City of Ithaca Achieves Designation as New York's 17th Certified Climate Smart Community

Yesterday New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos recognized the city of Ithaca as New York’s 17th local government to be designated a Certified Climate Smart Community. (Click here for the full press release.) Launched in 2014, the Climate Smart Communities Certification Program recognizes local governments that have taken action to reduce emissions and protect their communities from a changing climate.

At an event at a state-funded new electric vehicle charging station at the Cayuga Street Parking Garage in Ithaca, DEC Executive Deputy Commissioner Kenneth Lynch and Regional Director Matthew Marko congratulated Svante Myrick, mayor of the City of Ithaca, and presented him with street signs highlighting the city’s achievement of certification.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said “I applaud the city of Ithaca for its long-standing commitment to fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This community has embraced the value of creating a dense, walkable city and Ithaca’s example shows all New Yorkers the path to a more sustainable future. Mayor Myrick, thank you for your leadership.”

“We thank the DEC for this meaningful recognition, and thank the State for its leadership on climate issues,” said Mayor Svante Myrick. “We are proud of the accomplishments that have earned us this certification, and of our new electric vehicle infrastructure, which helped us earn NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities designation. We look forward to future successes such as upgrading our streetlights to LED technology and improving the energy efficiency of new construction in Ithaca.”