Governor Hochul Announces Village of Mamaroneck ‘Climate Smart’ Certified During Earth Week
Thursday, April 25 (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) – During Earth Week, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced 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 Village of Mamaroneck was recognized for being one of the communities to achieve Bronze Certification. 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.
"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 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."
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, "New York’s newest Climate Smart Communities are demonstrating a commitment to climate action that will help achieve the State’s ambitious climate goals. By achieving certification as a Climate Smart Community, municipalities are saving energy, promoting sustainability, increasing zero-emission transportation, and reducing pollution. These communities are critical partners supporting Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and advance an equitable transition to a clean, green future, and DEC looks forward to continuing to work with our partners in local governments across the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change."
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "NYSERDA is proud to work with the Department of Environmental Conservation to support Climate Smart Communities that shine a light on how local action can reduce emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Many of these municipalities have also embraced clean energy and energy efficiency measures to become Clean Energy Communities, demonstrating that they are at the forefront of harnessing the latest technologies to build a healthier, more sustainable future for residents."
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. The Village of Mamaroneck’s application was approved for completing 17 actions totaling 146 points. The Village’s climate action includes installation of LED street lights, completion of a government operations greenhouse gas inventory, adoption of a comprehensive plan with sustainability elements, having a residential organic waste program, including food scrap curbside pickup, sponsorship of community events for climate change education and engagement plus many others.
Achieving bronze certification in the Climate Smart Communities program earned the Village 800 points in New York State’s Clean Energy Communities program. As a result, the Village is eligible for a $50,000 grant from NYSERDA for an energy saving project.
Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Sharon Torres said, "The Village of Mamaroneck is proud to have met the requirements to be a Bronze Certified Climate Smart Community! Thank you to the DEC for running this vital program which has been an important roadmap for our Village to implement climate action. Thank you to our Climate Smart Communities Task Force for their leadership and hard work in navigating this program and together with the Committee for the Environment and our Village staff for making our community more climate resilient. We plan to continue our efforts and strive to become a Silver Certified Community."
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