Erie County has released its draft Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (“CASP”) for internal county operations for public comment. The draft CASP is the product of a collaborative effort involving input from all Erie County departments and offices through the Erie County Green Team initiative.
The draft plan summarizes the results of greenhouse gas emission inventories, sets short-term and long-term energy goals, defines new operations policies and changes to existing policies, identifies implementation strategies and projects, presents a detailed timeline for implementation, and identifies funding opportunities. The actions outlined in the plan are expected to save energy costs and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
The public will have an opportunity to learn more about the CASP at two upcoming public meetings on Monday December 17 at 12:00 PM and again at 5:00 PM at the downtown Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Meeting Room. The draft report can be viewed and public comment can be submitted at erie.gov/CASPcomments.
The final CASP will be submitted to the Erie County Legislature for incorporation into the Framework for Regional Growth, which serves as the County's Comprehensive Plan.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) provided funding for this project through its Cleaner, Greener Communities initiative. The grant funded the County’s Sustainability Coordinator, who supported the "Green Team" in its development of the county sustainability plan. Cleaner, Greener Communities is a major statewide initiative encouraging communities to incorporate sustainability goals and principles into local decision-making and then form partnerships to transform these goals into economic development projects.
Review the draft CASP and provide comments at erie.gov/CASPcomments
View the full press release