(BINGHAMTON) Broome County has met the requirements to be a DEC bronze certified Climate Smart Community (CSC). The County announced its involvement in the NYS Climate Smart Community program in July. The program offers municipalities technical assistance, leadership recognition, and funding for implementation of projects to improve resiliency, efficiency of services, and efficiency of infrastructure.
“Broome County has already demonstrated leadership in energy efficiency, waste reduction, community resilience and renewable energy, and we are proud to receive this certification,” said County Executive Jason Garnar. “This is just further affirmation of how our Broome County Departments are doing great work to improve our community’s sustainability and thank you to our team for all their hard work.”
“We appreciate the work of the County Administration and the dedicated County Departments on reaching an agreement with the Legislature that led to the adoption of a Climate Smart Community Pledge that allows Broome County to put its best foot forward with the Bronze Certification,” said Broome County Legislature Chairman Daniel J. Reynolds. “We’re hopeful the State will lower the local funding requirement for the grants available under this program, because many of these projects are of Statewide significance.”
Investments through the Climate Smart Communities program to improve energy efficiency, resiliency and waste management efficiency may save money for taxpayers and result in more resilient, livable communities and foster a vibrant, innovation-based economy.
The New York State Climate Smart Communities Pledge is comprised of the ten following elements:
- Build a climate-smart community
- Inventory emissions, set goals, a plan for climate action
- Decrease energy use
- Shift to clean, renewable energy
- Use climate-smart materials management
- Implement climate-smart land use
- Enhance community resilience to climate change
- Support a green innovation economy
- Inform and inspire the public
- Engage in an evolving process of climate action
Broome County was certified on September 26, 2019 with 178 points earned from 37 completed actions. For more information click here.
