As part of Climate Week 2021, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 11 new certified Climate Smart Communities which are working to support local efforts to meet challenges brought about by climate change. Three communities already in the program have also been recertified and Erie County has advanced to silver-level certification.

To reach certification, Hochul says that communities must establish an active climate change task force made up of residents and municipal representatives.

In a visit to Glens Falls, which also achieved bronze-level certification, Hochul announced the following communities have been newly certified or received recertification:

Capital District
Albany County (bronze)
City of Glens Falls (bronze)
Town of Queensbury (bronze)

Long Island

Town of East Hampton (recertified bronze)

Mid-Hudson
Village of Ardsley (bronze)
Town of Gardiner (bronze)
Village of Hastings-on-Hudson (recertified silver)
Town of New Castle (bronze)
City of Poughkeepsie (bronze)
Town of Poughkeepsie (bronze)
Town of Woodstock (recertified bronze)

North County
Town of Potsdam (bronze)
Village of Potsdam (bronze)

Western New York
Erie County (silver)
Town of Grand Island (bronze)

"Our Climate Smart Communities program empowers local governments to take bold action to meet the challenges driven by our changing climate, and I commend these communities for implementing effective measures to help meet the ambitious goals of New York's landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and for setting an example for other municipalities to follow," Hochul said in a statement. "I particularly wish to congratulate the town of New Castle, New York's very first community to adopt the Climate Smart Community pledge, on achieving certified-bronze status and bringing us one step closer to a cleaner, greener future."'

The governor say that since the Climate Smart Communities program began in 2009, 345 local governments, representing more than 9.4 million New Yorkers, have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge. Since the certification program was established in 2014, there are 81 certified communities statewide. 

More information can be found on ClimateSmart.ny.gov.

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