Westchester County Awarded $100K Grant for Climate Action Planning Institute Program from NYS Regional Economic Development Council

 

Westchester County, along with five of its villages, one town, and two cities have been awarded a $100K grant to administer a collaborative working group to complete individual government operations greenhouse gas inventories and climate action plans that will outline emissions reduction targets, strategies, and projects.

 

County Executive George Latimer said: “Westchester County, and the municipalities that comprise it, take very seriously the impact climate change has on our present and future. This grant will allow us to work together to find real solutions and serve as a model for other governments who aim to create a similar robust climate response plan.”

 

Westchester County Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI Westchester) is a 16-month-long inter-municipal program where 9 municipalities will participate in a collaborative working group to complete individual local government operations GHG emissions inventories (GHGI) and climate action plans (CAP) that will outline GHG emissions reduction targets, strategies and projects.

 

As lead applicant and project participant, Westchester County’s project team will include municipal staff and appointed members from its Climate Smart Communities Task Force.

 

Director of Energy & Sustainability Peter McCartt said:  “My office, and our Task Force, are charged with finding ways to make Westchester more energy efficient as we move away from fossil fuels. This funding will give us an even greater opportunity to do just that while forging even greater deeper partnerships with our local municipalities by having a replicable model plan for all.”

 

The County is being joined by 5 villages, 1 town, and 2 cities; all who want to develop successful climate change mitigation strategies and build community resilience. Each partner municipality will contribute a similar team.

 

Along with the County, the other participants are:

 

Village of Hastings-on-Hudson;

Village of Irvington;

Town and Village of Ossining;

City of Peekskill;

Village of Tarrytown

Village of Pelham; and

City of White Plains.

 

White Plains Mayor Tom Roach said: “Participation in this grant is a great opportunity to collaborate with neighboring municipalities and the County to leverage resources towards the goals of identifying greenhouse gas emissions and developing a climate action plan.  These two deliverables will direct future environmental initiatives."

 

Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Nicola Armacost said: “Hastings-on-Hudson is deeply committed to addressing climate change and this collaborative initiative led by the County will help us make headway on developing a much-needed climate action plan and undertaking a climate vulnerability assessment. We owe it to our children and future generations to start making the necessary changes now.”

 

On CAPI Westchester’s completion, the County and partner municipalities will present their GHGIs and CAPs at a final working group meeting and to their respective environmental committees and elected officials. As a primary programmatic implementation partner, the Hudson Valley Regional Council will guide participants in the development of their GHGIs and CAPs.