Rockland County Seeks Nominations For Climate Smart Communities Task Force

Rockland County Executive Ed Day, Rockland County Legislator and Environmental Committee Chair Beth Davidson, and the Rockland County Department of Planning are seeking nominations for the County’s newly established Climate Smart Communities Task Force to assist the County’s efforts in the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program.

Climate Smart Communities is a New York State program that helps local governments take steps in their communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. The County of Rockland is currently working to secure its Climate Smart Certification, which creation of this task force is essential to achieving, to unlock state and federal grant funding to support climate and sustainability priorities.

“Our participation in the Climate Smart Communities Program will enable us to protect the environment and taxpayer wallets simultaneously by identifying and implementing infrastructure and technology upgrades that reduce costs,” explained County Executive Ed Day.

The newly established CSC Task Force will play a key role in:

• Advising the County Executive and Legislature on climate-related initiatives.
• Working with the Sustainability Coordinator to set and achieve climate-smart goals.
• Documenting actions required for certification.
• Promoting projects like energy-efficient building upgrades, renewable energy installations, and initiatives that mitigate climate risks.

“The more climate-smart goals we achieve in these programs the more grant funding we are eligible for, ultimately opening the door for more green investments without impacting local taxpayers,” added County Executive Day.

The Task Force will also support green economic growth by fostering job creation, encouraging innovation, and building partnerships with local businesses.

"Rockland County boasts leaders from every sector who have been pretty smart on climate issues for a long time," said County Legislator and Environmental Committee Chair Beth Davidson. "By harnessing the knowledge and creativity of its members, this Task Force will help the County secure the funding and direction we need to build climate change resiliency, particularly in our vulnerable river towns and low-lying neighborhoods."

Rockland County is now inviting applications from passionate and qualified individuals interested in being a part of the CSC Task Force, including government officials, community residents, climate and sustainability experts, business leaders, and members of underserved communities.

The membership of the Task Force will be appointed by the County Executive and approved by the County Legislature and will initially meet quarterly, with meeting schedules to be announced.

Interested individuals should apply by February 18, 2024, by submitting a resume and a brief cover letter explaining their interest to [email protected].