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Saranac Lake village board appoints climate change task force

SARANAC LAKE — The village has appointed a Climate Smart Community task force as well as a Climate Smart Community Coordinator, joining a statewide effort to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals and prepare for the effects of climate change.

The state has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030.

Erin Griffin, who works at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake and has a master’s degree in environmental management, was appointed CSC Coordinator at the May 14 village meeting. Griffin sent a letter to the board apologizing for not being there, but emphasizing her commitment to helping the village reach its environmental goals.

Originally from Saranac, Griffin said she’s passionate about addressing climate change on a community level.

“I’m from the Adirondacks,” she said. “I’m excited about bringing the people and community piece to this.”

At the Wild Center, Griffin works in the Youth Climate program. She hopes to get young people involved in addressing climate change here. “They have the potential to bridge political divides and bring some hope, some optimism to the effort.”

Village trustees also adopted the New York State Climate Smart Communities pledge, which is non-binding. However, Griffin pointed out that the CSC designation will put the village in line for grant s and other funding opportunities.

The village pledged to, among other things: inventory its emissions, set goals and make a plan for climate action; decrease energy use; shift to clean, renewable energy; implement climate-smart land use and support a green innovation economy.

Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the pledge. Their resolution read, in part: “We believe that even if emissions were drastically reduced today, communities would still be required to adapt to the effects of climate change for decades to come.”

Several people were appointed to the task force: Elisa McIntosh, fourth grade teacher, Kate Glenn, sustainability coordinator at Paul Smith’s College, Jamie Konkoski, Saranac Lake’s Community Development Director, Village Trustee Patrick Murphy, Jamie Rogers, energy coordinator at the Adirondack North Country Association and village manager John Sweeney, acting in his official capacity.

The Climate Smart Communities pledge is different from the Clean Energy Communities program funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [NYSERDA], which the village enrolled in last year.

“The CEC is pretty specifically focused on energy and electricity,” said Griffin. “The CSC is a bit more of a holistic look at climate change, through renewable energy but also other aspects of it.”

The CEC program has already provided funding help for the village to reduce electricity costs. Using grant money from compliance with that program, the village has moved toward establishing an electric-car charging station, swapping out village lights for LED lights, and making its hydropower plant more efficient.

A year ago, on June 6, 2017, the village passed a resolution terming the federal government’s withdrawal from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Paris Agreement [Paris Agreement] “an abdication of leadership on climate change that threatens the environment and economic health of all Saranac Lakers.

“Whereas,” that resolution stated, “Saranac Lakers have witnessed firsthand the damaging effects of climate change, including severe storm events, rising river levels, droughts and electricity outages… Saranac Lake declares that we will continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement.

“In the U.S. it is local and state governments, along with businesses, that are primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Actions by each group will multiply and accelerate in the years ahead, no matter what policies Washington may adopt.”

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