The newly re-established City of Plattsburgh Climate Task Force will work to help the City of Plattsburgh achieve New York State Climate Smart Community (CSC) and Clean Energy Community (CEC) goals. These state programs assist municipalities’ efforts to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. The City Climate Task Force is continuing efforts first made in 2019 to reduce carbon emissions in city operations and to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
In 2020, the city was awarded a $30,000 state grant to conduct a Greenhouse Gas Inventory of city operations’ emissions and to develop a Climate Action Plan to reduce those emissions. Working in cooperation with Mayor Rosenquest and the Common Council, the Task Force will facilitate this and other actions with the goal of becoming certified in the CSC and CEC programs.
The city’s participation in these programs also makes it eligible for grant money to foster sustainability initiatives. Counting previous and ongoing actions, the city is on target to earn CSC Bronze Certification in January, 2023, and in doing so will be one of only three other municipalities in the North Country to be so recognized. CEC certification should be achieved before the end of this summer.
The members of Task Force for two year terms include:
- Rachelle Armstrong, Ward 1 City Councilor, Ward 1, retired,,Task Force Coordinator
- Councilor Elizabeth Gibbs, Ward 6
- Councilor Jennifer Tallon, Ward 4
- Jacob Avery, Ward 2, Assistant Director of the Center for Student Involvement, SUNY Plattsburgh
- Tom Cosgro, Ward 5, Environmental Engineer, liaison to the Planning Board
- Dr. Curt Gervich, Ward 6, Associate Professor in the Center for Earth and Environmental Science
- Susan Kelly, Ward 4, Founder, STOP Domestic Violence, Women's League of Voters Environmental Committee
- Dr. Susan Levaque, Ward 5, PHS Social Studies Teacher, liaison to Plattsburgh City School District
- Kristine Lutters, Ward 1 PCSD Child Advocate, retired;
- Loretta Rietsema, Ward 5, Founde,
- Mary DeVeau Women's Sober Living House and Director at Coast Guard Foundation
- Max Shaefer, Ward 4 Plattsburgh High School student and PHS Green Team President
- Emma Stewart, recent graduate of the SUNY Plattsburgh, Environmental Science major
- Diana Wardell, Ward 5, NYS Trooper, retired, League of Women Voters Co-President.
