How Do We Plan for, Compete and Prosper in a Green Economy

1. How Do We Plan for, Compete and Prosper in a Green Economy Economic and Environmental Benefits of Green Development

2. Presented By: John C. Cappello

3. Green Technology Available to the Hudson Valley

4. Types of Green Technology • Solar • Wind • Geothermal • Biomass/Gasification • Retro-fitting • Weatherization • Energy Star • Recycling • Facility upgrades • Alternative Vehicles • Transportation Oriented Development.

5. Economic Benefits of Green Technology$$$$$$$

6. Reduced Energy $$$$ • How much energy reduction in a school district is needed to save a teacher’s job? • In the Town of Newfane in Western New York, a new elementary school was constructed using geothermal heating and cooling, saving the school district $65,000 per year in energy costs.

7. How many jobs do we create to create the energy savings that save a teacher’s job?

8. Direct Jobs Created • Construction • Manufacturing • Management • Sales • Installation

9. Direct Jobs Created • Maintenance • Power Distribution • Support Staff

10. Green Home Jobs • Plumbers • Carpenters • Electricians • Financial Institutions • Home Services

11. Retail Grocery Store Personal Services Restaurants Accountants Doctors Dentists INDIRECT JOBS

12. IMPROVED ECONOMY

13. INCREASED TAX REVENUES

14. THEY ALL NEED ATTORNEYS

15. And you just might save the earth!

16. How do we effectively attract these technologies and the jobs they bring to the Hudson Valley?

17. PLAN PROACTIVELY, NOT REACTIVELY

18. WHAT DO WE NEED?

19. SOLAR (INDIVIDUAL HOMES/BUSINESSES) • Solar access • Permissive Zoning Codes • Siting • Solar access protection • Building Codes • Insure Proper Installation • Promote financing opportunities • NYSERDA assistance • Buy back provisions

20. SOLAR FARMS • Comprehensive Planning • Land • 7-8 acres per each megawatt • End users/distribution system • Zoning • Essential service • Utility • Special Use • Financing

21. Think Outside the Box!How about Solar farms on Roofs in an Industrial Corridor?

23. SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURERS • Comprehensive Planning • Zoning • Does it constitute a nuisance? Modify definition • Infrastructure • Sewer • Water • Road, railroad distribution

24. GEOTHERMAL • Understand Technology • Educate code enforcement officer • Permitting • DEC Groundwater protection • Provision for local manufacturing

25. BIOMASS/RECYCLING • Zoning • Nuisance uses? • Where can they be accomodated? • What are appropriate conditions? • Public Education • Gasification • Ethanol/methane recapture

26. Anaerobic Digester • Produces heat and electricity that is then used to operate the wastewater treatment plant. Photo courtesy of H. LaFever, Sterns and Wheler

27. WIND INDIVIDUAL TURBINES • Comprehensive Plan • Where are the wind corridors? • Zoning • Height issues • Noise • Visual impact • Environmental • Safety

28. Commercial Wind Farms • Comprehensive Plan • Zoning • Similar to individual wind turbines • Large land area • Proximity to transmission lines/distribution

29. New Technologies

30. Wastewater Improvements • Incorporate green design elements to improve existing plants • Gasification of sludge on site • Geothermal/solar electricity and heating

31. PLANNING TOOLSThe Tommy Tedesco Portion of the Presentation** The same principles apply to affordable housing, transportation oriented development, open space preservation

32. Transportation Oriented DevelopmentSmart Growth • Principles of Smart Growth • Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices • Mix Land Uses • Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices • Create Walkable Neighborhoods • Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration • Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place • Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost Effective • Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty and Critical Environmental Areas • Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing Communities • Take Advantage of Compact Building Design and Efficient Infrastructure Design

33. Growth Calculations* taken from Sierraclub.org

34. ZONING • Comprehensive Planning – Prepare a comprehensive plan that designates transportation hubs and sets development guidelines encouraging development in such areas.  Authority: Town Law Section 272-a; Village Law Section 7-722(3)(h); General Cities Law Section 28-a(4)(h) • Adopt appropriate zoning to encourage growth around transportation hubs while setting appropriate standards, guidelines and conditions for such development.  Authority: Town Law Section 261; Village Law Section 7-700; General Cities Law Section 20 • Incentives for Green Development • Density increases • Transfer of Development Rights • Fee-bates/reduced review fees for use of green technology

35. INTER-MUNICIPAL PLANNING TOOLS • Provide for inter-municipal cooperation to accomplish all of the above tasks in concert with adjoining municipalities along areas that cross municipal boundaries.  Authority: Town Law Section 284; Village Law Section 7-741 • Promote annexations of land from Towns to Villages and/or Cities to facilitate provisions of necessary services.  Authority: General Municipal Law Section 700 et. Seq. • Create appropriate taxing districts within towns to facilitate construction of improvements and infrastructure to accommodate development • Water storage and distribution districts, Town Law Section 109-a • Sewage Disposal Districts – Town Law Section 190-b • Finance road improvements, including provisions of sidewalks, Town Law 200

36. PROACTIVE USE OF SEQRA • Proposed SEQR mandates to address greenhouse gas emissions • Pre-approve or set development environmental thresholds for development by utilizing SEQR to prepare generic EIS.  Authority: Environmental Conservation Law and Regulations, 6 NYCRR 617.10. • Note:  Cost for preparing such generic environmental assessment impact statement can be charged back to specific applicants pursuant to 6 NYCRR 617.13(a) • Mitigation • Require green technologies

37. BUILDING CODES • Requiring energy efficiency in new homes/rehabs • LEED • Energy Star • Review standards for green technologies