New year brings new projects

Happy 2024!

In the past year, we celebrated an important milestone: The Town of Hurley achieved Bronze Certification as a New York State Climate Smart Community. Some of the tasks completed in 2023 included the publishing of a Disaster Preparedness Plan on the Town website, participating in the Ulster County Fair's Climate Solutions Booth, contributing commentary about Hurley’s Draft Comprehensive Plan, and submitting a grant application for funds to rehabilitate the old Hurley Library building. The Town Board, meanwhile, made great progress in addressing solid waste disposal issues that align with Climate Smart goals.

This year, we're introducing Hurley residents to a new grant opportunity that seeks direct participation (details to come), and we’re setting our sights on adding more points to our Clean Energy Communities (CEC) Scorecard, updating the Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory and joining with nearby communities to develop guidelines to complete Climate Action Plan recommendations for our town.

We also continue to: 

1. Work on a Climate Change Education and Engagement Plan.

2. Support and document composting actions by the Town government for Climate Smart Community certification.

3. Set up energy usage benchmarking for municipal facilities.

4. Conduct energy code training for Building Code staff.

5. Make sure the Draft Comprehensive Plan for Hurley contains sustainability elements.

6. Develop Hurley's Climate Action Plan.

Our meetings in 2024 are on the first Tuesday of each month (with the July and November meeting dates subject to change), and are held virtually. To join a meeting online, go to meet.google.com/eee-uuvh-ehy. To join by phone, call (912) 712-4401 and enter the PIN ‪283 106 119#.