Welcome To Our Town
The Town of Clinton is a picturesque and peaceful town in rural Dutchess County, NY.
Town of Clinton Certified by New York State DEC as a “Climate Smart Community” Bronze Level
October 2024
Governor Hochul has announced that the Town of Clinton in Dutchess County has been certified as a “Climate Smart Community” through a NYS DEC program launched in 2014 to help communities engage in local actions to address the results of climate change.
Clinton’s Climate Smart Communities Task Force, a volunteer committee of nine community residents, has been working toward Climate Smart Communities certification since being formed in 2021. The program offers three certification levels to municipal participants (Bronze, Silver, and Gold), depending on local actions taken, completed, and documented.
“We’re really elated to be informed by the DEC that 3+ years of hard work by this volunteer community committee has come to fruition,” Clinton CSC Task Force Chair Joe Phelan stated. “However, this is only the first step in making our beautiful rural community more environmentally active and responsive, thus tackling the results of climate change head on and benefitting the daily lives of local residents.” To achieve Bronze certification, Phelan and the other members of Clinton’s CSC Task Force planned, implemented, and recorded a variety of Town-based actions, including the development of an updated natural resources inventory, a stream/road crossing inventory, a municipal energy benchmarking study, and a municipal greenhouse gas inventory,
Local communities accumulate points for planning and implementing actions to support reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving community resilience in the face of the worsening impacts of climate change. The Town of Clinton is one of 28 newly certified communities in NYS to meet or exceed Bronze designation criteria in third quarter 2024. The CSC designation is shared by 163 NYS municipalities, 146 communities (including Clinton) that hold the Bronze designation, and 17 that hold the Silver. The Town of Clinton’s Bronze designation will be active for five years, during which time actions for renewing Bronze certification and/or working toward Silver certification can be submitted.
This new distinction unlocks State funding opportunities for future Town projects by giving Clinton an enhanced score on certain grant applications. Michael Whitton, Clinton Town Supervisor stated: “We are excited for our Town to be identified and certified by the DEC as a Climate Smart Community. We will now be able to address additional community needs related to protecting and enhancing the integrity of the Town’s environment. The NYS DEC’s acknowledgement of the work throughout our Town that has been addressed thus far will be an impetus for us to expand our capacity to continue to meet these needs through access to additional grant funding.”
Phelan said he hopes to see the Town of Clinton work toward a Bronze certification extension and/or a future Silver certification. “We have attracted a dedicated and passionate cadre of community volunteers, and have developed partnerships with area organizations, such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Hudson Valley Regional Council, to support our work, with their guidance and expertise, toward meeting these locally developed, environmentally supportive goals.”
(For more information, contact Joe Phelan, Clinton CSC Task Force, 845-625-4618, josephlphelan.jr@gmail.com)
The Town of Clinton Adopts the Natural Resources Inventory
What is the Natural Resources Inventory?
The Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) is a written document and a collection of twenty maps that provide detailed information about the naturally occurring resources in the Town of Clinton. The NRI describes topography, geology and land-use history and includes information on water, soil and forests as well wetlands and wildlife.
An inventory can be the foundation for comprehensive land-use and conservation planning and provide the natural-resource information needed for local planning and zoning. It can help decision-makers consider community priorities such as adaptation for climate change and protection of water, open space and scenic views.
To learn more, visit the Town of Clinton CAC website.
To read or download the Natural Resources Inventory here.
To view or download the maps here.
Other CAC & CSC Reports & Inventories:
Green House Gas Inventory
The Town of Clinton recognizes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity are causing climate change, the consequences of which pose substantial risks to the future health and well-being of our community. To demonstrate its commitment to addressing the growing threat of climate change, in July 2017, Clinton became a registered Climate Smart Community by formally adopting the New York State Climate Smart Communities (CSC) pledge.
This GHG Inventory for Government Operations Report summarizes the GHG emissions from Clinton’s consumption of energy and materials within town-owned buildings, vehicle fleet, outdoor lighting, and other facilities. This data was generated from electric, heating oil, diesel, gasoline and propane bills for all Town-owned buildings and operations, as well as fuel records for the Clinton’s vehicle fleet. The GHG emissions for all local government operations are measured in metric tons of CO2 equivalents (MTCO2e) and were calculated using emissions factors by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the GHG Inventory Tool developed by Climate Action Associates (CAA), LLC’s.
Link: Town of Clinton – Green House Gas Inventory
Town of Clinton Benchmark Report
The Town of Clinton Benchmarking Project is part of a larger effort by the CAC and the Climate Smart Community Task Force to qualify the town as a Clean Energy Community under the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (hereinafter “NYSERDA”) and as a Climate Smart Community, jointly managed by NYSERDA and a number of other New York State agencies and authorities. The benchmarking project is part of the town’s application for Climate Smart Community Bronze Certification.
Link: Town of Clinton Benchmark Report
Town of Clinton – Annual Financial Report for YE 2023
Town of Clinton Road-Stream Crossing Inventory & Management Plan
w/ Sean Carroll, CCEDC.
TO VIEW THE PRESENTATION:
DECEMBER 12, 2023:
The Town of Clinton CAC and CSC are offering monthly tips for Living the Green Life.
Tips to Live the Green Life
The Town of Clinton CAC and Climate Smart Communities Task Force are pleased to share with Clinton residents monthly tips to incorporate into our daily habits that have a positive impact on our environment. For more information in general on living the green life as a friend of the environment, visit: https://dec.ny.gov/get-involved/living-green
For more information on the work of these Town committees visit the webpage: https://www.clintoncac.com/
