2024 Hudson Valley Regional Council Annual Conference and Awards Celebration
EVENT AGENDA
1:00 - 1:15 pm Registration
1:15 - 1:30 pm Welcome & Introductory Remarks
Welcome from HVRC Board Chair Bridget Gibbons, and HVRC Executive Director Carla Castillo.
1:30pm - 2:30 pm Panel #1: Uncovering Federal and State Funding Opportunities
An overview of timely local government funding opportunities, and how they may be stacked, in the areas of Economic Development, Water Quality, Brownfields, and Clean Energy.
- Eleanor Peck, Deputy Executive Director, HVRC: Moderator
- Lucas Martin, Management & Program Analyst at the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) on federal funding for economic development.
- Ryan Corbett, HVRC Water Resources Manager on funding through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to support the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Wastewater Technical Assistance Program.
- Ashita Patel, Brownfields Project Manager at US EPA on federal funding for the redevelopment of brownfields.
- Ellie Kahn, Project Manager, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on the intersection of State and Federal Funding for Clean Energy.
2:30 - 2:40 Break
2:40pm - 3:40 pm Panel #2: Clean Energy, Economic Development, and Water Quality: Discussion of Local Case Studies
Discussion of the environmental and economic considerations of both small and large-scale clean energy in the Mid-Hudson Region including local case studies and their interplay with local governments and other stakeholders.
- Carla Castillo, Executive Director, HVRC: Moderator
- Walter Alvarado, Vice President of System and Transmission Operations, Con Edison: Clean Energy and the Grid in the lower Hudson Valley and NYC.
- Drew Gamils, Senior Attorney, Riverkeeper: The potential water quality and biodiversity considerations for the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project.
- Bill Oberkehr, Senior Advisor, NYSERDA Clean Energy Siting Team: New York State clean energy goals and how the Clean Energy Siting Team can assist municipalities siting distributed energy in the Hudson Valley.
- Stephen Ballantine, Director of Environmental Advocacy, Government Relations & Public Policy, Scenic Hudson: The How to Solar Now toolkit, helping municipalities make informed decisions about clean energy while preserving environmental resources.
3:40 - 3:45 Break
3:45 – 4:30 pm Awards Celebration
Award #1: Building Bridges Award
For demonstrating a significant commitment to collaboration and partnership.
2024 Building Bridges Award Recipients: Awarded to the following Dutchess and Westchester communities for their collaboration in HVRC’s Climate Action Planning Institute, a DEC-funded cohort program, to complete government operations greenhouse gas inventories and climate action plans.
| · Dutchess County | · Westchester County |
| · City of Beacon | · City of Peekskill |
| · City of Poughkeepsie | · City of White Plains |
| · Town of Amenia | · Town of Ossining |
| · Town of Pleasant Valley | · Village of Hastings-on-Hudson |
| · Town of Poughkeepsie | · Village of Irvington |
| · Town of Rhinebeck | · Village of Ossining |
| · Village of Rhinebeck | · Village of Pelham |
| · Village of Wappingers Falls | · Village of Tarrytown |
Award #2: Momentum Award
For achieving notable milestones in a remarkably brief timeframe.
2024 Momentum Award Recipients: Awarded to the following municipalities for completing climate action plans with HVRC through the DEC Climate Smart Communities Coordinator Program.
| · Town of Kent |
| · Town of Shandaken |
| · Town of Woodstock |
| · Village of Bronxville |
| · Village of Piermont |
| · Village of Warwick |
Award #3: Impact Award
Honoring a recipient whose project has far-reaching impact.
2024 Impact Award Recipients:
| · City of Peekskill & Peekskill Facilities Development Corporation, For the EDA-funded Peekskill Commercial Kitchen Food Incubator Project that will support the renovation of a former fire station for adaptive re-use, enabling small food-related businesses to access shared facilities, training opportunities, equipment, and technical assistance. |
| · Educational and Cultural Trust Fund of the Electric Industry & Town of Newburgh, for the EDA-funded renovation of a training facility for on- and off-shore wind technicians that will grow the clean energy workforce in the Mid-Hudson Region. |
Award #4: Resilience Award
For fostering community resilience through proactive initiatives.
2024 Resilience Award Recipients: Awarded to the Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County for their commitment to enhancing community resilience in Rockland County through their collaborative efforts on stormwater pollution reduction.
| · Town of Clarkstown | · Village of Montebello |
| · Town of Haverstraw | · Village of New Hempstead |
| · Town of Orangetown | · Village of Nyack |
| · Town of Ramapo | · Village of Piermont |
| · Town of Stony Point | · Village of Pomona |
| · Village of Airmont | · Village of Sloatsburg |
| · Village of Chestnut Ridge | · Village of Suffern |
| · Village of Grandview-on-Hudson | · Village of Upper Nyack |
| · Village of Haverstraw | · Village of Wesley Hills |
| · Village of Hillburn | · Village of West Haverstraw |
