Working Towards Silver Certification
Rhinebeck Village Climate Actions 2020 - Current
In March 2020, we achieved Bronze level certification, joining a cohort of only 47 NY state municipalities to have done so at that time. Below, you can see the actions we’ve completed or are undertaking as we work towards Silver Certification. See also, Trustee Bertozzi’s monthly reports to the Village Board.
Resiliency Planning Tool
We partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County to review policies and procedures related to being more prepared for the now inevitable climate change impacts.
Riparian Buffer Planting
We partnered with our Marist student collaborators to do a Trees for Tribs planing behind the Highway Department, along the Landsman Kill. We planted over 100 trees and shrubs.
FlexTech Energy Assessment for Village Hall
M/E Engineering is providing a study of our c.1970 building, with recommendations for updates to energy equipment, insulation, improving air-circulation. FlexTech provides a 50/50 match for the study.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy
The Village government updated its procurement policy to require consideration of the climate and health impacts of purchases.
Green Infrastructure Project Feasibility Plan
We developed a plan for nature-based solutions to handle stormwater around the Landsman Kill, in the vicinity of S. Parsonage and Lions Mini Park. This highly visible public area would serve as a demonstration of street-redesign, with more greenery, narrower lanes to calm traffic, and sidewalks to encourage walking.
Natural Resources Inventory
We partnered with Town of Rhinebeck and Hyde Park to work with the Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, to create this package of maps and an interpretive report.
CAPI GHG Emissions Inventory and Climate Action Plan
Rhinebeck Village is one of 9 municipalities to be accepted to a cohort working with ICLEI and Hudson Valley Regional Council.
(We hope to commence the project in September 2022, as it was delayed by COVID.)
Energy Benchmarking
The Village Board passed an energy benchmarking resolution, stating that we will publicly share utility usage for our municipal operations and buildings.
Fleet Efficiency Policy (work in progress)
We are developing a plan to transition to electric or lower-fuel usage vehicles in our municipal fleet.
Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Government officials and community stakeholders gathered with Town of Rhinebeck, Town and Village of Red Hook for a municipal workshop facilitated by Hudson Watershed Alliance and the Nature Conservancy.
LED Streetlights
Trustee Lewit has worked hard for 4 years (!) to implement this action.
Annual Sustainability Progress Report
We delivered our first annual report in January of 2021 and again in January of 2022, January 2023, and January 2024.
Installed More EV Charging Stations
In January 2020, we installed level 2 charging stations in the municipal lot.
Hosted CSC Public Events
The CSC Task Force is supporting and hosting climate-related public events. See our Public Events page.
Composting Feasibility Study
Our CSC Task Force’s Compost Subcommittee partnered with RIT’s NY Pollution Prevention Institute to assess and plan for a municipal composting pilot.
Continued CSC Social Media
Follow @climatesmartrkb on Instagram. The Village also shares our CSC updates via our Facebook page.
Energy Code Enforcement Training
Our Code Enforcement officer did the NYSERDA recommended training.
Continued to Update our Local CSC Climate Action Website
You’re lookin’ at it!
Culverts and Dams Inventory & Management Plan
Done with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Town in 2018. View a subset of Village pages. Complete study can be found hosted by CCE.
Background on the Climate Smart Communities Program:
About the CSC Program
The CSC Certification Program is a set of 100 actions, developed by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. The program provides a transformational roadmap for municipalities.
You can visit NY State’s CSC website to browse through the 100+ actions and explore what other municipalities are doing across the state.
Rhinebeck History with the Program
In 2010, the Rhinebeck Village Board, under Mayor Reardon, took the first step by passing a resolution to become a Climate Smart Community. Now, under Mayor Bassett, we are reinvigorating our efforts to make our village more walkable, bikeable and sustainable. We want Rhinebeck’s residents to be prepared to adapt to the now inevitable challenges of climate change and also lead the charge in drawing down our carbon footprint. Together we want to build a future that is just, healthy, and resilient.
On January 10, 2020, the Climate Smart Task Force submitted our first public filing, and in March 2020, it was announced that we achieved Bronze level certification. You can examine our full filing via the NY Climate Smart website (available as downloadable PDF as well).
As our village certifies at higher levels of the CSC program (as we prove we’ve undertaken more and more of the 100 actions), we become eligible for State grants which will further fund our sustainability projects.