Westchester Deepens Commitment to Sustainable Future with Hyper-local Climate Change Mitigation Initiative
Watch the full News Conference Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhqb2hxn9NE
Westchester County’s new climate action plan is set to go into effect this June, thanks to a $115,000 grant from the NYSDEC Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program. Hudson Valley Regional Council, in conjunction with Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), will lead the implementation of this strategically-designed plan to guide and empower nine participating municipalities in the development of their own hyper-local climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate against climate change, and increase their sustainability as a community.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “The rollout of this Climate Action Plan in 2025 is a critical step toward a more sustainable future for our communities. This is an extension of our serious commitment to protecting our environment and our very real understanding of what is at stake if we fail to act when we have the chance. Thanks to the support of the NYSDEC Climate Smart Communities program, we are equipping our local governments with the tools they need to combat climate change at the local level while expanding our collective efforts by a magnitude of nine. Together, we are building a greener, more resilient County for generations to come.”
Participating Climate Action Plan municipalities include:
- City of Mount Vernon
- City of New Rochelle
- Town of Lewisboro
- Town of Pelham
- Town of Somers
- Town of Greenburgh
- Village of Briarcliff Manor
- Village of Rye Brook
- Village of Scarsdale
This new Climate Action Plan builds upon the successful and ongoing implementation of the County’s 2020 Climate Action Plan with eight other municipalities, which has significantly helped to reduce the carbon footprint incurred by the operations of Westchester County Government and prioritize the adoption of sustainable practices across all departments.
Director of Energy Conservation and Sustainability Peter McCartt said: “This initiative is about empowering our communities with the resources and guidance they need to take meaningful climate action. With the support of the CSC grant we are helping our local governments develop tailored strategies to reduce emissions, enhance resilience and build a more sustainable future for all.”
Hudson Valley Regional Council Climate Action Planning Manager Mary Lambert said: “HVRC is proud to continue assisting Mid-Hudson local governments in creating essential planning documents through the Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI) and thankful to Westchester County for making this program a reality. The CAPI cohort program leverages economies of scale and collective engagement to help the Hudson Valley communities realize their vision for a resilient, climate-smart future.”
ICLEI Regional Director Kale Roberts said: “Westchester is a role model with far more action plans for their municipalities that any other county in the country. I applaud their leadership, vision and tenacity in this monumental fight for our planet that we are not prepared to lose.”