Climate Smart Communities

HVRC provides no-cost technical support to communities interested in NYS Climate Smart Communities Program.  This program is aimed at GHG reductions and savings increases through specific Certification Actions.  Communities that complete enough actions can then become certified as a CSC and qualify for funding made available through various DEC grant programs.  Some CSC actions overlap with High Impact Actions under NYSERDA's Clean Energy Communities Program (CEC), making the points aggregating process that much easier.  Want to learn more? Connect with your Coordinator here.

Resources to help you get started:

CSC Coordinator Program

Through the NYSDEC Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Coordinator Program, from September 2022 through June 2024, HVRC hosted a series of cohorts to provide technical assistance to municipalities in the Mid-Hudson Region in developing the following priority actions: Government Operations Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, Government Operations Climate Action Plan, Community GHG Inventory and Community Action Plan. The cohort model provided municipalities the chance to work together and share experiences, challenges, and tips as they went through the process. See our Cohort Overview for more information on the cohorts.

To find resources and templates for creating one of these plans, please see our webpages and reach out to Our Team with any questions:

The Team

Liz

Liz Sun, Senior Clean Energy & Climate Smart Communities Coordinator

Technical support for all municipalities in Putnam and Westchester Counties, the Cities of Kingston, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Yonkers, and all County seats.

Liz's Calendly or email.

A carved wooden ground hog.

Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator 

(Staff information to be updated soon.)

Resilience & Adaptation technical support for all Mid-Hudson municipalities.

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Brandon Toye, CEC & CSC Coordinator

Technical support for all municipalities in Dutchess and Rockland Counties, as well as the Cities of White Plains, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle.

Brandon's Calendly or email.

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Evelyn Laferriere, CEC & CSC Coordinator

Technical support for all municipalities in Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties.

Evelyn's Calendly or email.