News from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

For more information contact: Maureen Wren, 518-402-8000

DEC Joins Six Public and Private Organizations on North America’s Largest Climate Initiative

ALBANY, NY (04/22/2008)(readMedia)-- To celebrate Earth Day 2008, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today that DEC and six public and private organizations have signed on to a pioneering effort to track emissions that lead to climate change. The “Founding Reporters” participating in The Climate Registry’s nationwide initiative now include DEC, the cities of Syracuse and Rochester, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, New York Power Authority, and private businesses Ecology and Environment, Inc. and RiverWright Energy, LLC.

“I am proud that private and public organizations are continuing New York State’s leadership in the fight against climate change,” Grannis said, “Participants in The Climate Registry have agreed to inventory greenhouse gas emissions, have the inventories verified by a third party and report the information publicly. These are critical steps in making the right decisions to achieve real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Climate Registry, North America’s largest climate initiative, is a not-for-profit organization that has established a common system for state and tribally recognized greenhouse gas emissions records. On April 2, 2008, the Registry released its General Reporting Protocol, which defines the methods that will be used to calculate, verify, and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions.

“These New York organizations have demonstrated environmental leadership by courageously stepping forward to support The Climate Registry in its preliminary stages. We are deeply grateful for their integral support in helping to address the challenge of climate change,” said Gina McCarthy, Chair of The Climate Registry.

Commissioner Grannis continues to encourage all New York businesses, not-for-profit organizations, universities and municipalities to join The Climate Registry and to begin measuring and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions. More than 90 leading corporations, organizations, cities, and counties have already enrolled to report their greenhouse gas emissions to The Climate Registry. Organizations that join The Climate Registry as reporters before May 1, 2008, receive a special designation for their environmental commitment by being designated as “Founding Reporters.”

State Office of Climate Change Director Peter Iwanowicz said, “Correct data reported to The Climate Registry will ensure that emissions reduction programs are consistent across borders and industry sectors, and that responsibility for controlling emissions is shared equitably. The Registry’s protocols will ensure that the emissions data are accurate, complete, consistent, verified and available for public review.”

Syracuse Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll said, “Our practices have positioned the City of Syracuse as a state and national leader in municipal ‘green’ initiatives. That is why the next logical step is joining The Climate Registry. We are proud to be the first New York State municipality to become a Founding Reporter and look forward to participating in this important work and encouraging other municipalities to follow.”

Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy said, “The City of Rochester recognizes the importance of environmental leadership in improving the quality of life for our citizens. Our participation in The Climate Registry demonstrates our commitment to protection of the environment and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

New York State Environmental Facility Corporation Acting President Matthew Millea said, “I am very pleased to join Commissioner Grannis in announcing EFC’s participation as a Founding Reporter to The Climate Registry. This is an important step in our goal of capping and ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing the impacts of global climate change will take time and resources. EFC stands ready to assist communities throughout the state in adapting to the environmental impacts of climate change.”

Roger B. Kelley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), said, “We are proud to be a Founding Reporter to The Climate Registry and to demonstrate NYPA’s commitment to doing its part to address the challenge of climate change. NYPA will continue to work closely with Governor Paterson and other state agencies to advance many of the state's environmental goals such as those of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and the 15 x 15 Initiative to reduce statewide electricity consumption.”

Gerhard Neumaier, Chief Executive Officer of Ecology and Environment, Inc. said, “Joining The Climate Registry as a Founding Member is a further demonstration of our commitment to lead by example by implementing environmentally sustainable practices both within our company and in the services that we provide.”

Information on The Climate Registry is available at www.TheClimateRegistry.org . Organizations interested in joining the Registry may contact Mark Lowery in DEC’s Office of Climate Change at 518-402-8027 or by email to climatechange@gw.dec.state.ny.us . LEED®

More information about New York’s participants in The Climate Registry is included below.

• Department of Environmental Conservation(DEC): Among DEC’s numerous environmental accomplishments was the creation of the state Office of Climate Change in 2007. The office is responsible for coordinating New York’s efforts to minimize effects of climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and supporting efforts to adapt to unavoidable climate change. In addition facilitating enrollment in The Climate Registry, the Office of Climate Change responsibilities include implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, developing greenhouse gas emissions standards, and assisting municipalities, universities and other organizations. The Office is located in DEC’s Albany headquarters, which received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver rating from the U.S Green Building Council.

• City of Syracuse: Under Mayor Driscoll’s leadership, the City of Syracuse has developed an action plan for building a sustainable way of life. Three key strategies are integrated into the city's policies: economic growth and development, environmental conservation and use of natural resources, and social equity. Mayor Driscoll’s administration has spearheaded initiatives including replacing inefficient street lighting and traffic signals, retrofitting municipal buildings with energy-efficient equipment, performing comprehensive energy audits on major city facilities, implementing a citywide energy management system to monitor and control energy use, and reducing the city’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions by 11,000 tons. The city achieved its goal of reducing energy usage 20 percent by 2006, is well on its way to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2010, and has proposed a renewable energy generation facility to further reduce energy costs.

• City of Rochester: The City of Rochester strives to demonstrate through practice and policy its commitment to environmental sustainability. In 2007, Mayor Duffy formed the City of Rochester Green Team, which establishes a culture of environmental stewardship within city government and to identify and promote practices to support the environmental mission. A few of Rochester’s recent green efforts include Mayor Duffy’s New York Conference of Mayors award-winning Clean Sweep initiative, brownfield redevelopment programs, a municipal fleet that includes more than 80 alternative-fuel vehicles, and the Rochester Water Operations Facility - the first LEED® Gold certified municipal building in New York State.

• New York State Environmental Facilities Corp. (EFC): Since its formation in 1970, EFC has been dedicated to protecting and enhancing New York State’s precious natural resources through its pollution control and drinking water programs. These programs help municipalities and businesses throughout the state undertake important environmental projects. For example, EFC is known for its highly successful Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program, which it administers with DEC, and its Drinking Water SRF program, which it administers with the State Department of Health. Through these programs, New York State communities to date have received more than $11 billion in SRF low-cost loans and grants for vital water and sewer projects. In addition to low interest rates, EFC has provided SRF recipients with more than $1.3 billion in interest rate subsidies to make these important, yet costly, projects even more affordable.

• New York Power Authority (NYPA): NYPA is America's largest state-owned power organization. NYPA provides some of the lowest-cost electricity in New York State, operating 18 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. As a national leader in promoting energy efficiency and the development of clean energy technologies and electric vehicles, NYPA commits $100 million a year to energy services, and in 2006 NYPA’s total investment in these programs surpassed $1 billion. NYPA’s Clarence D. Rappleyea Building in White Plains has received a LEED® Gold rating for existing buildings.

• Ecology and the Environment(E & E): E & E is an international environmental consulting firm. Founded on the principles of sustainability during the week of the first Earth Day in 1970, the company provides a wide range of services for sustainability; environmental planning, management, and regulatory compliance support; pollution control engineering; and emergency preparedness. E & E has been greening its own operations through recycling since 1971, implementing its internal ridesharing program in 1973, and in 1988 designing and building its own headquarters, recognized as the world's oldest United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum building. As an outgrowth of E & E's internal actions to reduce its own greenhouse gas footprint, the company has created innovative solutions for both buildings and transportation.

• RiverWright Energy: The company is constructing a distillery in Buffalo’s Historic Grain Elevator District. RiverWright has applied for permits to produce corn-based ethanol for use as transportation fuel. Should the project proceed, developers expect to begin producing ethanol in July 2009. The plant would purchase 36 million bushels of corn from farmers in upstate New York, Pennsylvania, the Midwest and Canada, and sell 110 million gallons of ethanol each year, along with 400,000 tons of feed grain.

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