Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan provided more details about the county’s Green New Deal initiative to battle climate change on Earth Day last week.
The plans are a mix of programs that were already in progress as well as some new projects. Highlights include:
• 100 percent renewable electricity powering all county operations by 2030 and all consumer/business needs by 2040
• Retrofitting/weatherizing 1000 homes per year for new efficiency standards
• Expanding access to affordable solar power through a county program
• Making 20 percent of the county’s vehicle fleet green by 2025
• Matching those with skills in “green careers” to employers, and by 2025, launch a new Center for Climate and Environmental Solutions as a regional hub for job training in this field
“As we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, laying the foundations for a green, equitable economy is one of the most critical steps we can take to rebuild, realign and reinvigorate our communities,” said Ryan. “A Green New Deal allows us to stabilize our climate, transition to clean energy and protect and regenerate our natural resources. All while doing the work to undo generations of economic and environmental injustice and create opportunity for everyone.”
The Ulster County Green New Deal includes over 30 goals in three timeframes (immediate, 2025, 2040) spread over three categories: Accelerate the transition to green energy, build the equitable green economy, and conserve our natural resources and build resilience.
“The most urgent step towards stabilizing the climate and protecting our environment is to accelerate the transition to clean energy,” reads the introduction to the first category. “By 2040, we need to be getting 100 percent of our electricity from clean, renewable sources. We need to retrofit our homes and businesses into healthy, comfortable, high-efficiency spaces that no longer need to burn fossil fuels. And we need to ensure that all of our residents have access to clean, efficient electric transportation.”
The plan states that the clean energy transition has been underway in Ulster County for some time, claiming that when a new solar array at a former tire dump in Saugerties is online later this year, the county will be more than halfway toward realizing its goal of using 100 percent locally-generated renewable electricity to power its operations by 2030. The county also plans to have electric buses on the road later this year, and will add to its network of free electric vehicle charging stations.
The Green New Deal also includes the formation of a community climate action planning process to help formulate the transition across Ulster County, and will introduce a roadmap to retrofitting up to 1,000 homes per year. In 2021, homeowners will be able to sign up for a Solarize Ulster campaign to purchase solar-generated electricity.
“Through programs we launch in 2021, we will help our residents, our businesses and organizations, and our municipalities access local renewable electricity, decarbonize their operations, and save money on energy,” reads the plan.
The Green New Deal also posits a scenario where one in four jobs across the county are in green industries by the year 2040. It mentions the Green Careers Academy at SUNY Ulster, the county community college, which offers training in careers related to renewable energy and energy-efficient building techniques. New state grants are available for students pursuing these studies.
Among the initiatives of the final category of the plan are assessing county roadways for storm resilience, continuing efforts to redevelop foreclosed brownfields, creating a natural resource inventory of local municipal habitats, and ensuring farmers across Ulster County are using “climate smart” practices.
Ulster County established a website for its Green New Deal (https://gnd.ulstercountyny.gov/), which features the full plan, a section on green career opportunities, a news page, and other information.
“I’m so proud to be doing this work with each of you,” Ryan said. “I look forward to putting in the work and rolling up our sleeves.”
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