HURLEY CLIMATE SMART PROJECTS
Read about the actions the town is taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and discover how individuals and businesses can do the same across this website.
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In 2024 the CSTF started a Clean Energy Grant Challenge Campaign to encourage more Hurley residents and business owners to subscribe to community solar energy, heat pump heat and hot water systems, and purchase electric vehicles. An Electrification Opportunity Series was created and three presentations were made at town board meetings in 2024. Postcards were designed and sent to Hurley residents to let them know about the grant and presentation. February's topic was Heat Pumps. In March signing up for Community Solar was discussed and the last event, which took place in May, was about Electric Vehicles. You can read about them by following the links above to our News pages. To date, the Town is eligible to receive $10,000 in grant funding and has begun the process to claim those funds.
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In 2021 the Task Force's very first town-wide project was a successful effort to "Solarize Hurley" Part of the Ulster County's Green New Deal, residents and businesses received an informative postcard to encourage subscribing to local community solar projects as their energy provider, saving up to 10% on electric bills. We obtained a $5,000 grant from that campaigns and the funds were used to conduct AHSRAE Level 1 Energy Audits of Town Hall and the old library.
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In addition to conducting the Solarize campaign and completing energy audits, Climate Smart actions the town has completed include the purchase of an electric vehicle (EV) for official business and installation of an EV charger. Heat pumps were installed in the town hall in 2021. There is a solar array creating energy behind Town Hall that's been operating since 2015. The CSTF also completed GHG Inventories for the town in 2022, participated in the Ulster County Fair, and hosted a Hurley Climate Smart Fair and EV Car Show. The CSTF continues to seek out opportunities to partner with others, provide climate information for town residents, and advise the Town Board. During 2022 we also provided an internship for a student at Ulster Co. Community College, brought info and temp tattoos to the Memorial Day gathering at Town Hall, conducted a GHG learning activity at Hurley Rec and finished the Town Operations GHG Inventory.
In 2023 the efforts of Hurley's Climate Smart Task Force were rewarded with Bronze Certification from NYS Climate Smart Communities program. We participated in the Ulster County Fair, and submitted a grant application to renovate the old Hurley library. While we didn't receive the grant, it was also reviewed by a local foundation that has expressed an interest in working with the Town to bring that to fruition.
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Building on those tasks, the Town has started working on a local Climate Action Plan, and we're hoping to update the Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Fleet Inventory later in the year. We'd also like to start benchmarking the Town's energy costs beginning in 2025.
