I am pleased to announce that Rockland County is now ranked #15 of all local governments nationwide, for our utilization of 100% wind electricity. The list by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes municipalities purchasing clean, renewable energy.
In Fall of 2020, Purchasing Director Paul Brennan and myself revealed that the County of Rockland, the Rockland County Sewer District No. 1, Rockland Community College, and Rockland Green have been awarded a contract to provide 100% green/renewable wind electricity to each agency over the next three years.
In total, savings are projected at $600,000 for the agencies, over the three-year term of the contract. But we didn’t just make this move to save taxpayer dollars, we also did this to protect the environment for generations to come.
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This administration is committed to preserving the beauty of this County long after our time has passed.
To achieve this, we have been moving forward with the Open Space Acquisition program which we funded through last year’s budget process. Under this program we are pursuing the purchase of 6 new parkland properties totaling just over 37 acres that would be preserved.
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Additionally, we are working hard to distribute every single penny of the $63 million in federal funding we received under the American Rescue Plan. On top of grants dispersed to small businesses and restaurants, we are also on track to award close to $10 million to municipalities and nonprofits for green spaces.
The County of Rockland is also continuing efforts to bring this county infrastructure into this century.
In August, County Executive Day and the Division of Environmental Resources launched Rockland’s Sustainability Project involving nearly 20 County Departments, led by the well-known environmental and planning consulting firm Barton and Loguidice.
The project will generate a long-term plan to support, focus, and improve the County’s efforts in the New York State Climate Smart Communities (CSC) and Clean Energy Communities (CEC) programs. The plan will help maximize available grant funding and guide Rockland towards a green and sustainable future as efficiently as possible.
