Climate Smart Communities

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program represents a partnership between state and local governments with the goal of reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2012, the state created the CSC Regional Coordinator Pilot Program to provide support to local governments as they work to carry out the ten elements of the CSC pledge. The Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board served as Central New York’s regional coordinator for the three-year CSC pilot program, which ended in November of 2015. NYSERDA Clean Energy Community Coordinators took over as regional outreach coordinators who could assist with this program from 2016-2022.

As of Spring 2022, statewide DEC Climate Smart Community Coordinators are available to assist communities in working through the Climate Smart Communities program!

400 local governments throughout the state have adopted the CSC Pledge and are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a changing climate and save taxpayers money.

Representatives from the DEC, the Towns of Manlius, Owasco, and Richland and the Village of Pulaski celebrate Climate Smart Communities Certification achievements at a press event,

May 24, 2022

Click here to view CSCs on a map.

Climate Smart Communities Certification

Climate Smart Communities are eligible for additional recognition through the CSC Certification Program. The CSC Certification program provides local governments with a robust framework to guide their climate action and enables high-performing communities to achieve recognition for their leadership. Designed around the ten pledge elements, the certification program recognizes communities for their accomplishments through a rating system leading to three levels of award: Certified Bronze, Silver and Gold (under development).

CSC Certification is also one of the high-impact action items of the Clean Energy Communities program.

On April 19, 2022, the CNY RPDB hosted a Clean Energy Communities vs Climate Smart Communities webinar featuring the Town of Manlius and Village of Homer case studies. A recording of the webinar can be found here.

Communities in CNY that are Registered or Certified CSCs include:

CSC Certification

Climate Smart Communities in CNY

Auburn City - GHG inventory
Aurora Village - Municipal GHG inventory
Baldwinsville Village - GHG inventory, Municipal GHG inventory update, Municipal Climate Action Plan
Cayuga County
Cazenovia Town (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Cazenovia Village (Certified Bronze)- GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Cortland City - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Cortland County
DeWitt Town - GHG inventory; Sustainability Plan
Eaton Town
Elbridge Town
Fabius Town
Fayetteville Village (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan; 2022 GHG inventory update
Geddes Town
Hamilton Town (Certified Bronze) - Municipal operations GHG inventory, Community GHG inventory, Municipal operations Climate Action Plan
Hamilton Village (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory
Homer Village (Certified Bronze) - Municipal operations GHG inventory, Community GHG inventory, Municipal operations Climate Action Plan
Jordan Village - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Madison County (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory; Energy & Sustainability Plan
Manlius Town (Certified Bronze) - Municipal operations GHG inventory, Community GHG inventory, Climate Action Plan
Minetto Town - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Minoa Village - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Montezuma Town - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Moravia Town
Moravia Village
Niles Town - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Oneida City - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Onondaga County - Climate Action Plan (with inventory)
Oswego City - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Oswego County
Owasco Town (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan; GHG inventory update 2021
Preble Town - GHG inventory; Sustainability Plan Draft
Pulaski Village (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan; GHG inventory update 2021
Richland Town (Certified Bronze) - GHG inventory 2015; GHG inventory update 2021; Climate Action Plan
Skaneateles Town - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Skaneateles Village - GHG inventory; Climate Action Plan
Syracuse City - GHG inventory; Sustainability Plan
Tully Village (Certified Bronze) - Municipal GHG inventory; Community GHG inventory

For further information about the CSC Program, visit the DEC’s website, or contact Mike Boccuzzi at mboccuzzi@cnyrpdb.org or (315)-422-8276 ext 1204 or Amanda Mazzoni at amazzoni@cnyrpdb.org or (315) 422-8276 ext 1215.