The Mamaroneck Town Board has passed a Climate Emergency Declaration, joining Westchester County and the City of New Rochelle, as well as 2,033 jurisdictions in 35 countries around the world that have declared a climate emergency.
Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson thanked the Town’s environmental committee, the Sustainability Collaborative, and in particular committee member Beth Radow, for bringing this declaration to the attention of the Town Board. Supervisor Seligson said, “It’s important for local governments to recognize our responsibility and opportunity to combat climate change to protect our communities. We look to improve community outreach and education and look to secure funding sources to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Town of Mamaroneck”.
Sustainability Collaborative Chair Mitch Green said, “The Sustainability Collaborative wrote the first Sustainability and Resiliency Plan for the Town and looks forward to updating the plan to reflect the growing crisis.”
The Sustainability Collaborative will develop a “Climate Emergency Draft Response,” working with the Town Administrator and Departments, and will present the draft response to the Town Board, by the end of September 2022.
In addition, the Declaration states that the Sustainability Collaborative will submit recommendations to help the Town meet its climate change goals, including ways to accelerate greenhouse gas emissions reductions outlined in New York State’s Climate Act.
The state’s Climate Act requires New York to reduce economy–wide
greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and no less than 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels; achieve l00% zero–emission electricity by 2040 and statewide carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Sustainability Collaborative also will propose a Green Infrastructure
Program, which will include community-wide efforts to reverse declines in the Town’s existing tree canopy, increase the rate of new tree planting along roads and public property, and improve rainfall runoff holding and absorption to reduce impacts to the Town’s Storm Sewer system.
To view the full text Town of Mamaroneck Climate Emergency Declaration, please click here.
For more information about the Town of Mamaroneck, which has been certified by New York State as a Climate Smart Community and a Clean Energy Community, please see: http://www.townofmamaroneckny.org/
For more information about the Sustainability Collaborative which advises the Town on environmental issues, please see https://www.townofmamaroneckny.org/324/Sustainability-Collaborative
