Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI) Project

hudson valley regional council 157The Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI) Project is a 16-month venture that began in February, 2023 under the auspices of the Hudson Valley Regional Council.  Our segment of the program consists of 9 municipalities in Westchester who are each documenting the environmental impact of our individual government operations, with a focus on the emissions from our energy usage.  The participating local governments are: the Villages of Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Ossining, Pelham and Tarrytown; the Town of Ossining; the Cities of Peekskill and White Plains and the County of Westchester.  Each municipality has created a Government Operation Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GOGHGI) and is currently working on a Government Operations Climate Action Plan (GOCAP). 

The Hudson Valley Regional Council (HVRC) is the primary project facilitator for CAPI.   In conjunction with staff from ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives), a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments active in over 125 countries, HVRC will guide participants in the development of their GHGIs and CAPs.  They are focused on economic development, clean energy and sustainability initiatives in conjunction with the State of New York.

Now that we know what our emissions are, we will be building our Climate Action Plan to reduce them by 40% by 2030.  This is a NYS legal requirement found in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) of 2019.  Around the creation of our GOCAP is the need to communicate with and gain ideas from the public, Town Departments and the Town Board as to how best to achieve our goals.  The Town Board will need to approve the final document.  Creating the GOCAP will earn us points in the NYS Climate Smart Communities program, which we participate in.  This will make us eligible for a number of grants to implement the plans laid out in the Climate Action Plan, and also aid us in achieving compliance with State law.  At the conclusion we will also make a presentation of our GOCAP to the other project members.

Town of Ossining’s CAPI Goals

  • Benchmark where the Town of Ossining stands currently within a variety of measures applicable to long-range climate change planning - COMPLETED
  • Create and implement a 2030 Climate Action Plan to meet the NYS-mandated goal of a 40% GHG reduction in Government Operations Emissions.
  • Earn points towards Climate Smart Communities Bronze/Silver Certification.
  • Gain access to grant programs by the creation of our GOCAP, saving the Town money when implementing environmental improvements.
  • Educate and inform residents as to the purpose and benefits of GOGHGIs and GOCAPs.
  • Ensure the Town of Ossining is able to meet current and future countywide, statewide and national Green House Gas emission goals

Town of Ossining’s Desired Outcomes

  • Shape our municipality’s Green House Gas emissions for long term sustainability in conjunction with Westchester County
  • Develop successful climate change mitigation strategies

As the Town of Ossining proceeds through this lengthy process, documentation will be posted on this page.  Please see below:

pdf Download and view the Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory. (916 KB)

pdf Download and view the Communitywide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (967 KB) - The Town of Ossining recognizes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity are causing climate change, the consequences of which pose substantial risks to the future health and well-being of our community.  This Community GHG Report was developed using a template provided by Hudson Valley Regional Council.

Download and view the Government Operations Climate Action Plan.