Hastings-on-Hudson and Tarrytown Among 23 New York State Communities Achieving Climate Smart Certification

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right to left: Mayor Karen Brown, Dean Gallea, co-chair of TEAC, the village’s Environmental Action Council, Trustee Tom Mitchell, Village Administrator Rich Slingerland and Assistant Administrator Alissa Fasman

October 3, 2023

By Barrett Seaman–

On Monday, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos recognized those NY communities that have demonstrated progress in fighting climate change under the state’s Climate Smart Communities program. He did so on the steps of village hall in Hastings-on-Hudson for a reason: Hastings is one of only two communities in the state to reach the Silver level of certification, the highest recognized under the program.

Not far behind Hastings were four other Westchester communities, including Tarrytown, each of which achieved Bronze certification. As state assembly representative MaryJane Shimsky pointed out, Westchester has the highest concentration of certified communities in the state.

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Seggos was joined in the award ceremony by State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. County Executive George Latimer and a host of local and state officials, attesting to the value placed on the program. In addition to a framed certificate and a handshake, Climate Smart recognition brings with it money. Thirteen of the total 23 recognized communities got a share of a $14 million fund established by Governor Hochul last spring.

To achieve certification, local governments accumulate points for planning and implementing actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience to the worsening impacts of climate change, such as last week’s torrential rainstorms.

Tarrytown was recognized for accumulating 128 points from 13 completed actions cited in the Climate Smart program. Among them: converting the village’s street lights to LED, installing solar panels on village hall and senior center roof tops, instituting an organic waste disposal program, embedding sustainability goals in its Comprehensive Plan and installing EV charging stations throughout the village.

Present to accept the certificate were Mayor Karen Brown, Trustee Tom Mitchell, Village Administrator Rich Slingerland, Assistant Administrator Alissa Fasman and Dean Gallea, co-chair of TEAC, the village’s environmental action council and the village’s coordinator with the Climate Smart program.

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