Municipal Work
Sustainability is needed at all levels. In our homes and schools and cars and even our teeny municipal government operations. Much of the focus of the Climate Smart Communities program is to make it easier and economically viable to make good choices for our future. Our town has been quietly going about this work for a long time because it is not only good for the earth but great for the bottom line.
Unified Solar Permit
Last month, the town board adopted the NYS Unified Solar Permit. This document streamlines the application process for home rooftop and small stand alone solar systems. By having one form that many towns use, contractors can move through the process more quickly because they are familiar with what information to provide and how.
LED Streetlights
In 2019 the town worked with National Grid to replace 100% of our street lights with high efficiency LED lights. This includes both all the tall overhead lights through out the town but also the new decorative streetlights in the hamlet. This made a huge change to our energy bills!
Solar Array
The Palatine Park Pavilion hosts a rooftop solar array. This offsets the energy used at the park and blends right into life. The town received a grant to install these panels almost a decade ago and have been benefiting ever since. These panels have produced 132,000 kWh in their lifetime so far. That is the equivalent of taking 20 passenger cars off the road or planting 1,547 trees!
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
In 2019 the town received grants for National Grid and NYSERDA to install our first EV charging station. This Charge Point Charger in located in the town’s municipal lot across from the post office making it convenient to use when running errands or visiting the village. We are currently applying for the same types of grants to bring a second station to the municipal center on Palatine Park Road. With so many car companies committing to going fully electric in the next few years, we are thinking to the future when electric cars will be incredibly common.
