Green Guru Network

Last week NWEAC, SWEAC, and PACE Law hosted an unique and important conference about Solar permitting procedures and regulations. The long range plan is to standardize as much as possible to enable the industry to grow rapidly in our County with the consequent impact of reduced energy costs and GHG Emissions.

The following is a succinct summary of the day by Nina Orville, our SWEAC partner:

“The event went very well - we were very pleased by the attendance (quantity as well as who showed up) and the quality of the presentation.  We had at least 65 people in attendance, the significant majority of whom represented local governments in Westchester and surrounding counties as well as reps from utilities (Con Ed and NYPA) and solar installers.

The turn-out demonstrated the level of interest in Westchester County and the Mid-Hudson in preparing to welcome an expected surge in solar installations: 

· 44 people representing local governments.  5 counties represented, 25 municipalities total... 

· Very strong Westchester representation - 35 people representing a total of 20 local governments.

Lower prices for solar installations and strong support for solar from the state, as well as programs SWEAC and NWEAC are developing in Westchester are expected to result in a dramatic increase in solar installations locally. The role that local governments play in making this possible is significant – every installation must comply with their zoning, go through their permitting process and be inspected by them.  The organizers of the event want the jurisdictions to be able to support the opportunities that solar brings while making sure there isn’t undue burden for local governments.  Streamlining solar permitting is one important step in marrying those goals.

In addition, achieving consistency of processes is important as Westchester has 45 municipalities, each with their own zoning and permitting requirements for solar installations. We recognize that this lack of consistency creates inefficiencies as well. We learned that the municipalities are at a similar baseline - none have information about requirements for solar installations available on-line, none have check-lists for installers. The attendance shows the level of interest in addressing these opportunities for improvement.

NWEAC and SWEAC are planning to partner with others who can help bring additional assistance to Westchester and the Mid-Hudson region to move this process.”

More than 100 Westchester residents attended the Southern Westchester Energy Action Consortium (SWEAC) Sustainability Forum on January 28 at Sarah Lawrence College.

SWEAC is a consortium of municipal officials and volunteers from different communities who have joined together to address energy and other sustainability concerns on an inter-municipal level in southern Westchester. Bronxville, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Greenburgh, Hastings, Irvington, Tuckahoe, Tarrytown, White Plains, and Yonkers are currently participating. 

Their mission is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money for municipalities and taxpayers.

Break out groups on transportation, municipal energy efficiency, waste, and models for municipal collaboration followed opening remarks by Nina Orville, executive director, and Peter McCartt, chairman of the advisory board.

Croton Mayor Leo Wiegman, who is part of Northern Westchester Energy Action Consortium (NWEAC), a group of communities that applied together and recently won a $3 million grant from the federal Department of Energy said, "The time to act is now." Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick, who also gave opening remarks, discussed how municipalities have to do more with less. "This forum provided an excellent opportunity for our county's municipal leaders to discuss ways to save the taxpayers' money while promoting environmental policies. In these difficult times, all levels of government must go beyond our traditional boundaries to create new efficient and effective opportunities that benefit the people of Westchester."

Attendee Brad Tito, Yonkers environmental and sustainability manager, said, "Under the leadership of Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers is undertaking a number of energy-saving initiatives to save taxpayer dollars, protect our environment and make Yonkers an even better place to live and work. The Southern Westchester Energy Action Consortium (SWEAC) is an exciting forum for regional collaboration on energy issues." 
Transportation was big on everyone's minds as they discussed the concept of complete streets or roadways designed and operated to enable safe, attractive, and comfortable access and travel for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transport users of all ages and abilities.

Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell is a big supporter of the concept which was discussed during the breakout session on transportation. "We need to invest in the infrastructure of bus mass transit to improve the environment and to help the lower income population who use mass transit in greater numbers in Westchester than higher income residents." He is also still very interested in developing a mass transit option on the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Groups also discussed municipal energy efficiency, transit, leaf mulching, reduction and recycling and identified models for collaboration. 

Click here to read the local news story.

Here's an abbreviated list of some of those initiatives:

* Bronxville installed geothermal heating and cooling in their Village Hall.

* Dobbs Ferry is replacing existing street lights with LED and generously wrote the contract so other    municipalities can purchase from it.

* Eastchester shared information about the results of its streetlight audit and resulting savings.

* Greenburgh is co-managing the Mid-Hudson Valley Cleaner Greener Communities Sustainability Planning   Grant that includes seven counties.

* Hastings is the only participating municipality that has successfully reduced from a twice to a once a week   trash pick-up schedule.

* Irvington, one of our smallest municipalities, has developed a leaf mulching program that could ultimately   help save the county and its municipalities millions of dollars.

* Tarrytown engaged its merchants to get recycling bins on downtown streets.

* Tuckahoe runs its sanitation trucks on vegetable oil.

* White Plains has generously shared its innovative, smart practices related to energy efficient municipal      fleets with local governments throughout the   country.

* Yonkers is embarking on substantial energy efficiency retrofits of many municipal buildings.

Photo: Leo Wiegman, Chuck Lesnick and Nina Orville. Photo credit: Mel Goldstein

Last Thursday home owners from Dobbs Ferry and surrounding communities packed Springhurst Elementary for the Dobbs Ferry Energy Expo. Dobbs Ferry Mayor Hartley Connett's Energy Efficiency Task Force led by Nina Orville, Dobbs Ferry PTSA and student ecology clubs from Springhurst Elementary and Dobbs Ferry Middle and High Schools welcomed home owners to learn how to reduce their energy use and cost.

Representatives from ConEdison, NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) and private contractors Phoenix and BK Solutions gave residents information about improving their home efficiency and about applying for incentive programs that pay for home assessments and energy-saving improvements. Also look for Green Jobs New York free energy audits.

Elizabeth Silleck of NYSERDA showed Westchester County residents with an annual household income of less than $209,400 how to apply for free home inspections and how families earning as much as $418,000 annually can get assessments for $200. Check out their awesome program.

Learn more at Dobbs Ferry's great new site: Renewgreenburgh.org and check out the  Rivertowns Patch story.

Nina Orville provides sustainability consulting services to non-profits, businesses and local governments. Previously, as Vice President of the New York Community Investment Company, a $40 million community development venture capital firm owned by major banks in New York, she helped finance and provide consulting services to growing businesses in the metro region.

Prior to joining NYCIC, she was a senior manager with an enterprise that supported sustainable development through the sale of sustainably harvested forest products to companies such as Ben & Jerry's and The Body Shop. She serves as Chair of the Mayor's Task Force on Energy and the Environment in Dobbs Ferry and is a member of the Advisory Council of Groundwork Hudson Valley. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.