March 2018
Clean Energy Community News
Moving our communities toward sustainability.
Director's Corner
Director of Sustainability, CDRPC, todd@cdrpc.org
Welcome to the sixth edition of the Eastern Upstate NY Territory's Clean Energy Communities (CEC) quarterly newsletter. The CEC program, funded by NYSERDA, is delivered within the Territory by the Capital District Regional Planning Commission through a unique partnership of regional agencies, which includes the Adirondack North Country Association, the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, and the Hudson Valley Regional Council. The Team is also supported by Climate Action Associates, LLC and Courtney Strong Inc.
Communities across the Territory are receiving technical support and actively completing "High Impact Actions" in their pursuit of CEC Designation. Communities must complete four actions to achieve CEC designation. Currently, 118 communities within the Territory completed a total of 354 actions, 57 communities have become officially designated and are advancing program funded projects, and numerous others are nearing the designation finish line.
Continue reading to learn about some of the exemplary actions local governments are taking to become sustainable and energy efficient. Contact your regional outreach coordinator if your community is interested in becoming a Clean Energy Community.
Highlights from EV Infrastructure Workshop: Paving the Way for Electric Vehicles
The Capital District Regional Planning Commission hosted the EV Infrastructure Workshop at Johnstone Supply in Troy, NY on January 10, 2018.
Adam Ruder, NYSERDA Program Manager, described the Clean Transportation Program
Click on Image to View Larger
The workshop provided an overview of the Clean Energy Communities program by CEC coordinator Robyn Reynolds and presenters covered a variety of topics:
EV charging station demonstration and discussion by Johnstone Supply
Review of the State's support for zero-emission vehicles by Mark Lowery, DEC
Information on NYSERDA's Clean Transportation Program by Adam Ruder
Overview on the Clean Cities Program by Jen Ceponis, Capital District Clean Communities Coalition
Examples of the user-experience by Paul Dietershagen, Albany/Capital District EV Drivers Group
Town of Queensbury to Implement Seven High Impact Actions with Help from Clean Energy Committee
The NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities High Impact Actions are a framework to help communities throughout New York State develop and prioritize their clean energy goals. The town of Queensbury formed a Clean Energy Committee in the summer of 2017 with the goal of completing a minimum of four of the high impact actions.
In just six short months, the town has exceeded its goals. The Clean Energy Committee is led by Kathy Bozony, an environmental consultant for the town, and John Strough, the town Supervisor. Together with town board member Catherine Atherden, town staff, and other local stakeholders, the group is on its way to complete seven of the 10 High Impact Actions.
The hard work the committee invested to implement High Impact Actions exemplifies why Queensbury is considered a local leader in the clean energy arena. Committee members decided to work the High Impact Actions concurrently in an effort to complete four in time to meet NYSERDA's deadline for the CEC $50,000 grant while also improving the community's overall energy consumption.
It's a win-win situation for everyone and it's paid off.
High Impact Actions completed:
Unified Solar Permit. The town adopted a standardized permit application designed to streamline the approval process for installing solar in the community.
Benchmarking. The Committee assisted with the gathering and reporting of the town's energy use in buildings
Energy Code Enforcement Training. Code enforcement officers attended an energy code best practices training on solar panel systems.
Clean Fleets. The town installed two EV charging stations at the municipal water plant with plans to deploy alternative fuel vehicles in the near future.
John Strough, Town Supervisor
Kathy Bozony,Clean Energy Community Committee Chair
Carolyn Peterson, Keene Clean Energy Group Volunteer
All-Volunteer Team Guides Town of Keene Toward High Impact Actions
The town of Keene has embarked on an ambitious plan to undertake a host of high impact energy actions, capably led by an all-volunteer team.
Acting on a recommendation from Supervisor Joseph P. Wilson, Jr., the town board passed a resolution establishing the Keene Clean Energy Group as a volunteer advisory and working committee dedicated to assisting the town in achieving clean energy goals.
Carolyn Peterson, a former mayor of Ithaca, and Dan Mason, a retired oil industry executive and a founder of the North Country Clean Energy Conference, are joined by Jim Bernard, Amy Nelson, Monique Weston, Jackie Bowen, Bunny Goodwin, and Josh Whitney.
"Everyone has a project they're excited to be working on," said Supervisor Wilson.
The town has been designated as a Clean Energy Community for having achieved these High Impact Actions:
Benchmarking: adopt a policy to report the energy use of buildings.
Unified Solar Permit: streamline the approvals process for solar.
Solarize: undertake a local solarize campaign to increase the number of solar rooftops.
Energy Code Enforcement Training: train compliance officers in energy code best practices.
Dan Mason, founder of the North Country Clean Energy Conference
Mid-Hudson Street Light Consortium Moves to Next Phase
As many municipalities are becoming aware, conversion to LED street lights offers savings of up to 65 percent. As such, it is one of the 10 High Impact Actions in the NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities program.
In December, the Mid-Hudson Street Light Consortium and the town of Red Hook (Dutchess County) issued a Request for Proposals for installation and (optional) maintenance of LED street lights. Eighteen additional municipalities joined as Participants. The town expects to announce the selected bidder within the next 60 days. The selected firm(s) will enter into separate contracts with participating municipalities.
The RFP was developed by the consortium particularly for municipalities with fewer than 400 street lights. As a cost-saving measure, it does not include procurement. Rather, the consortium is assisting communities with LED procurement through the State bid system and other group buying opportunities.
The consortium also drafted a second RFP for communities interested in "turnkey" procurement, installation, and optional maintenance services. The city of Kingston (Ulster County) is expected to be the lead municipality for the turnkey offering, and other communities statewide will be able to join. The city plans to issue the RFP this Spring.
The RFP activity is taking place concurrently with efforts by communities such as Red Hook and Kingston to purchase their street lights from their utility companies. In 2008, the New York State Comptroller issued a report that recommended municipal purchase of street lights as an opportunity for substantial cost savings.
Red Hook Town Supervisor Robert McKeon, Rosendale Town Councilwoman Jen Metzger, and Mid-Hudson Street Light Consortium team lead Pat Courtney Strong
presented at the New York State Association of Towns meeting in Manhattan February 19.
They described the deep cost and energy savings of LED street lights (typically 65%). Red Hook, a regional leader in clean energy projects, is leading an 18-municipality aggregation that is seeking to convert to LEDs through the Mid-Hudson Street Light Consortium.
More here: www.nystreetlights.org
New Training Opportunities Available
NYSERDA-sponsored energy code training workshops are available for communities with less than 40,000 persons. Communities must register and complete both the residential and commercial workshops to earn credit for this High Impact Action under the Clean Energy Communities program.
The workshops are free and qualify for in-service credit from the Department of State.
Register at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Clean-Energy-Communities/Energy-Code-Enforcement-Training
Designated Eastern NY Clean Energy Communities
The following communities demonstrated their commitment to clean energy by participating in the Clean Energy Communities Program. These communities completed at least four High Impact Actions to earn the Clean Energy Communities designation.
Mid-Hudson
Ulster County
Town of New Castle
Village of Dobbs Ferry
City of Kingston
Town of Red Hook
Town of Rosendale
Village of Hastings-on-Hudson
Village of Croton-on-Hudson
City of White Plains
City of Yonkers
Town of Ossining
Town of Somers
Town of Marbletown
City of New Rochelle
City of Beacon
Town of Mamaroneck
City of Peekskill
Village of Goshen
Sullivan County
Town of Bethel
Capital Region
Albany County
Town of Bethlehem
Schenectady County
City of Cohoes
Town of Niskayuna
Town of Knox
City of Albany
Town of Clifton Park
City of Glens Falls
Town of Hillsdale
Town of Ancram
City of Saratoga Springs
North Country
Lewis County
Town of Franklin
Village of Canton
Town of Plattsburgh
Village of Champlain
Village of Saranac Lake
Mohawk Valley
City of Gloversville
Village of Ilion
City of Rome
Village of Boonville
Town of Charleston
For a full list of communities throughout New York State, visit the NYSERDA website.
