News and Announcements
Valatie CSC Task Force - River Street Park Cleanup Days
Three Saturdays, April 6, May 4, and June 1, 2024
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
The Valatie CSC Task Force is planning three spring clean-up days at River Street Park in Valatie.
The dates are April 6, May 4, and June 1 from 10am - 1pm.
Activities include removing invasive species and planting native trees and shrubs.
Meet at the Gazebo at the end of River Street. Please bring your own tools and gloves.
The May 4th Clean-up is part of the 13th Annual Riverkeeper Sweep!
Hudson Energy Forum at the Hudson Area Library
Assemblymember Didi Barrett (106th District), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) invite residents to learn about the resources and incentives available to make your home more energy efficient and lower energy costs through the Capital Region Clean Energy Hub.
Saturday April 6th 2:30-4:30pm
Hudson Area Library Community Room
51 North 5th Street,
Hudson, NY 12534
Snacks and beverages will be available.
Columbia County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Location: Columbia County Commerce Park
50 Grandinetti Drive, Ghent, New York
50 Grandinetti Drive, Ghent, New York
Saturday, May 4, 2024
8:00AM-12:00PM
8:00AM-12:00PM
International Compost Awareness Week &
NYS Compost Awareness Week
An announcement from or County Director of Solid Waste, Wendy Madsen
Wendy sits on the NYSAR3 organic council and will be heading to their summit in Buffalo in April to speak about the County food scrap pilot program. She thought some task force members and county residents might be interested in learning more about International Compost Awareness Week coming up in May 5-11.
An excerpt from the ICAW website:
"International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. The goal of ICAW is to work together to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil. The program includes poster and video contests in the fall and activities and events held during the week in May. Throughout the week of ICAW, events are held all over the country and the world with community, school, government and business planning different activities to encourage and celebrate composting – all types of composting – from backyard to large–scale."
The NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3) also has a website promoting local events during the week. The page includes links to many additional composting related resources.
See the links below.
Taghkanic/Gallatin Tree Planting
The Taghkanic and Gallatin CACs are holding a Tree Planting at Taconic State Park on May 11th.
Save the Date!
More details will be posted here when they become available.
Copake Conservation Advisory Committee & Copake Grange present:
An Introduction to Invasive Species!
Identification and Management
Saturday, March 2, 2024, 3:30 PM
At Copake Grange
628 Empire Road, Copake, NY
(right behind Clock Tower Pub & Grill)
Learn about the emerald ash borer, the hemlock woolly adelgid, Japanese barberry, bittersweet and many other invasive species and what to do about them.
Everyone is welcome to this free talk. Q & A and refreshments afterward!
Speakers include:
Colleen Lutz, assistant biologist with NY Natural Heritage Program
Samantha Schultz, Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator with the DEC’s Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management
Taghkanic Talks Presents: The 2024 Consumer Energy Forum
The Taghkanic Climate Smart Community Task Force presents another in its series on climate resilience and mitigation efforts in our community. Learn about our Community Solar campaign, the latest developments in heat pumps, what you can do to weatherize your home, and what programs are available to help.
Wednesday February 28th S:30-7:30pm
Taghkanic Firehouse 631 Old Route 82 Taghkanic
Free Pizza provided by JoJo's Pizza
Free raffle for multiple Williams Lumber gift cards
Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schenectady County has announced their 2024 extended course: Master Composter/Recycler!
Khila Pecoraro will be teaching this course to those interested in a more in-depth conversation around sustainable materials management. This course is open to residents of the Capital Region and the application period closes February 16th. Most of the course will be taught online to increase accessibility for those interested but unable to travel. Khila would appreciate those of you in and around the Capital Region (and beyond!) sharing this with anyone you think may be interested.
The flyer with course information and application link is attached.
Capital Region GHG Dashboard
The Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) has developed a Regional Greenhouse Gas Dashboard. The dashboard currently features data from CDRPC’s 2010 Capital Region Community GHG Inventory. The dashboard allows you to choose a community or county and see energy usage, cost, and emissions data by sector and source.
As part of the Capital Region Climate Action Plan initiative a new updated inventory will be created in 2024 which will be added to the dashboard.
The data is downloadable for use in your municipality's GHG inventory, through a link on the dashboard.
See the download link on the right side of the "tableau" toolbar:
Columbia County is hosting a Climate Forum
December 2nd, 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Columbia Greene College.
Residents can register for the event at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CB6DT2H
There will be short presentations from the panelists with an opportunity for questions from attendees.
In addition to the panelists, there will be informational tables representing the following groups:
Capital District Clean Energy Hub
GlenFARMLand and Stop Energy Sprawl
Columbia Land Conservancy
The Empire Center
Sustainable Hudson Valley
Sensible Solar for Rural NY
Friends of Columbia Solar
Neighbors 2 Neighbors
Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley
Columbia County Climate Smart Task Force
Columbia County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Location: Columbia County Commerce Park
50 Grandinetti Drive, Ghent, New York
50 Grandinetti Drive, Ghent, New York
Sunday, October 29, 2023
8:00AM-12:00PM
8:00AM-12:00PM
Story of Place and Vulnerability Survey
Columbia County residents are invited to take a public survey
As Columbia County continues creating a Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan, we need your input. Please fill out the short survey we’ve linked to below and tell us about what community assets and environmental impacts are important to you, what hazards you have experienced, and what is at risk in your community.
Help build a brighter and better Columbia County today!
Take the Columbia County Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan Survey
If your organization is interested in promoting this survey you can download and distribute a printable poster.
A paper version of the survey can be printed for use at your event. Please let Audrey Kropp know what events you plan to table with the survey so she can make arrangements to collect the completed paper surveys.
Posted June-28-2023
Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan Webinar
We will be holding a Public Educational Webinar for the Columbia County CARP on June 28th from 12-1pm (recording will be available). The webinar will provide education on climate adaptation planning and the impacts of climate change, as well as inform the communities about the Columbia County CARP process and announce the first of two public surveys. This survey will help to gather input for the Story of Place and Vulnerability Assessment components of the CARP.
Columbia County is Certified Bronze!
The announcement was made on April 21st that Columbia County, along with 6 other Columbia County municipalities, and 12 others state-wide, are now certified bronze Climate Smart Communities. Read the official press release.
New Task Force Bylaws
At their February 2023 meeting, the Columbia County Board of Supervisors adopted a new set of bylaws under which the Task Force will operate. These bylaws define the membership of the Task Force and how vacancies are filled, outline its day-to-day operations, and describe the duties of the Chairman, the Coordinator, and county staff.
One notable addition to these bylaws is the ability for any town, city, or village in the county to have a voting member appointed to the Task Force. If you are interested in becoming involved with the County CSC Task Force and you don't see a representative from your municipality listed on our Members page, please let us know and we can guide you through the process.