This month, the New York State Department of Conservation recognized two communities in Tompkins County for their outstanding dedication to local climate action. In the latest round of the NYS Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program, the Village of Lansing reached Bronze Certification, and the Town of Dryden reached Silver Certification. These two communities were among the first participants of the program and have been actively pursuing energy efficiency, clean energy, and other sustainability initiatives. Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County (CCETC) has supported these efforts, working closely with them and 12 other Tompkins County municipalities participating in this program.

Communities certified as a part of the CSC program adopt a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate. The CSC program is a comprehensive initiative that provides a framework for communities to adopt sustainable practices. To participate in the program, each community must establish a task force consisting of local government officials, community residents, or volunteers. The CSC program highlights over 120 sustainable actions such as building upgrades to increase energy efficiency, installation of renewable energy systems, participation in waste reduction programs, and the creation of plans to identify protected areas and natural resources, among others. Communities that accumulate enough points can be certified Bronze or Silver, with Silver being the current highest level of certification.

The Village of Lansing has been working on this program since they adopted the CSC pledge in 2019. Collaborating with their task force, the Village has been working to incorporate  sustainability elements into their comprehensive plan, track their greenhouse gas emissions, create a climate action plan and shade structures policy, and complete energy efficiency projects. Currently, the Village is working to expand its sidewalks to develop safer, more accessible ways for residents to meet their needs.

The Town of Dryden reached the highest level of certification, joining only 20 other communities in NYS. The Town’s task force has been dedicated to the CSC program, with some of the same volunteers, since 2016. Some of the Town’s significant achievements include the installation of two solar arrays and heat pumps at its town buildings, the completion of numerous planning documents that incorporated sustainable actions, participation in waste reduction programs, and more. In fact, a recent greenhouse gas inventory found that the Town has reduced its government operation emissions by nearly 20% since 2018.

As NYS continues to lead climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, CCETC hopes to support more of our communities in implementing climate action. For more information about this program or ways to participate in this effort, please reach out to Jerry Sheng at js3724@cornell.edu.