Taking the pledge: Northport Village goes climate smart, joining 15 Suffolk municipalities

The Northport Village board of trustees voted to join the state’s Climate Smart Communities program, unanimously approving a resolution at the February 6 Village board meeting that includes a pledge to build a climate-smart community.

Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate, the program website states. The program offers grants, rebates for electric vehicles, and free technical assistance to registered communities, of which there are currently 401 in New York and 15 in Suffolk County.

Registered communities are responsible for taking and tracking actions that align with the pledge, which include creating a CSC task force and appointing a coordinator, developing a government operations emissions inventory and climate action plan, decreasing energy use in government buildings, shifting to clean, renewable energy, and using climate-smart materials in government management. The pledge also calls for local governments to “inform and inspire the public” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adopt to a changing climate.

The Town of Huntington (TOH) registered for the CSC program in 2012 and achieved bronze certification status in 2022, alongside just four other municipalities on Long Island. The TOH has completed over 30 CSC actions since taking the pledge, including the promotion of local food systems with organic gardens, investment in biking, walking and electric vehicle infrastructure, and use of recycling bins in government buildings.