Town of Huntington earns Bronze-certified status as a New York State “Climate Smart Community”

Last week, the Department of Environmental Conservation announced that the Town of Huntington achieved Bronze certification status as one of only 90 certified Climate Smart Communities in New York State and one of four on Long Island.

The Town of Huntington joined only three other Long Island towns previously certified and nine newly certified Climate Smart Communities (CSC) across New York State, bringing the total number of CSC-certified communities to 90. CSC-certified communities are recognized as models for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building local climate resilience.

“Earning this recognition as a Climate Smart Community underscores the Town of Huntington’s decades-long commitment to our environment. We are proud of the climate action prioritized and undertaken under the guidance of our Advisory Committee on Energy Efficiency, Renewables and Sustainability,” said Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth.

In May 2021, the town board hired Nicola Armacost as a CSC strategic advisor to assist the town in achieving Bronze Climate Smart Communities certification. Armacost helped the town in identifying and documenting its climate achievements. She previously supported several Westchester municipalities in achieving Bronze certification and Hasting-on-Hudson to achieve Silver certification.

Since Huntington took the CSC pledge in 2012, it has been awarded 193 points based on 31 completed environmental CSC actions, which include:

• Adopting the CSC Pledge, creating a CSC Task Force and appointing a CDC coordinator

• Becoming involved in national/regional climate programs, including the New York State Climate Smart Communities Initiative, the NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities Program, the Long Island Green Homes Program, the Suffolk County Planning Commission Energy and Environment Task Force, the Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition, and the USDOE Better Buildings Challenge

• Adopting a Climate Action Plan and amending the plan to add a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction target

• Conducting government building energy audits, upgrading the building energy management system, implementing clean fleets of advanced vehicles, and converting traffic signals to LED

• Completing feasibility studies of solar and geothermal energy technologies

• Deploying recycling bins in government buildings and implementing a residential organic waste/yard waste program

• Promoting local food systems with organic gardens

• Investing in and promoting biking, walking and alternative-fuel/electric vehicle infrastructure

• Implementing a local forestry program and enacted zoning for the protection of natural areas.

• Promoting water conservation and reuse as an EPA WaterSense Program partner

• Contracting with farmers’ markets on town property

• Implementing tax incentives for green businesses

• Hosting pages on the town website dedicated to local climate action (huntingtonny.gov/green) and using town social media to communicate climate initiatives