L O C A L L EAD ER S H I P F O R A G L OBAL CH ALLE NGE
A Make-or-Break Moment to Lead the Green Economy By Patrick K. Ryan, Ulster County Executive
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here's nothing like a leisurely stroll through the woods next to a rambling waterway to help reset and relax. One of the most interesting and scenic walks any time of year is in a ravine between two of New York State’s Finger Lakes. After the hottest summer on record following a once-in-acentury pandemic, I believe strongly that we have a huge opportunity and a moral obligation to future generations to tackle the climate crisis today! As the new Chair of NYSAC’s Climate Resiliency Committee, I look forward to working with county leaders from across the state and our state partners to develop local solutions to this global challenge. Someday, we’ll look back at this make-or-break moment in history and ask ourselves, “Did we rise to the challenge?” I hope that the work that we have begun here in Ulster County will serve as a beacon to other counties across New York State in their efforts to lead meaningful change in our communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our resiliency against the effects of a changing climate. Since taking office in 2019, the work we have done to protect our environment has positioned Ulster County to be on the leading edge, not only in advocacy, but in building a green, equitable economy that will rebuild, realign, and reinvigorate our community. On Earth Day this year, I unveiled a Green New Deal for Ulster County, which leans into the future green economy that’s already happening all around us. A Green New Deal allows us to stabilize our climate, transition to clean energy, and protect and regenerate our natural resources. The leaders of the green economy will do the work of undoing generations of environmental and economic injustice, and building the workforce, businesses and infrastructure needed for green economic leadership. Here in Ulster County, we are accelerating our transition to clean energy: setting high efficiency standards for new buildings, retrofitting and weatherizing 1,000 Ulster County homes per year by 2025, and greening 20% of Ulster County’s
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NYSAC News | Fall 2021
vehicle fleet in the next five years. We are shaping an equitable green economy by building on the success of our Ulster County Green Careers Academy launched in 2019 – combining low-income home weatherization efforts with job training opportunities, piloting green careers education in our middle and high schools, and working to make the Hudson Valley a center for green economic innovation. In April, I signed an Executive Order that directs a prevailing wage requirement or a Project Labor Agreement for all county-sponsored renewable energy projects. Finally, we are conserving our natural resources and building resilience: assessing all county roadways for storm resilience, continuing Ulster County’s efforts in redeveloping foreclosed brownfields, and working to ensure that all Ulster County farmers utilize climate smart practices. Through key investments early on in my administration, Ulster County delivered the skills and expertise necessary to begin careers in the rapidly expanding clean technology industry, and we’re ahead of schedule in achieving our goal to use 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Now, for the first time ever, towns and municipalities that participate in both Ulster County’s Housing Smart Communities program and the statewide Climate Smart Communities program will have access to a newly-created $3 million Ulster County Green Growth Fund, which can be used to facilitate municipal projects that reinforce our Green New Deal efforts. I’m also proposing we use the unprecedented, once-in-a-generation relief funds we have through the American Rescue Plan to make bold, transformative investments to lift up our community. I have an ambitious agenda to spur transformation across Ulster County with immediate efforts already under way and more launching by the end of 2021, aggressive interim targets for 2025, and long-term goals to reach by 2040. It’s a crucial task to shape the green economy and ensure that all that work translates into economic opportunity and prosperity for everyone.
