Clifton Park marked as Certified Climate Smart Community

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Clifton Park was officially designated as a Bronze Certified Climate Smart Community. The Department of Environmental Conservation gave the town this certification in the latest round of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities Certification program.

The Climate Smart Communities program was established in 2009 to give guidance and technical support to local municipalities for taking locally driven climate action. To become a CSC, the first step is pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change.

When it comes to certification, communities need an active task force of residents and municipal representatives leading charge to advance local climate action. Clifton Park's CSC Task Force was established in 2024 and has accomplished the following with the town's GREEN Committee:

• Electric vehicle charging station installations
• LED streetlight installation throughout the town
• Utilization of LED lighting inside the Town Hall, Ice Arena, and other municipal buildings
• Hosted multiple repair cafes since 2023 free of charge to promote reuse and repurpose of belongings that would otherwise be thrown out
• Distribution of composters and rain barrels to residents on Earth Day
• Established drop-off yard and food waste programs at the Town Transfer Station
• Established a community-wide curbside pickup yard waste program
• Expansion of bike and walking paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks, bike parking improvement projects, and improvement of signage for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Permanently protected over 2,000 acres of land since the open space plan's inception in 2001 which expanded the parks and recreational resources

“Achieving this milestone is a testament to Clifton Park’s continued and expansive efforts towards reducing pollution, improving community resilience and taking substantive and positive actions to address climate change and the emission of greenhouse gases,” said Deputy Supervisor and Clifton Park Climate Smart Coordinator, Anthony Morelli.