Climate Smart Communities Certification Report

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bronze Certified

This is the Climate Smart Communities Certification Report of New Lisbon, Town (Otsego). New Lisbon, Town (Otsego) is a bronze certified Climate Smart Community.

New Lisbon, Town (Otsego) was certified on September 19, 2022 with 151 points earned from 21 completed actions. Listed below is information regarding New Lisbon, Town (Otsego)’s Climate Smart Communities efforts and materials associated with its certified actions.

The certification for New Lisbon, Town (Otsego) will expire on September 30, 2027.

Contact Information

The designated Climate Smart Communities contact for New Lisbon, Town (Otsego) is:

Name:Nancy Martin-Mathewson
Title:CSC Coordinator
Address:425 Parker Rd
Mount Vision, NY 13810

Actions Implemented

Each approved action and supporting documentation for which New Lisbon, Town (Otsego) was approved for in 2022 appears below. Note: Standards for the actions below may have changed and the documentation listed may no longer satisfy requirements for that action.

  • 1. Build a climate-smart community.

    PE1 Action: CSC Task Force

    20 Points
    Bronze Mandatory Silver Mandatory

    Program Summary: Supporting documentation are a copy of the resolution establishing the CSC task force, 2) within the resolution, a list of the task force members and the organizations they represent, 3) a list of Task Force Members including their affiliations and employers, and 4) meeting minutes, including records of attendance, from task force meetings held since 2020, including at least two within the past year.

    PE1 Action: CSC Coordinator

    10 Points
    Bronze Mandatory Silver Mandatory

    Program Summary: The supporting documentation is a resolution that appoints a volunteer to serve as the town’s CSC coordinator, demonstrates that she is actively functioning in this role, describes her responsibilities, is dated, and names the specific individual assigned as CSC coordinator. The position is currently filled.

    PE1 Action: National/Regional Climate Program

    3 Points

    Program Summary: The Town of New Lisbon is a participating member of NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Community Program. To date the town has completed one of the four required high impact actions. Attached is a copy of the email we received from NYSERDA showing the town has submitted the total conversion of the street lights in the town to LED’s for approval. We have included the acceptance of this project by NYSERDA and the scorecard.

    PE1 Action: Partnerships with Other Entities

    3 Points

    Program Summary: The Climate Smart Community Task force of New Lisbon has become a member of the Otsego County Climate Smart Community Institute since its inception. To date the Institute has helped up with planning for our committee and our efforts to get certification with attending our meetings, assisting us with planning for which actions we should undertake and providing training sessions. Their specialized programs and their support for our local climate efforts (Clean Energy Communities, reduce GHG emissions training, grant funding to support additional projects combined with OCCSCI- collaboration along with other local municipalities have been invaluable in our efforts to attain Bronze Certification. We have worked with our Clean Energy Coordinator for many of these actions, including GHI and EV charging station proposals and look forward to their help on many projects to come.

  • 2. Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action.

    PE2 Action: Government Operations GHG Inventory

    16 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: We are submitting a copy of a local government operations GHG inventory report that was prepared using the Local Government Operations GHG Inventory tool. The report was published in March 2022. The inventory includes the Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions from government operations for the town. It includes a section describing the methodology and how it complies with established protocols. The inventory results can be presented in a report that is a standalone document. A screenshot showing that the report was published on the town website is being submitted with this application.

    PE2 Action: Government Operations Climate Action Plan

    16 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: We are submitting a government operations CAP that was completed in 2021-22. The CAP includes the results of the government operations GHG inventory, at least one GHG reduction target specific to the local government, and a set of prioritized initiatives for reducing GHG emissions from government operations. Documentation that the final CAP was officially adopted by the local government and released to the public are being submitted with this application. A draft of the CAP was made available for review and comment by the public via the town website and Facebook page.

  • 3. Decrease energy use.

    PE3 Action: Fleet Inventory

    4 Points

    Program Summary: The supporting documentation meets the requirements for four points. Specifically, 1) it was completed within the last two years, 2) it includes every four-wheeled vehicle owned or operated by the local government, 3) it includes all 11 required categories plus the three recommended categories, and 4) it includes the procedures describing when the inventory will be updated, how to do it, and who will do it.

    PE3 Action: Fleet Efficiency Policy

    2 Points

    Program Summary: The attached Fleet Policy covers all vehicles and heavy equipment owned by the town, as shown in the town’s Fleet Inventory, which is owned and operated solely by our Highway Department and consists of dump/plow trucks, pickup trucks, and heavy highway equipment such as a loader, excavator, roller, and tractor. The policy requires that the fleet inventory be maintained and updated regularly, that all vehicles meet fuel efficiency standards for vehicles of the size and type required for the town’s operations, and mandates that future purchases be made inconsideration of fuel efficiency. It also provides a framework for replacing older larger vehicles with smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles and provides direction towards purchase of electric vehicles as technology evolves.

    PE3 Action: Fleet Rightsizing

    2 Points

    Program Summary: In January of 2018 a Highway Committee was created and a Highway Plan was developed which the fleet of vehicles owned by the town, the maintenance of roads and daily projects for the highway department was addressed for the current year and goals set for years ahead. It was decided that mileage, fuel and repair costs for each vehicle would be tracked and the cost per mile for each vehicle calculated and evaluated. Since 2018, the town has “surplussed” three of the large plow trucks, two other large trucks and four tractors. It purchased a 2018 and 2019 Freightliner plow trucks to replace the oldest trucks. A plan was also developed for streamlining the equipment used for mowing. The town resized the fleet from eight large trucks, two pickups and four tractors in 2018 to five large trucks, two pickups and one tractor in 2022. The new equipment purchased is more energy efficient and having fewer vehicles overall reduces the GHG. The town is now waiting on the delivery of a 2022 Freightliner plow truck which will replace the 2008 Volvo. To date the town has achieved a 43% reduction in the fleet. The following documents have been included to document the town’s fleet rightsizing: • The Vehicle expense tracking workbook for 2018 showing all ten vehicles and four tractors. The expenses for the tractors are listed in miscellaneous expenses. • Vehicle expense tracking for 2022 showing the five trucks and two pickups and one tractor. A separate tab in the 2022 workbook shows the surplus sales of all the above mentioned equipment. • The Highway Dept. Inventory listing the equipment for last four years. • The Highway Plan for 2018 and 2022 where goals and achievements are listed on page 1 & 2.

    PE3 Action: LED Street Lights

    8 Points

    Program Summary: Town of New Lisbon 908 County Highway 16 Garrattsville NY 13342 (607) 965-2112 Town Supervisor Edward T. Lentz Telno: (607) 263-5425 Email: newlisbonsupervisor@icloud.com August 30, 2020 Climate Smart Communities PE3 Action: LED Street Lights The Town of New Lisbon has satisfied the requirement for the subject action. Attached are: 1. a streetlights inventory, pre-conversion 2. a copy of the town’s contract with NYSEG for conversion of the streetlights to LEDs 3. a copy of an email from NYSEG confirming that the conversion has been completed 4. a worksheet showing savings in dollars and wattage in June, July, and August 2020 over the same months in 2019 5. a copy of the NYSEG invoice to the town for the month of August 2020.

  • 4. Shift to clean, renewable energy.

    PE4 Action: Renewable Energy Feasibility Studies

    5 Points

    Program Summary: After ruling out fuel oil as an option based on GHG emissions and cost considerations, the town evaluated four options for heating a garage annex building, taking into account costs and energy savings, the town’s financial resources, the location of the garage (which is a cold, snowy region), and the manner in which the annex is used (which includes opening a large bay door to allow for ingress and egress of snow removal equipment). The supporting documentation is a feasibility study comparing the costs and energy savings associated with the four options, which were (1) ground source heat pump w/ electric radiant backup heating, (2) air source heat pump w/ electric radiant backup heating, (3) pellet boiler, and (4) energy efficient propane furnace. Based on the above considerations, and after consulting with the alternative heating expert who prepared the comparison, the town elected the energy efficient propane furnace option. The evaluation and installation of the propane furnace were completed in 2019.

  • 5. Use climate-smart materials management.

    PE5 Action: Recycling Bins in Government Buildings

    3 Points

    Program Summary: We have placed “bins” in each of New Lisbon’s governmental offices and the common space and have provided appropriate signage. These bins were placed when possible next to the waste containers. In lieu of purchasing recycling bins as suggested for the action we opted to use an extra wastepaper basket in the Community Hall Kitchen and provided a label, and in the Assessor’s office and the Highway Garage, we used cardboard boxes with the same label. Similar setups were used for the Supervisor Office and the Town Clerk Office so there are no receipts for the purchase of any containers for recycling. The only office that was different was the Town Justice Office, as we were informed that all papers from his office are shredded and he opted to put his recycling label on his shredder, as far as any other papers generated by his office that would not be shredded he said there were none. The Community Hall can be rented out by outside parties and the town has a policy of requiring any events to remove their garbage and recycling when they are finished at the hall. The town's goal of recycling is also included with the contract for rentals and this policy/rules is attached below. The recycling policy for the town has been distributed to all employees in a memo by the town supervisor and is attached and the official resolution will be presented to the town board at the April 2022 meeting.

  • 6. Implement climate-smart land use.

    PE6 Action: Infrastructure for Biking and Walking

    2 Points

    Program Summary: The town used existing town, county and state park roads in collaboration with the county and with NYS Parks to create a bicycling route that connects New Lisbon State Forest with Gilbert Lake State Park. Signs were placed by the town throughout the town directing riders on the route. A press release, a map of the complete bike/walking route, a cue sheet for the main route, and photos have been uploaded.

    PE6 Action: Natural Resources Inventory

    8 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: The New Lisbon CSC Task Force believes that this Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) meets the requirements for a natural resources inventory as set forth on the CSC website and that the Town of New Lisbon should therefore be awarded eight points for completion of this action. To prepare this NRI, the town’s Climate Smart Communities Task Force followed the process described in the DEC’s comprehensive guide: Creating a Natural Resources Inventory: A Guide for Communities in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed. In April 2021, a work group comprising Dr. Vicky Lentz (chair), Daniel Lapin, Dr. Trevor Fuller, Edward T. Lentz, and Shannon Cesarski was formed to develop goals, to agree on the scope of the project, and to develop a report outline and format, in addition to identifying sources of information, data, and maps, and assigning responsibilities. As suggested in the guide, this NRI comprises a base map and an inventory and discussion of geology and soils, water resources, habitats and wildlife, climate conditions and projections, cultural resources, and land use. The working group exchanged information and data via a shared drive and held meetings by webconference or in person to discuss progress. Other persons with knowledge and expertise were also consulted throughout the process, such as the town board members, the planning board members, the CSC Task Force members and numerous others, including the persons acknowledged on page ii of the NRI. The NRI includes a descriptive summary of maps created as part of the NRI process. It describes and discusses the resources shown, including relevant aspects of resource distribution within the town, and notes present and emerging threats. The NRI was completed in 2022. It comprises information from various sources, most of which originated within 10 years of the application date. While some of the information is taken from the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 2008, e.g., farming, historic resources, and geology, the information relied upon is current, consistent with current conditions, or confirmed or updated in this NRI.

    PE6 Action: Local Forestry Program

    2 Points

    Program Summary: The Town of New Lisbon joined the DEC Voluntary Stewardship Program by entering into a Voluntary Stewardship Agreement (VSA) with the DEC in 2017 for preserving and protecting the Texas School House State Forest (TSSF), including by the establishing and maintenance of hiking trails. The initial term of the VSA was from January 2017 through December 2021 but was renewed by the town in June 2022 through December 2027. TSSF is a 1,245 acre forest in the northeast quadrant of the town that is accessible from Jones Road or Lena Road. It comprises a large beaver pond with numerous lodges dotting the waterscape. It provides a rich habitat for aquatic, avian and terrestrial wildlife and includes a Great Blue Heron rookery. Pursuant to the VSA, town residents and a local community not-for-profit, Butternut Valley Alliance, Inc., installed a hiking trail and obtained funding to install 22 interpretive signs along the trail describing some of the resources, flora, and fauna in the forest. A representative sampling of the interpretive signs is uploaded with this submission. The trail is listed in otsegooutdoors.org. Led by Steward Stacey Kazacos, a town resident and a certified Master Forest Owner, a team of volunteers regularly maintain and improve the trails and frequently consult with the assigned DEC Forester regarding the preservation and protection of the forest while enhancing its attractiveness for outdoor activities. Current plans include extending the existing trail, reopening an accessible trail that has become impassable due to neglect, installing viewing locations along the pond for birdwatchers, hikers, and anglers, and opening trails for off road cyclists. The town has not received the signed copy back from the state for the 2022 agreement, but the minutes from the town board meeting when the agreement was approved are attached and can be found on page 2.

  • 7. Enhance community resilience to climate change.

    PE7 Action: Climate-resilient Hazard Mitigation Plan

    3 Points

    Program Summary: The Town of New Lisbon updated its Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2019 and it is included in the Otsego County Hazard Mitigation Plan, a copy of which can be found on the county website at: https://www.otsegocounty.com/departments/planning_department/hazard_mitigation_plan.php The updating was carried out by the entire town board and the Town Clerk in consultation with and workshops conducted by the Otsego County Planning Department and Tetra Tech, Inc. A copy of the town’s plan has been uploaded to the dashboard. We have also included the letter from the county confirming the adoption of the plan and the resolution approved by the New Lisbon Town Board. The town’s plan addresses severe weather events resulting from or exacerbated by climate change, including flooding, winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and excessive heat emergencies (pages 9.20-14 to -18; 9.20-24 to -29).

    PE7 Action: Watershed Plan for Water Quality

    4 Points

    Program Summary: The Butternut Creek Watershed Management Plan, adopted in 2021, characterizes the entire Butternut Creek watershed and plans for the preservation of water quality. The community was engaged through public meetings, presentations, and social media. The Town of New Lisbon participated by holding public meetings (Kickoff Meeting, July 2019; Outreach Strategy Session, August 2019; Presentation, September 2019) and approving the plan on November 19, 2021; Supervisor Ed Lentz assisted directly in the planning process, the giving of presentations and the drafting of the plan and is credited in the plan. The plan was approved by the Otsego County Board of Representatives on December 15, 2021 (Resolution No. 482-20211215). The area of the town is 44.7 sq. mi. Using Streamstats (street view) and a gps-to-distance calculator (https://gps-coordinates.org/distance-between-coordinates.php), the portion of the total drainage area within the town was estimated at approximately 26 sq. mi., which is 58% of 44.7 sq.mi. Table 11, section 3.4.5 of the Watershed Management Plan, citing FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, lists the area of the watershed in the town as 15,442.40 acres, i.e., 24.1 sq. mi., which is 54% of 44.7 sq. mi. The plan characterizes the watershed using existing data re: land use, soils, geology, slopes, flood zones, water quality (including nitrogen loads, phosphorus loads, conductivity, TDS loads, temperature, clarity, and pH), fisheries, invertebrates, species of concern, invasive species, ground cover, stream crossings, demographics, existing planning documents, etc. and provides a plan for water quality maintenance. The plan identifies 11 priority projects designed to increase BMP implementation, protect water quality, and increase the technical capacity of local governments to manage the watershed. Section 9 describes an implementation strategy, including specific actions for each priority project and a qualitative timeline.

  • 9. Inform and inspire the public.

    PE9 Action: Local Climate Action Website

    3 Points

    Program Summary: The Climate Smart Community Committee created a web site and it was added to our town’s existing web page as a separate tab. Discussions were held by the committee and it was presented to the Town Board and the Town Board agreed that a tab on the town’s website was the best location as residents are used to coming to the town’s page for information regarding the town. The town’s resolution as a CSC was posted as a way to clearly show what the town’s goals are in terms of the committee. Links to the CSC social media page and the state’s page providing information about the Climate Smart Communities program are listed. Additional links have been provided for residents and the small businesses in town to learn how to reduce their carbon footprint. The list of actions the committee has completed and any relevant reports are included. The site will be updated as further projects and actions are completed. The webpage will be updated as relevant information changes and the committee accomplishes the goal of being a Bronze Certified Climate Smart Community and a clean Energy Community member.

    PE9 Action: Social Media

    3 Points

    Program Summary: We have created a Facebook account called Climate Smart New Lisbon, https://www.facebook.com/NewLisbonCSC, where posts that support clean energy and other climate initiatives are shared by members of the Climate Smart Community Committee.. This is an active page that current articles about climate change and green energy are shared and often lively discussions happen about particular postings engaging many of the town's residents.

  • 10. Engage in an evolving process of climate action.

    PE10 Action: Annual Progress Report

    4 Points

    Program Summary: On approximately Earth Day 2021, the New Lisbon CSC Task Force released its first Progress Report. The report includes: 1. a brief history of the town’s energy and climate work to date, including the following: - data collected for the town operations greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory; - a summary of actions underway and completed - a listing of priority GHG reduction actions 2. Results (e.g., cost savings, GHG reduction) and implementation status (e.g., not started, in progress, complete) per action 3. Challenges encountered 4. Next steps 5. an indication that the town is seeking sources of funding 6. a Table of Appendices 7. Links to additional information. The report was circulated widely within the town and the surrounding community by email, the town’s website, the CSC Task Force’s Facebook page and a town Facebook page. It was accompanied by a press release announcing the release of the report and the launch of the CSC Task Force website.

  • 12. Performance

    Performance: Reduce GHGs from Government Vehicles

    30 Points

    Program Summary: The town began implementing steps to reduce GHG emissions in 2018, when the current Supervisor and Highway Superintendent first came to office, and a town Highway Committee was first established. To demonstrate that these steps actually reduced GHG emissions, we created a 2018 baseline for the regularly used dump/plow and pickup trucks, as shown in the GHG Emissions Workbook. The diesel consumption by the dump/plow trucks is actual data; gasoline consumption by the pickup trucks in 2018 is the average of gasoline consumed July 2017 - June 2018 (3,051 gals) and July 2018 - June 2019 (3,083 gals). To convert consumption to GHG emissions, we applied a factor of 10.21 for diesel and 8.78 for gasoline. (These are the factors built into the Local GHG Inventory Tool: Government Operations Module, that was used to generate the town’s GHG Emissions Inventory.) GHG emissions from the consumption of diesel by the dump/plow trucks was reduced from 119 MT to 86 MT, a reduction of 33 MT or 28%. GHG emissions from the consumption of gasoline by the pickup trucks was reduced from 27 MT to 23 MT, a reduction of 4 MT or 14%. Total GHG emissions by the town’s fleet was reduced from 146 MT to 109 MT, a reduction of 37 MT or 25%. The reductions were accomplished by replacing three old dump/plow trucks (1997, 2001 and 2004) with 2018 and 2019 model year dump/plow trucks and a pickup truck, surplussing and not replacing two other old trucks (not listed), and reducing usage of dump/plow trucks from >30K miles in 2018 to 27K miles in 2021.