Monroe County residents and stakeholders will have two opportunities to attend public workshops as part of Phase II of the county’s Climate Action Plan. Both workshops will be on Wednesday, July 26, with a virtual workshop at noon and an in-person workshop at 6 p.m. at the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center at Monroe Community College Brighton Campus. Parking for the in-person workshop is available in Parking Lot M.
“I encourage our residents to get involved in this critical process that will shape the future of our community by addressing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said County Executive Adam Bello. “Our county has made progress to reduce its carbon footprint and create a more sustainable community. We must continue to work together with the community to make a cleaner and healthier Monroe County for generations to come.”
The 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 1 of the plan in September 2022. Working with consultant 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 is focused 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 July 26 workshop will present information gathered to date for Phase II – including summaries of input received at public outreach events throughout the community over the past several months, as well as initial findings from developing the community-wide GHG emission inventory. Following the presentation, the in-person workshop will invite community participants to engage with subject matter experts on each of the Phase II focus areas: Transportation, Buildings and Housing, Energy Use and Consumption, Partnerships, Education and Economy, and Waste and Recycling.
“I’m proud to serve as the Co-Chair of the Climate Action Plan Committee and to work with my colleagues to help create a brighter and greener future for the next generations of Monroe County residents,” said County Legislator Michael Yudelson. “Ensuring the public is fully involved in the work of local government and this committee’s work is of utmost importance. These public sessions will provide engagement opportunities to reach as many residents as we can.”
In 2022, the Monroe County Legislature approved an initial $1 million to fund implementation of the CAP.
For information and to register for the workshop, go to http://www.monroecountyclimateaction.com. For those unable to attend, the workshops will be recorded and posted online at the same web address.
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