Hudson, a Climate Smart Community

The Register-Star reported the Hudson is working to become a Certified Climate Smart Community: "Hudson seeks Climate Smart Community certification." It's a process that began last April, when, at the initiative of Rich Volo, then a Fourth Ward alderman, the Common Council passed a resolution adopting the New York State Climate Smart Community pledge. The resolution outlined these elements of the pledge:

1. Build a climate-smart community
2. Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action
3. Decrease energy use
4. Shift to clean, renewable energy
5. Use climate-smart materials management
6. Implement climate-smart land use
7. Enhance community resilience to climate change
8. Support a green innovation economy
9. Inform and inspire the public
10. Engage in an evolving process of climate action

Adopting the pledge was the first step. Now the City is moving on to the next steps, the first of which is to "appoint a Climate Smart Community coordinator, a Climate Smart Community task force, and an internal 'green team.'" The roles of these groups are described in this way on NYS Department of Conservation website: "The Climate Smart Community coordinator and task force assess community resources and issues and galvanize community support. The internal green team focuses on municipal operations and facilities."

The Register-Star article reports that Michael Chameides, mayor's aide, will serve as Climate Smart Community coordinator--this role added to his role as ADA coordinator and his position as Third Ward supervisor. The Climate Smart Community task force has also been appointed, made up of Kam Bellamy, president of the board of Camphill Hudson and executive director of the Foundation for Agricultural Integrity; Michael O'Hara, member of the Conservation Advisory Council and Hudson's representative to the Columbia County Environmental Management Council; John Rosenthal, Fourth Ward alderman and chair of the Common Council Public Works Committee; Briggin Scharf, founding member of Rolling Grocer 19 and manager of the ReGen program at Kite's Nest; and Tony Stone, co-founder of Basilica Hudson and River House Project. 

There is no indication, at least not from the article, that an internal "green team" has been assembled.

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