Feb. 26, 2008

County Executive Andy Spano today called on every resident, business, government and school in Westchester to reduce its “carbon footprint” by 20 percent by 2015, an important interim goal of an ambitious but doable countywide Action Plan to help combat global warming.

Spano’s call to action came as the Task Force on Global Warming that he appointed a year ago released its comprehensive plan on what can and must be done in Westchester to meet this worldwide challenge. (The full acton plan released today is available at http://www.westchestergov.com/globalwarming )

“The scientific community has put us on notice of the harmful effects climate change has and will continue to have on the earth we all share. These effects are a direct threat to the community of Westchester,” Spano said. “We must all do our part now. The global warming task force has set an aggressive goal for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by all sectors of the community. By 2015, we want these reduced by 20 percent below our base year of 2005. By 2050, we want these emissions reduced by 80 percent.”

“We can and must do this,” he added. “We cannot afford to fail.”

For more than a year, Spano’s 34-member Task Force on Global Warming worked, along with more than 70 other volunteers, on the plan to address climate change and promote sustainable development. The plan was unveiled today at a day-long conference at Manhattanville College. That task force was chaired by North Castle Supervisor Reese Berman and co-chaired by Robert Funicello, environmental project director of Westchester County.
Commented Berman, “After seeing An Inconvenient Truth, I wanted to act quickly for myself, my town, my county and my planet. The county executive gave me a mission.”

The detailed county-wide action plan, Westchester Action Plan for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, 2008 (WAP 2008), identifies workable strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with energy; transportation; land use; recycling and waste management; and water resources management. The plan provides specific actions for all sectors to reach the emission reduction goals. WAP 2008 provides basic “how to” information for implementing the actions, provides sources and resources to help in achieving the actions, provides examples of success, and identifies potential funding resources and options.

WAP 2008 also provides an inventory of the GHG emissions emitted in the Westchester County community as a whole, and describes the effects of climate change on Westchester County and how that change might impact all sectors of the community.

WAP 2008 provides a detailed guide for each sector – business, county and municipal government, education and households – outlining actions that can be taken to reduce Green House Gas emissions and to promote sustainability of operations. While the recommended actions may appear self evident, implementation as indicated in the WAP 2008 involves a commitment from every sector to drive down environmental impacts from their operations and contribute to the goals of the community. The WAP 2008 includes detailed explanations of and justification for the recommended actions, timelines for action and other resources to assist each sector in taking the recommended actions. In the next few months, additional guidance prepared by the task force for households, businesses and schools will be added to the action plan attachments available on line and additional actions by the county will be announced.

ABOUT THE FEB. 26 CONFERENCE
The conference at Manhattanvile was just the beginning of the county’s effort to educate each sector about what it can do now. The program, expected to draw about 250 people, included panel discussions on best practices for sustainable development with specific action steps that can be taken now in all sectors of Westchester.

Manhattanville College President Richard Berman, who is a member of the Task Force said, “Manhattanville is committed to fostering a social awareness of preserving the environment, and the goal of this conference is education. We are pleased to host this event that gives the community an opportunity to walk away with practical ideas that we as individuals can implement to reverse global warming. This action plan will enable the community of Westchester to address climate change and promote sustainable development.”

Topics covered included:

• How Municipalities Can Access Tools, Technical Assistance and Resources for climate Protection and Sustainability Initiatives - ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability
• Explore the Process of Sustainable Green Construction Development using LEED Standards and Guidelines-New York Power Authority (NYPA)
• Transportation Goes Cleaner in Westchester - A look at all available programs-Bus Rapid Transit, Safe Routes to School, Walkable Communities,
• Metropool, Smart Commute, NuRide, GoLoco, Clean Air NY and NYC,Lower Hudson Valley Clean Communities
• Helping Businesses Save Energy, Money and the Environment -- From Audit to Financing -Daylight Savings Company
• Energy Efficiency for Households, Schools, Businesses and Community Organizations: How to Access Tools and Resources - New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA)
• How Green is My Town? - Green report card to help communities, schools and businesses assess sustainability and environmental awareness Grassroots Environmental Education
• Using Bio-Fuels and Solar and Geo-Thermal Systems to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Achieve Energy Efficiencies Today - Sprague Energy Corp., Mercury Solar Systems and AKA Engineers
• Conversations on Conservation -- Examining the Consequences of Climate Change on Biodiversity Throughout Westchester - Conservation Café
• Tackling Climate Change and Discovering Business Opportunities in Westchester and the State - Environmental Business Association of New York State
• Simple Tools to Achieve Zero Waste in Your Business, School or Household - Synergis Waste Management Services, Inc.
• Climate Changes: Storms and the Role of Trees: How are Municipalities, Schools, Businesses and Individuals Planting for our Future?” – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County
• Citizen Grassroots Organizing for Environmental Change – Community advisory groups talk about their role in community planning through advocacy
• Westchester 2025: A Partnership for Westchester’s Future - The county’s framework for inter-municipal planning.

Displays include:

• Energy Efficient/Hybrid/Alternative Fuel Vehicles, organized by state Power Authority and Westchester
• Westchester County Resource Recovery (Recycling) and Environmental Programs and Initiatives

ABOUT THE TASK FORCE
Spano appointed the task force in late 2006. Comprised of representatives from government, business, schools and colleges, and the environmental community, each sector addressed both short-term and long-term actions specific to its area. The task force was assisted by more than 70 volunteers with expertise in specific areas.

The members of the Global Warming Task Force are:

County/Municipal:
Reese Berman, Task Force co-chair, supervisor, North Castle; Catherine Borgia, trustee, Village of Ossining;
Nicola Coddington, Town of Greenburgh Energy Conservation Coordinator, Trustee Village of Irvington;Linda Cooper, village manager, Ossining; Robert Funicello, Westchester County environmental project director;Anne Janiak, executive director of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association ; Marlene Kolbert, Larchmont trustee; Martin Rogowsky, Westchester County legislator; Thomas M. Roach, White Plains councilman; Christine Selin, former New Rochelle councilwomen

Business:
Adrienne Atwell, Swiss Re; George Drapeau, Construction Industry Council Westchester and Hudson Valley, Inc.; Eric Eller; Robert Fischman, project director, Ginsburg Development Companies, LLC; Margaret Lanz; Andrew Millest, executive director Morgan Stanley Corporate Services Group; Paul Ramoino, TRANE, NY, Energy Services Group

Education:Richard Berman, president, Manhattanville College; Deborah Crosby, president, Chappaqua Congress of Teachers; Steven Frantz, consultant to Scarsdale School District; Katie Ginsberg, executive director, Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation; Jane Harsha, president of Westchester East Putnam PTA Council; Michelle Land, director, Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities; Phillip Landrigan, professor and chairman, Department of Community & Preventive Medicine, professor of pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jackie Taylor, deputy superintendent Byram Hills School District; Frances Wills, superintendent Briarcliff School District; Fred Zalcman, executive director, Pace Law School Energy Project

Environmental:
Paul Gallay, Westchester Land Trust. Herb Fox, Federated Conservationists of Westchester County; Luis Martinez, Natural Resources Defense Council; Alex Matthiessen, Riverkeeper; Emmett Pepper, Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment; Edna Sussman, Action For Tomorrow’s Environment

The associate members of the Global Warming Task Force are the following:
Steve Altieri, Michael Altobelli, Tom Andersen, Albert Annunziata, Cimbria Badenhausen, Brooke Beebe, Tana Bigelow, Jason Black, Valerie Brodsky, Deann Cartwright, Scott Cartwright, Susan Cember, Elizabeth Ceppos, Jeff Coleman, Peter Costa, Lea Cullen, Neil Cutler, Allegra Dengler, Anthony DiCaprio, Justin DiCarlo, Gina D’Agrosa, Daniel Doyle, Jerry Faiella, Adele Falco, Scott Fernqvist, Stephen Filler, Steven Frantz, Maryann Gallagher, Marla Gardner, Adiel Gavish, Tony Gelber, Dani Glaser, Anne Gold, Reva Greenberg, Carole Griffiths, Chris Hall, Melanie Haniph, John Hannah, Frank Hariton, Brian Hayduk, Adam Hinge, Ed Hoffmeister, Liz Hoskinson, Adam Kaufman, Naomi Klein, Gerard Kolbert, Fred Koontz, Donna Kowal, Riva Krut, William Lawyer, Melanie Lester, Steven Levy, Michele Lewis, Bruce Lozito, Cindy Louie, Jeff Main, Daniel Martin, Judith Martin, Judith Z. Matson, Naomi Matusow, Susan McDonnell, Andrew Millest, Loretta Miraglia, June Monaghan, John Moore, Robert Morabito, Mary Beth Murphy, Liam Murphy, Joseph "Bud" Nicoletti, James Nordgren, Sean O’Rourke, Dennis Power, Judy Powers, Michael Priano, Lisa Rainwater, Lindsay Randall, Walter Recher, Lee VA Roberts, Jerry Robock, Barbara Sacks, Daniel Seidel, Laura Seldak, Nancy Seligson, Carolyn Stevens, Sam Wear, Ellen Weininger, Mary Beth Wilson, Murray Wilson, Doug Wood, Patricia Wood, Susan Weuste Ellis, Elisa Zazzera.