It started nine years ago when Rye registered for the Climate Smart Communities program.
On Thursday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced the City of Rye had finally achieved Bronze status in the State’s Climate Smart Communities program. The milestone acknowledges the City’s various actions to to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change. It also puts Rye in a position to receive free technical assistance and apply for certain grant programs.
“It really does open the door for funding opportunities related to climate change, mitigation, adaptation and planning,” said Assistant City Manager Brian Shea, who sits on the Climate Smart Communities task force with Rye Sustainability Committee members Chair James Ward, Vice Chair Donna Providenti and Program Coordinator Hilary Garland.
To achieve Climate Smart Community certification, local governments accumulate points for planning and implementing actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience in the face of worsening impacts of climate change.
As part of this announcement, eleven communities including Rye successfully met the criteria to be newly recognized or recertified as leaders at the bronze level of certification (Rye was newly certified). Four municipalities were certified or recertified at the higher silver level, the highest level of achievement available under the program.
In Westchester County, the village of Dobbs Ferry was newly certified at the Silver level. Village of Bronxville, Town of Mamaroneck (recertified), Village of Mamaroneck (recertified) and the Town of Ossining joined Rye at the bronze level.
Rye Setting Its Sights on Silver
Rye has already set its sights on achieving the next and highest silver level designation. Much of the bronze work had been done over recent years, so the City and the RSC needed to document all the work and complete certain tasks. Silver will be a new effort, but the City believes it aligns with its plans.
“There’s only like 10 Silver local governments across the State. [The goal] is really to align our path towards silver with initiatives the City is already undertaking – capital projects that are underway, established Council priorities, that type of thing,” said Assistant City Manager Shea. “We’ve already started looking at it, we believe there’s a path and we’re excited to start the work.
Shea believes the path to Silver is 16 – 24 months. One of the requirements is a comprehensive plan, with sustainability elements. Mayor Josh Cohn just kicked off that effort in January as the current plan dates back to 1985. Shea joined the City staff in early 2022 after time in Albany with local and State government experience, so he brings a sense of how to work that State apparatus.
Those involved in the bronze effort credit Rye Sustainability Committee Program Coordinator Hilary Garland for getting the myriad of documentation completed in order to apply for the Bronze designation. The City had a menu of “climate” items to choose from during the application process, explained Garland.
The City had to choose three of twelve priority actions. For the City, this included two completed greenhouse gas inventories (government ops and community emissions) and its current electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Then there were a variety of other actions, all assigned points. The State requires activities totalling 120 points, and Rye applied with 153 (a City of overachievers).
Actions Taken by Rye to Achieve Bronze Status
| Action Name | Requirements |
| CSC Task Force | Resolutions adopted by City Council to create the Task Force, Minutes from 2 Task Force Meetings
posted on the City website. |
| CSC Coordinator | Resolution adopted by City Council that appoints the CSC Coordinator |
| National/Regional Climate Program (ICLEI) | Show membership invoices and summary of services obtained from ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability |
| Government Operations Green House Gas (GHG) Inventory | GHG Inventory, Description of Methodology and posted to City of Rye website |
| Community GHG Inventory | GHG Inventory, Description of Methodology and posted to City of Rye website |
| Advanced Vehicles | Electric Vehicles in municipal fleet: 4 Chevrolet Bolts |
| LED Street Lights – CEC | Copy of approval from NYSERDA that indicates completion of the CEC LED Street Lights high-impact actions (HIA). Decorative Street Lights (4pts), Cobra Head Street Lights (8pts) |
| Recycling Bins in Government Buildings | Policy requiring placement of recycling bins wherever there is a trash bin. Photo of each type of location (common areas/desks) with building locations and quantities |
| Residential Organic Waste Program | Create an organics or yard waste collection program – yard waste (4pts), food scraps (2pts), pilot curbside (4pts) |
| Alternative-fuel Infrastructure – CEC | Install electric-vehicle infrastructure. |
| Green Vendor Fairs | Hold green vendor fairs – Net-Zero Cities: Westchester Clean Energy Fair (5/13/23) |
| Farmers’ Markets | Create and promote local farmers’ markets. Show how local government supports the market. |
| PACE Financing – CEC | Establish a residential energy efficiency financing program. |
| Community Choice Aggregation – CEC | Participate in a CCA with 100% Renewable Default Supply |
| Community Campaigns – CEC | Clean Heating & Cooling (8/1/22), Community Solar (5/25/21), Demand Response (5/25/21) and Electric Vehicles (4/18/23) |
| Climate-related Public Events | Host climate-related educational seminars, workshops, conferences, or fairs: Net-Zero Cities: Westchester – Clean Energy Fair 5/13/2023 |
| Local Climate Action Website | Maintain a website about local climate initiatives – Rye Sustainability Website |
| Social Media | Use social media to inform the community about the progress of local government’s efforts |
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are working together to support towns, cities, villages, and county governments in New York State that play a vital role in achieving the State’s clean energy and climate goals. Local governments’ achievement of Climate Smart Communities certification is supported through NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities Program, which recognizes and rewards community leadership by providing technical resources, tools, and financial support for the completion of clean energy projects. Of the 15 certified Climate Smart Communities recognized Thursday, all have been designated as Clean Energy Communities.
This year, the Climate Smart Communities certification program celebrates its 10-year anniversary. Launched in 2014, the certification program recognizes the leadership and accomplishments of communities taking climate action. Each certification is valid for five years. There are now 140 total certified Climate Smart Communities in New York State, 13 silver and 127 bronze.
