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Community Corner

Legislator Parker Pushes for County "Energy Director" as she condones sewage entering the Sound from Hen Island in Rye

White Plains, NY – In an effort to capitalize on new environmental initiatives that can provide long-term savings for county taxpayers, Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker (D-Rye) has introduced a new bill that calls for the creation of an “Energy Director” position for the County at the Administrative level.

The new legislation will soon be discussed in the Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) Environment & Energy Committee, which Parker chairs, and the Budget & Appropriation and Legislation Committees as well. All of the Democratic caucus members of the BOL have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.

The purpose behind the “Energy Director” legislation, said Parker, is to have a commissioner-level individual be in charge of working with other County departments to incorporate technologies to reduce the County’s greenhouse gas emissions, and find grant and funding opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades for infrastructure county-wide.

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“Right now, we’re accomplishing piecemeal progress across the county in terms of achieving real energy efficiencies instead of developing a strategy to become a leader in this regard,” said Parker. “To stay ahead of the environmental curve, and create new initiatives that will boost economic development in the county, we need someone in place with the mission to focus simply on energy-related issues for the County.”

Westchester BOL Chairman Michael Kaplowitz (D-Somers) has long advocated for a Administrative position such as this.  

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“We are now reaching the point where many innovative energy-saving technologies are advancing from the development stage to real applications in the marketplace,” said Kaplowitz. “We have had some success in improving energy efficiency in many county functions, but to truly benefit from these newer energy technologies, we need an expert who can coordinate these initiatives into an energy strategy for the entire County Government operations.”

Parker is hoping the new legislation in discussion at the BOL will promote collaboration with the Administration in establishing the qualifications and responsibilities for the new “Energy Director” position.

The BOL has the authority to create, modify or remove departments and offices and add or remove titles by act. New County titles must be established in the New York system by the County Human Resources Commissioner.

“Westchester’s residents and business owners will be well served by having a full-time director on board advocating for energy sustainability practices across the county,” said Legislator Pete Harckham (D-North Salem), chair of the BOL Labor, Parks, Planning & Housing Committee. “In the years ahead important decisions need to be made to ensure we are identifying best practices and efficient programs, all of which will save our taxpayers in the long run. This is a great idea whose time has surely come.”





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