» Schenectady County lawmakers set to adopt climate action plan - The Daily Gazette

" Schenectady County lawmakers set to adopt climate action plan

SCHENECTADY — More than 1.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions were produced throughout Schenectady County in 2010, the same amount of carbon sequestered annually by a sprawling 278,000-acre pine forest — an area more than double the entire county.

The statistic is one of several found in the county’s Community Climate Action Plan that lawmakers are poised to adopt Tuesday after a working group spent months drafting and revising the document. The 46-page plan, which the Legislature advanced out of committee last week, calls for steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades and lays out a number of other climate-oriented goals and recommendations for the county to strive towards.

“It doesn’t matter where you stand with climate change, this is about being smart and being committed to the future and supporting sustainability,” said Richard Ruzzo, a District 1 legislator and vice chair of the county’s Environmental Conservation, Renewable Energy & Parks Committee.

Lawmakers voted to advance the proposal just hours before smoke from wildfires burning in Canada blanketed much of New York state for days, property health advisories and canceled events, including numerous throughout the Capital Region and Schenectady County.

The plan is reflective of the ongoing work to mitigate the impacts of climate change that has been taking place throughout Schenectady County in recent years, according to Charles Davidson, the county’s sustainability coordinator, who described the plan as a “living document.”

Several municipalities, including Schenectady, Glenville and Niskayuna, have taken the state’s Climate Smart Communities pledge, a multiagency program created to help local governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Schenectady County has also taken the pledge, achieving the program’s bronze certification in 2021.

The county has worked in installed energy efficient LED street lights and electric vehicle charging stations in recent years, and has invested in solar to power municipal buildings, and has plans to upgrade county-owned facilities to make them more energy-efficient to further reduce emissions.

Goals in the plan include reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% from 2010 levels by 2040 and 85% by 2050. The plan also calls for reducing waste and bolstering recycling 20% by 2030, and ending the reliance on automobiles by improving bicycle and sidewalk infrastructure and possibly subsidizing public transportation for residents.

There are sections about improving energy efficiency at municipal buildings, purchasing electric vehicles for government operations, and encouraging municipalities to recommend energy efficient heating and cooling systems in new developments.

Davidson said that even though the plan includes specific goals and recommendations, there is no direct path to achievement. He noted that municipalities throughout the county have been working to curtail greenhouse gas emissions for years, and that the plan sets the stage for future collaboration.

“It’d be great if we can do it equally, but that’s the point of a plan being a living document,” he said. “Nothing’s set in stone. That’s the goal and we’re going to get there and these are the steps that we think will make it easier to get there.”

The plan aligns with goals laid out in the state’s Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act, a 2019 law that calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 85% of 1990 levels and net-zero emissions statewide by 2050, and achieve 70% of the state’s electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030.

But efforts to mitigate climate change predate the law and have been ongoing for more than a decade and are in various stages, depending on the municipality. Schenectady, for example, achieved bronze certification as part of the Climate Smart Communities program. Rotterdam has yet to take the pledge, but lawmakers recently appointed an energy advisory committee to develop new solar regulations and assist in identifying opportunities to become more energy efficient.

The plan is based on an inventory of community greenhouse gas emissions studies completed in 2013 by the Capital District Regional Planning Commission, which examined carbon emissions across the Capital Region.

The study determined that Schenectady County produced the lowest emissions per capita in the Capital District, producing 9.8 metric tons of carbon emissions per person, or a total of 1,523,806 of emissions that year.

Data collected shows that 40% of the county’s total emissions in 2010 came from the transportation sector, which produced 602,981 metric tons of carbon, or 39.6% of total emissions. Residential and commercial energy were the second and third largest producers, accounting for 355,131 (23.3%) and 237,056 (15.6%) metric tons of carbon emissions, respectively.

Gasoline was the largest producer of emissions, accounting for 415,605 metric tons of carbon. Natural case was a close second, at 402,277, according to the report.

“Targeting the transportation sector and making buildings and facilities more energy efficient could be two major points of action for reducing the County of Schenectady’s community GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions,” the report reads.

But at least one local lawmaker is concerned about the county’s plan and the rush to achieve its lofty goals.

Glenville Supervisor Chris Koetzle said the county appears to be focused more on “public relations” instead of results, which he said should not be rushed and must come over the course of time to ensure a smooth transition.

“It’s great for a press release,” he said. “And it’s great to have people think that that’s what you’re going to try to do. But what tends to happen after that is everybody just kind of goes back on business as usual and everyone forgets about it.”

Koetzle, a Republican, said he was unaware the plan was being drafted, and criticized the county for not doing more to ensure multiple viewpoints were included. He said there are legitimate economic concerns associated with the plan, and questioned whether the state’s electrical grid can keep up with the shift to electric energy.

The Glenville Town Board last month approved a resolution condemning the state’s so-called gas stove ban, which would require all-electric utilities in new residential construction in the state beginning in 2026. Some town lawmakers have said the state law is government overreach and would stunt new development in the coming years. The resolution passed 4-1, with Democrat Michael Godlewski opposing the measure.

Still, Glenville has been striving to reduce emissions in recent years by installing electric vehicle charging stations and LED street lights. The town has also been working to build out its trail system, add new sidewalks and is looking at the possibility of adding electric vehicles to its fleet — all goals laid out in the plan.

But Koetzle raised concerns about recommendations to encourage new development to include electric heat and cooling systems, questioned the lack of details to achieve much of the proposal, including paying for the costs to implement new programs and retrofitting existing systems to more energy efficient ones.

“It is something we take seriously and we do what we can when we can,” he said. “A lot of this costs money and whether it be state, federal or local, it’s all taxpayer dollars. And that’s just something we need to keep in mind as we move towards this.”

Davidson, meanwhile, said he realizes municipalities throughout the county have different priorities, but he noted that most are striving towards the same goal.

The plan, he said, was drafted to find areas of collaboration and help municipalities and community members identify opportunities to become more efficient and work towards the broader goal.

“Anything environmental, it’s a collaborative effort with everyone,” Davidson said. “We’re all doing it. And this isn’t trying to say that anyone’s doing anything wrong. It’s just our way of saying, ‘hey here’s some opportunities, we’re more than happy to help you.’”

In Niskayuna, Supervisor Jaime Puccioni said she wasn’t aware of the county’s plan, but noted she was happy to see that much of what was included are things the town has been striving for in recent years.

The town has recently adopted new code that requires developers to take steps to be more energy efficient and encourages things like electric heating, said Puccioni, a Democrat in her first term.

She noted that the town is also looking at how to purchase electric vehicles, and has recently held workshops and provided materials for those interested in composting.

The biggest step the town has taken in recent years is a $22 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment plan, which allowed the plant to accept “high strength waste” like cooking oils and other organic materials. The emissions created by processing the wastes will be used to power the plant.

Puccioni said the upgraded plan is now operational and the goal is to move towards net-zero emissions by the end of the year.

“That’s our goal,” she said.

The town, she said, is working to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and will be looking for new opportunities to provide education and outreach for residents, and is open to partnerships with the county and neighboring municipalities.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Puccioni said. “That relates to communications and partnership. It’s just a reminder that we’re stronger together and working with our other local municipalities and with the county can only help us do this important work.”

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at:

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