Greetings!

                                                                       Photo by Matt Hintsa is licensed under CC BY 2.0

TCCPI is a multisector collaboration seeking to leverage the climate action commitments made by Cornell University, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, and the Town of Ithaca to mobilize a countywide energy efficiency effort and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Launched in June 2008 and generously supported by the Park Foundation, TCCPI is a project of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

The Tompkins County Legislature and the Planning Department have taken a number of significant steps in recent weeks to address the energy and climate challenges that confront the region. The Legislature has called for more specifics on the transition to renewable energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions outlined in the Draft New York State Energy Plan. It also has approved a limited tax exemption for buildings in the County that receive LEED certification, a widely recognized standard for green buildings. At the same time, the County Planning Department has begun the process of identifying a consultant to help with the completion of the County's Energy Road Map.

State Energy Plan

The Tompkins County Legislature at its March 4 session approved comments and recommended revisions to the 2014 Draft New York State Energy Plan. The resolution, including a two-page list of specific recommendations, applauded the governor's initiatives on renewable energy and clean technology, and a reaffirmation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. The vote was 10-4, with Legislators Peter Stein, Mike Sigler, Jim Dennis, and Brian Robison voting no. 

Lawmakers called upon the state to revise the draft plan "to include specific measurable targets to transition to a renewable energy future," identifying a number of actions they maintained must be

EcoVillage at Ithaca residents look over the community's solar array. Photo courtesy of EcoVillage at Ithaca.

undertaken to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. The legislature also urged that the state's projected energy mix contained in the plan should reflect those targets, actions, and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

While praising the proposal overall, legislator Peter Stein unsuccessfully sought to delete language that spoke against increasing state reliance on natural gas as part of the plan. That amendment, however, failed by a 6-8 vote.

LEED Tax Exemption

The Tompkins County Legislature, following a public hearing on March 18, approved a new local law that provides an exemption from county property taxes, under certain conditions, for up to ten years for construction of buildings that achieve LEED certification.

The maximum taxable value to be abated under the proposed law would be $100,000, and exemptions over the ten-year period would be in accordance with a sliding scale over the ten-year period, based on the appropriate LEED standard in effect at the time a property's construction or renovation is completed.

Although the Legislature discussed several changes in wording, based on comments made at the public hearing held just prior to the session, approval of the revised measure was unanimous.

Energy Road Map

As the next step in developing the County's energy strategy, the Planning Department has released a request for proposals (RFP) to hire a consulting service to complete the Energy Road Map. The plan will help the county reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the community by at least 80 percent from 2008 levels by 2050.

From 2011 to 2013, the department engaged the services of six graduate students at Cornell to research the area's renewable energy potential. Their reports outlined opportunities in solar, wind, biomass and geothermal, as well as summarizing energy supply-and-demand conditions in Tompkins County. These studies provide much of the background information for the Energy Plan.

"We're looking for someone to review the work that the [Cornell], students did and potentially update it with any new information that might be out there, make sure that their methodologies were correct and that their figures are correct," said Katie Borgella, principal planner for the Tompkins County Planning Department, in a recent interview with Tompkins Weekly.

The consultant would then create some future energy scenarios that would be reviewed by the community, according to Borgella. "We'd then come to a decision and create some action steps to try to make that vision a reality here in Tompkins County," she said.

The deadline for RFP submissions is Monday, April 21.

by Peter Bardaglio, TCCPI Coordinator

The Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI) released its fifth annual report on the accomplishments of its members earlier this month. A record-breaking 35 members from the business, local government, higher education, nonprofit, and youth sectors submitted accounts of their efforts in 2013 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.

A previous winner of the Cornell University Partner in Sustainability Award, the TCCPI coalition continues to grow in scope and diversity as represented by the following snapshot of the 2013 TCCPI member accomplishments detailed in the annual report.

Cornell University campus in spring. Photo by [bmw] is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

HOLT Architects: Completed LEED certification on new Laboratory at Cayuga Medical Center; LEED Gold for Educational Opportunity Center for University of Buffalo; LEED certifiable offices for Tompkins County Office for the Aging (COFA); LEED Platinum for Housing INHS Breckinridge Place apartment building; LEED Silver New Science Building for SUNY Broome Community College; and LEED Silver certifiable SUCF/Alfred University Health & Wellness Center.

Ithaca Commons before renovations began in 2013. Photo by James Willamor is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The Sciencecenter in Ithaca. Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor.

Since its beginning in June 2008, TCCPI has helped to generate ideas and supported projects that have moved the county towards a more sustainable and climate resilient future, including the Tompkins Energy Conservation Corps, Get Your Greenback Tompkins, the EPA Climate Showcase Community Project, Energize Ithaca, the Ithaca Youth Power Summit, the Smart Energy Policy Initiative, and the Black Oak Wind Farm. 

TCCPI members are currently exploring the establishment of a 2030 District in Ithaca, which would be the first small city to do so. Participants in this effort include representatives from Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, HOLT Architects, Taitem Engineering, the Tompkins County Planning Department, and Travis Hyde Properties.

Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh have formed these unique public/private partnerships that bring property owners and managers together with local governments, businesses, and community stakeholders to provide a business model for energy efficiency and the curtailment of carbon emissions through collaboration, leveraged financing, and shared resources. Together, as the program's website puts it, 2030 Districts "are developing and implementing creative strategies, best practices, and verification methods for measuring progress towards a common goal."

For more information on TCCPI, and a complete list of 2013 TCCPI member accomplishments access http://tccpi.org.

Next TCCPI Meeting:

Friday, April 25, 2014

9 to 11 am

Borg Warner Room

Ithaca, NY 14850

Take a step to save money and energy.

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