a clean energy transition?that benefits all New Yorkers.”???

To receive Climate Smart Community certification, local governments accumulate points for planning and implementing actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience in the face of worsening impacts of climate change.

Five municipalities were certified at the silver level, the highest level of achievement under the program.?Dutchess County, the Village of Irvington, and the City of White Plains achieved silver certification during this round of the program. In 2019, Dutchess County received a nearly $100,000 Climate Smart Communities grant to offer a Climate Action Planning Institute for its municipalities. In 2022, Irvington was awarded a $1.13 million Climate Smart Communities grant to mitigate flooding along Route 9, and in 2017, received nearly $300,000 to right-size a culvert to reduce flooding in the Hudson View Park neighborhood, in addition to $5,000 in Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle rebate funding for one battery electric vehicle in 2016. White Plains received two Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure grants in 2022 totaling $20,379 for four Level 2 charging ports. The town of New Castle and the village of Croton-on-Hudson were recertified as silver this round.

As part of this announcement, 26 communities successfully met the criteria to be newly recognized or re-certified as leaders at the bronze level.

Bronze Certified Climate Smart Communities

New and recertified bronze Climate Smart Communities include the following:??

Capital Region?

• City of Albany (re-certified)?
• Town of Austerlitz (re-certified)
• Town of Hillsdale (re-certified)?
• Village of Millerton (re-certified)?
• Village of Philmont (newly certified)

Central New York??

• Town of Cazenovia (re-certified)

Finger Lakes??

• Town of Brighton (re-certified)?
• Village of Churchville (newly certified)?
• Town of Irondequoit (re-certified)

Mid-Hudson??

• Town of Amenia (newly certified)
• Town of Bethel (re-certified)
• Town of Clinton (newly certified)
• Town of Highlands (newly certified)
• Orange County (re-certified)
• Village of Pleasantville (re-certified)
• Village of Upper Nyack (newly certified)
• Village of Warwick (re-certified)
• Village of Woodbury (newly certified)

Long Island?

• Town of East Hampton (re-certified)

Mohawk Valley

• City of Oneonta (re-certified)
• Town of Roseboom (re-certified)

North Country??

• Village of Canton (newly certified)?
• Village of Saranac Lake (re-certified)

Southern Tier??

• Broome County (re-certified)?
• Village of Montour Falls (re-certified)

Western New York?

• Town of Amherst (newly certified)

For a full list of actions completed by these and other certified Climate Smart Communities, visit the online certification reports found on the Climate Smart Communities Certification portal.

NYSERDA and DEC are working together to support towns, cities, villages, and county governments in New York State that play a vital role in achieving the State’s clean energy and climate initiatives. Local governments’ achievement of Climate Smart Communities certification is supported through ?NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities? program, which recognizes and rewards community leadership by providing technical resources, tools, and financial support for the completion of clean energy projects. Of the 31 certified Climate Smart Communities being recognized on Sep 10th, all 31 have been designated as Clean Energy Communities.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President?and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “The newest Climate Smart Communities announced on Sep 10th, show how more local governments in New York are at the forefront of countering the climate crisis and lowering greenhouse gas emissions to build a greener future. Together NYSERDA and DEC are helping cities, counties, towns and villages across the state maximize their investments in energy efficiency and clean energy by taking high impact actions that contribute to long-term sustainability in their communities.”

Established 15 years ago, in 2009, the interagency Climate Smart Communities program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally driven climate action. The Climate Smart Communities Certification program is led by DEC along with interagency collaboration with NYSERDA, the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of State (DOS), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Public Service (DPS), the Division of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), and the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The first step to becoming a Climate Smart Community is to register by pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. To date, 426 local governments, representing more than 9.5 million New Yorkers, have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge.

This year, the Climate Smart Communities certification program celebrates its 10th?anniversary, and DEC held an anniversary celebration at the New York State Association of Counties’ Fall Seminar on Monday, Sept. 9. Launched in 2014, the certification program provides a robust climate planning framework and recognizes the leadership and accomplishments of communities taking climate action. Each certification is valid for five years. There are now 163 total certified Climate Smart Communities in New York State, 17 silver and 146 bronze. To be certified, communities must demonstrate an active climate change task force that includes residents and municipal representatives. Most certified communities completed greenhouse gas inventories that calculate emissions at the local level and help local leaders identify how best to help New York State meet its ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction directives under the Climate Act.

Climate Smart Communities Grant Program??

DEC’s ?Climate Smart Communities grant program? made $22.5 million available to help municipalities take action to address climate change. Funding for the program is supported by the State's Environmental Protection Fund and the Environmental Bond Act. Eligible projects include reducing flood risk, relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure, reducing emissions from food waste, and climate change planning and assessment as part of the Climate Smart Communities Certification program. Since the program's inception, DEC has awarded more than $70 million to municipalities in support of local climate mitigation and adaptation projects.

If awarded a grant, municipalities must provide at least 50 percent of the total costs for most projects. However, this year’s State budget promotes equity by authorizing DEC to provide up to 80 percent of the cost of municipal projects that meet the criteria for financial hardship and for projects located in disadvantaged communities. ?More information about the grant program? is available on the DEC website.

Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicles Rebate Program?

In April 2024, DEC announced the most recent round of? DEC’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Rebate program, which makes funding available 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 of the State’s Climate Act.

A total of $750,000 is available from DEC for municipalities on a first-come, first-served basis, starting April 25, 2024. DEC is accepting applications through Sept. 27, 2024. Rebates are available to municipalities that purchase or lease, for a minimum of 36 months, an eligible vehicle placed into municipal service at a dealership in New York State between Sept. 30, 2022, and Sept. 27, 2024. All electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are eligible for rebates.

More details on municipal ZEV rebates can be found in the ?request for applications posted on the ?DEC website. Applications are available through the New York Statewide Financial System Grants Management System.

Funding for the Municipal ZEV Rebate program is provided through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The $400 million EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.

Climate Smart Communities Coordinators?

DEC’s ?Climate Smart Communities Coordinators? initiative brings together regional partners across the state to serve as technical support providers and strategic planners to guide local governments in the development of successful local climate action initiatives. Climate Smart Communities Coordinators use the certification program as a roadmap for providing technical support to municipalities to help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience to climate change, and thrive in the new green economy.

Municipalities can learn more and connect with the Climate Smart Communities Coordinator for their region by ?visiting the ?website.???

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan?

New York State's climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path toward a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 150 certified Climate Smart Communities, over 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.