Pictured from Left to Right: Director of Compliance & Intergovernmental Relations Jennifer Caruso, DPW Deputy Commissioner Joseph Bellucci, CCE Senior Resource Educator Jennifer Lerner, Planning Commissioner Barbara Barosa, Climate Smart Coordinator/Planner Ilona Campo, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne, Sustainable Putnam Executive Director Joseph Montuori, Coordinator of Engineering Projects Gary Redlon.

Since becoming a Bronze Certified Climate Smart Community June 2024, Putnam County is continuing its commitment to a cleaner, greener future through ongoing Climate Smart and Clean Energy Community initiatives. Thanks to generous no-match grant support from Senator Harckham, the NYSDOT Modernization Enhancement Program (MEP), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), these investments in renewable energy infrastructure will help further reduce the County's carbon footprint and support its commitment to being a Climate Smart Community.

In 2023, the Putnam County Department of Planning, Development, and Transportation was notified of the annual NYSDOT MEP funding availability. With support from the County Legislature and County Executive, the County’s Planning Commissioner, Barbara Barosa, secured funding for the installation of two Level 2 EV charging stations (4 plugs) at the Putnam County Transit Facility. Theses EV charging stations will enable the County to begin purchasing plug-in hybrid and/or full EVs as part of the County and State’s goal to electrify fleets. Pending vendor approval, we hope to complete design and installation in 2025.

In 2023/2024, the County was also notified of and able to secure a $100,000 Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability & Technology program (CREST) grant from Senator Harckham’s office. This no-match grant will be used to help fund the design and installation of a new solar carport/EV charging station at the Donald B. Smith government campus. The County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will be responsible for partnering with an approved vendor to install a carport that can generate up to 25kW and charge 8 vehicles. With a similar timeframe as the EV chargers at the Transit Facility project, we also hope to complete design and installation in 2025.

Facilitated by the County’s Climate Smart Coordinator, Ilona Campo, the County’s recent participation in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities program also yielded grant opportunities. In 2024, the County was awarded a generous $125,000 no-match grant to install a 54.45 kW solar array at the Transit Facility located at 841 Fair Street, Carmel, NY 10512. This solar array will offset current energy costs to power the facility and will mark the sixth county-owned facility to have a rooftop solar array. Design and installation work will also begin in 2025. Concurrently, the County also received a $15,000 NYSERDA grant for the purchase of electric landscaping equipment. This funding has enabled the County’s DPW to enhance its operations by utilizing electric landscaping equipment including five leaf blowers, three chainsaws, and one cutoff saw which were put into service in the Fall of 2024. This gradual shift to electric equipment helps to eliminate the need for gas-powered tools, reduces emissions and noise pollution, and supports a healthier environment for our facilities and employees.

In addition to the above project funding, the Climate Smart Task Force will continue to advance its 2025 goals such as applying for grants as needed, evaluating options for EV charging stations and fleet transitions, exploring options related to residential and county facility composting, continuing to host quarterly Climate Smart Task Force and as-needed composting meetings, and documenting other county sustainability initiatives. Through these ongoing efforts, our goal is to mitigate, adapt to, and strengthen the resilience of the Putnam community against the impacts of climate change.

The continued collaboration between elected officials, multiple county departments, and our nonprofit partners, Sustainable Putnam and Cornell Cooperative Extension, has enabled Putnam County to demonstrate and document its ongoing leadership in environmental stewardship, effort to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, and enhancement of the quality of life for current residents and future generations alike.

To learn more about the Putnam’s Bronze CSC final report, click here or visit our webpage at https://putnamcountyny.gov/climatesmart