Hamburg, Williamsville, Aurora join the ranks of state climate smart communities

Williamsville converted lighting throughout its parks to LED, installed solar panels on the Department of Public Works building and installed an electric vehicle charging station in the Village Hall parking lot.

The Town of Aurora is employing a more efficient energy and heating approach, including in the new Town Hall.

All three were the latest Western New York municipalities deemed climate smart by New York State earlier this month, opening doors for new funding streams unavailable to communities who have yet to start thinking green.

Buffalo, Grand Island, Lancaster, North Tonawanda and Erie County previously joined the ranks.

“We take our role as a Climate Smart Community very seriously and are committed to leaving a healthier earth for future generations,” said Williamsville Trustee Eileen Torre, part of that village’s climate task force.

Completing a green infrastructure project – in Williamsville’s case, the Spring Street permeable pavement and bioswales project, as well as its “Tree City USA” designation by the Arbor Day Foundation – helped the village achieve a bronze certification Oct. 2 in the state smart climate rankings.

Aurora Town Board Member Luke Wochensky said the town scored the required 120 points for a bronze by replacing existing streetlights with LED lights and boosting energy efficiency at Town Hall, among other actions.

All three newly certified communities are now gearing up for a silver certification as they work closely with the University at Buffalo Regional Institute to provide detailed paperwork to score 300 points and take six priority actions.

To become silver certified, local governments have to implement foundational climate actions that show concrete progress toward climate goals.

New initiatives in Aurora will include community energy aggregation, where all the energy is ordered from renewable…