Clean Energy Communities
Clean Energy Communities
The Town of Southold was the first small community (<40,000 population) on Long Island to be designated a Clean Energy Community by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). Local governments in New York State can use the Clean Energy Communities Program to implement clean energy actions, save energy costs, create jobs, and improve the environment. In addition to providing tools, resources, and technical assistance, the program recognizes and rewards leadership for the completion of clean energy projects.
In order to be designated, communities must complete at least 4 of 10 “high-impact” clean energy actions.
The Town of Southold has completed the following actions:
- Benchmarking: Established L.L. 11-2016 to benchmark and annually disclose energy use statistics in municipal buildings.
- Unified Solar Permit: Adopted a solar fast track program to expedite all applications for standard installations of solar electric and solar hot water energy systems on residential buildings and legal accessory structures on residential property.
- Clean Fleets: Installed electric vehicle charging stations and deployed an electric vehicle as part of the Town’s vehicle fleet. EV charging stations are located at Town Hall, Peconic Community School, and the Mattituck Human Resource Center.
- Energy Code Enforcement Training: Trained code compliance officers on the newest energy code adopted in New York State and in the best practices of energy code enforcement, including a collaborative plans review and joint on-site inspections of local construction projects.
Upon designation, the Town of Southold became eligible to apply for a $100,000 grant to fund additional clean energy projects. The Town plans on using this grant to install both ground-mounted and rooftop solar panels at the Southold Animal Shelter. This will be the first Town building to be powered by solar and it is expected to offset more than 100 percent of the building’s annual electricity usage.
Supervisor Scott A. Russell: “We are proud to be the first small municipality on Long Island to earn the Clean Energy Community designation. These initiatives not only help the environment, but they also save taxpayer dollars. The Town of Southold is committed to sustainable leadership, and we are excited to pursue additional clean energy projects with the grant money awarded through the Clean Energy Communities program.”
Press Coverage:
A Clean Energy Community, Southold can apply for $100K toward projects
State energy authority designates Southold a ‘Clean Energy Community’