Monroe County Executive Adam Bello has announced two opportunities to attend public workshops/open houses as part of Phase II of the county’s Climate Action Plan. Both workshops will be on Wednesday, May 8, with a virtual workshop at noon and an in- person workshop from 5 to 8 p.m. at the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center at Monroe Community College’s Brighton Campus. Parking for the in-person workshop is available in Parking Lot M.
“I encourage all interested residents to get involved in this initiative that will shape the future of our community by addressing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said County Executive Bello. “Monroe County has already made significant strides in minimizing our environmental impact and fostering a sustainable living environment. Let’s all join together to make sure we’re creating a cleaner, healthier future for our community.”
Monroe County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a comprehensive, strategic effort to address and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere and related environmental impacts associated with the changing climate.
Under the guidance of the CAP Advisory Committee and led by the Department of Environmental Services, Monroe County completed Phase I of the plan in September 2022. Working with consultants Bergmann, the team measured GHG emissions from county-run sites, facilities and operations. The team then identified reduction goals, benchmarked against other communities and New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and recommended actions to cut the GHG emissions from county operations by 80% by 2050.
Phase II focuses on community-wide GHG emissions, including residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and all other energy-dependent activities that take place within Monroe County. The aim of Phase II is to:
•Develop a comprehensive county-wide GHG inventory and baseline
•Identify GHG reduction goals
•Identify community partners
•Conduct a comprehensive review of best management practices and case studies
•Identify and analyze strategies, actions and priorities
•Create actionable strategies
•Identify future climate action policies.
The May 8 workshops will present community members an opportunity to review the Preliminary Phase II Action Plan and provide feedback and comments regarding proposed actions across each of the plan’s six focus areas: transportation; buildings and housing; land and water resources; sustainable materials management; energy use and consumption; and partnerships, education and economy.
“The Advisory Committee has been working diligently for three years to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive strategy to address the Climate Crisis locally – concluding with the Phase II recommendations,” said Majority Leader Michael Yudelson, co-chair of the Monroe County Climate Action Plan Advisory Committee. “I encourage anyone who is interested in Climate Action to take advantage of these final opportunities for public input. Your voice matters in shaping the future of Monroe County, and you can make a difference through engagement and advocacy.”
Online and in-person meeting registration information is available via https://www.monroecountyclimateaction.com/workshop-registration.
For those unable to attend, the workshops will be recorded and posted online at http://www.monroecountyclimateaction.com.
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