INTRODUCTION

In 2019, the Village was selected as one of eight Westchester County municipalities to participate in a grant-funded climate action planning institute (CAPI) for government operations sponsored by the DEC’s Climate Smart Communities program. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute was delayed, and finally got going in 2023.

The Hudson Valley Regional Council is coordinating the Institute for Westchester County working with consultants from ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. The Village meets monthly with the group for guidance and training.

The Village has completed Phase 1 of the Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI) in collecting data and producing the Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) inventory for municipal operations. The Task Force has drafted a Vision Statement, a proposed GHG emission reduction target and recommended priority strategies for inclusion in the final plan. The Task Force is seeking public input on the draft recommendations as well as the draft plan which will be posted on the Village website on May 24.

Below is some summary information about the Task Force findings, but the May 6 slide presentation and the GHG inventory report can be found on the Village website for more detail.

Please submit feedback on the draft recommendations by May 21st for inclusion in the draft plan. You may do so by completing this survey or by contacting the Village Administrator's office: administrator@tarrytownny.gov and (914) 631-1785.

SCROLL DOWN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS

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GHG Emissions by Sector using 2019 data
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY RESULTS

The Village Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventory was based on 2019 data, as that was considered the most recent "normal" year for activity given the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. The total GHG emissions for municipal operations were estimated to be 1,247 MT CO2e with the majority of emissions coming from Buildings and Facilities and Vehicle Fleet. The sectors included in the data collection were the following:

  • Buildings and Facilities
  • Vehicle Fleet
  • Employee Commute
  • Water System Facilities
  • Street Lighting

The Village did not factor in waste collection as it was deemed to be too small a proportion of municipal operation emissions, however this would be a factor to include if the Village were to conduct a Climate Action Plan for the community.

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GHG INVENTORY COMPARISON

The Village had previously produced a GHG inventory in 2007. This data indicates that the Village has reduced its emissions by approximately 34%. This change is largely due to regional grid de-carbonization across the state, vehicle fuel efficiency, in addition to the initiatives that the Village has undertaken to reduce emissions such as adding solar panels to Village Hall and the Senior Center, reducing garbage collection by one day thereby removing two trucks from the road once a week, and several other projects.

More information about initiatives the Village has previously undertaken and about the data collection process for the GHG inventories can be found in the GHG inventory report posted on the Village website.

The slide presentation for the draft recommendations can also be found online.

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BUSINESS AS USUAL FORECAST (NO FURTHER MITIGATION EFFORTS)

The above represents the emissions reductions between 2007 and 2019 as well as what we can forecast if the Village takes no further action. There will be some reduction based on an increasingly cleaner electric grid due to the use of more renewables as well as more efficient vehicle standards.
SEEKING PUBLIC FEEDBACK

The Climate Action Planning Task force is seeking public input on three elements:

1.Draft Vision Statement
2.Emissions Reduction Target for Tarrytown Municipal Operations
3.Climate Action Strategies and Prioritization
DRAFT VISION STATEMENT

"Reduce our Village carbon footprint and utility costs through the incorporation of energy-efficient, cost-saving mitigation measures in our buildings and in our operations, to improve the resiliency of our infrastructure in response to the impacts of climate change and improve the health and quality of life of our residents."

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* 1. A Draft Vision Statement for a Climate Action Plan is a brief, inspirational statement that creates a mental image of the ideal state that a community wants to achieve. Do you agree with the above draft Vision Statement as a representation of what the Village of Tarrytown community wants to achieve with this Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations?

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* 2. Why or Why Not?

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* 3. EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET


Our data indicates, from 2007 to 2019, Tarrytown has already achieved a 34.37% GHG emissions reduction. Therefore, the CAPI Task Force set the Village target from 2007 onward.

GOAL: Reduce the Village government’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 40% from 2007 levels by 2030, and by 85% from 2007 levels by 2050. This is in line with New York State goals set by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019.

This equals, in percentages:
  • A 5.63% reduction from 2019 levels by 2030.
  • A 50.63% reduction from 2019 levels by 2050.
This equals in Metric Tons CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent):
  • A 107 MT CO2e reduction from 2019 levels by 2030.
  • A 962 MT CO2e reduction from 2019 levels by 2050.

Do you agree with the above target for emissions reduction for the Village of Tarrytown's Municipal Operations?

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* 4. Why or Why Not?

STRATEGIES FOR REDUCTION

The Climate Action Planning Task Force established a matrix for prioritization of recommended strategies to reduce emissions. The full spreadsheet of project proposals can be found on this Strategy Recommendations Spreadsheet. We welcome public comments, ideas and suggestions on the proposals included in the spreadsheet.

Below are the priority recommendations recommended by the Task Force by sector.

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* 5. BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

Do you agree with the priority strategy recommendations for the Buildings and Facilities sector?

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* 6. Why or why not?

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* 7. VEHICLE FLEET

Do you agree with the priority strategy recommendations for the municipal vehicle fleet?

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* 8. Why or why not?

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* 9. EMPLOYEE COMMUTE

Do you agree with the priority strategy recommendations for reducing emissions from employee commuters?

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* 10. Why or why not?

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* 11. OTHER COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

What other ideas or suggestions do you have for the Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations?

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* 12. Contact Information (Optional)

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

administrator@tarrytownny.gov or (914) 631-1785

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