Climate Resilience in the Hudson River Estuary

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Climate Resilience in the Hudson River Estuary

In This Issue:

  • Updated Climate Smart Communities Action
  • Black History Month
  • Climate Action Council Draft Scoping Plan
  • NYS Climate Resilience Leadership
  • Upcoming Events
  • News Roundup
  • Jobs

Updated Climate Smart Communities PE7 Action

Kingtson CaD The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. Climate vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans create a foundation for adapting to climate change and building resilience in communities.

Pledge Element 7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan is an action under the CSC program that helps communities outline adaptation strategies. This action has now been updated to include three tiers of adaptation plans. The three tiers correspond to three scopes—limited, moderate, and comprehensive. Limited scope covers at least one climate hazard for a limited geographic scope (like a waterfront) or one category or sector (like government operations or transportation infrastructure). Moderate scope covers one to three climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community. Comprehensive scope covers all relevant climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community. These three scopes align with those in PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

This new addition to the action will make adaptation planning accessible to a greater diversity of communities, as the three tiers provide flexibility to better meet the needs of communities wherever they are in their adaptation planning processes. You will find Ossining's Climate-adaptive Design Lookbook referenced in the examples in section G of this action. CaD image

For communities to thoroughly plan for climate adaptation and resiliency, the CSC program recommends completing PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment, PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience, and PE7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan. These three actions combined will empower a community to understand its risks, identify strengths and gaps in its existing planning, and create a plan to guide future actions and projects.

 

Black History Month

Hunters of Color

February is Black History Month, an annual recognition of the achievements of African Americans and a time to recognize and honor their central role in U.S. history. This month, we are celebrating the accomplishments of those who paved path along our nation’s journey to justice and building on their lasting contributions by supporting projects, programs, and policies today. In keeping with the 2022 Black History Month theme this February - Black Health and Wellness - DEC’s website is featuring terrific organizations and partners working to encourage New Yorkers to get outside and experience the outdoors.

This month, you can learn more about DEC’s work in frontline Environmental Justice communities historically overburdened by environmental pollution. Statistics show that Black New Yorkers have the highest number of asthma-related emergency room visits. To help address this inequity, this year DEC will launch the nation’s most comprehensive and historic community air monitoring initiative ever undertaken in communities across the state.

This precedent-setting effort will monitor air quality in 10 disadvantaged communities, home to approximately five million New Yorkers. The results of this monitoring will inform efforts to reduce emissions in communities heavily impacted by air pollution and help address public health impacts due to this pollution, including higher rates of lung disease, asthma, heart disease, and premature death. To support community capacity to partner in this critical work, DEC will award up to $1 million Community Air Monitoring Capacity Building Grants to groups in areas where air monitoring is taking place.

Support organizations that work for racial justice in the Hudson Valley:

Climate Action Council Draft Scoping Plan

The Climate Action Council Released a Draft Scoping Plan that serves as an initial framework for how the State will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions, increase renewable energy usage, and ensure climate justice. On December 20, 2021, the Council voted to release the draft scoping plan for public comment. January 1, 2022 marks the beginning of a 120-day public comment period to receive feedback from the public as the Council works to develop and release a final scoping plan by the end of 2022.

NYS Climate Resilience Leadership

Rooftops with snow

Upcoming Events

Harambee Kingston Black History Month Gala 2022

Saturday, February 26th, 6 p.m.-11 p.m.

Saugerties, NY

Celebrating 5 years of tribute to the African-American heritage of the Kingston area. Engage in an evening of musical performances, a wonderful dinner and a night of dancing. There will also be an auction including a variety of amazing community gifts. This year they will be honoring two exciting community members. 

Lenapehoking: The History of Lenape Forced Removals

Wednesday, February 23rd, 6:30 p.m.

Virtual

In this panel discussion commemorating the 2022 Lenapehoking exhibition at Brooklyn Public Library, the Lenape Center’s Curtis Zunigha and Joe Baker, and Indigenous historian Heather Bruegl discuss forced removals of the Lenape people from their northeastern homeland.

Repair Café Hudson Valley

Sunday, February 27th, 1-4pm

Gardiner Public Library

The repair Café has moved outdoors due to COVID-19. Repair cafes are a great way to fix your beloved items and reduce waste.

News Roundup

  • A 2021 poll by WeACT for Environmental Justice showed that Black and Latino/a/x communities feel the impact of climate change firsthand. Policymakers, advocates, and communicators need to do a better job engaging with Black and Latino/a/x communities on how the clean energy transition will positively impact their communities.
  • Outdoor enthusiasts with disabilities are forging ahead to experience nature on their own terms, with self-written guides, better equipment and even guide dogs trained for the outdoors. 
  • First Street Foundation publishes commercial risk report on direct and indirect impacts of flooding on businesses. 
  • The American Society of Adaptation Professionals introduces the Ready to Fund Resilience Guidebook and Training, which will help small and mid-sized communities be able to design fundable projects from the outset and move from planning to action. 
  • Visit eight Historical Sites Integral to Black History in the Hudson Valley.
  • Climate Gentrification can occur when a neighborhood lacking climate resiliency is made uninhabitable or less attractive to current residents. Instead of residents being attracted to low-income communities by lower housing costs and recent improvements, like new parks or improved transportation, climate change can drive residents out of neighborhoods they would otherwise have stayed in.
  • Different Hazards, Different Responses: Assessments of Flooding and COVID-19 Risks among Upstate New York Residents
  • GIequity.org is a new website that features the results of a 20-city analysis of equity of urban green infrastructure planning, policy, and practice.
  • The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies recently introduced Governing Green, an experiential toolkit that lets users evaluate the equity implications of their own planning choices.

Jobs

Please visit our website or email us at hvclimate@dec.ny.gov. Invite your friends and colleagues to sign up for our newsletter.