Climate Smart coordinator urges Irondequoit to press for Silver certification by January

Rachel Scudder, the Climate Smart coordinator for the Genesee Finger Lakes region, told the Irondequoit conservation committee that the town is already a Bronze community and is close to meeting Silver standards.

"I'm the Climate Smart coordinator for the Genesee Finger Lakes region," Scudder said, describing the state program and the online application portal. She outlined that the Climate Smart program, created in 2009 and administered by the DEC alongside other state agencies, includes more than 100 actions spanning solid‑waste management, energy efficiency, climate adaptation and public engagement. Scudder advised the board to prioritize two actions — a Climate Education and Engagement template and an annual progress report — and to back those items with uploaded documentation for the portal.

Scudder recommended aiming for the January submission window to obtain early feedback from DEC reviewers. "So the next deadline for that is in January," she said, noting there is a later spring window as well. Members discussed point totals and scoring: the board mentioned being near 320 points and the presenters emphasized that DEC reviewers can be stringent, so a higher cushion is preferable.

The committee agreed to identify a single internal point person for uploads and documentation and to collect municipal records (building energy use, fleet inventories, and related materials). Scudder offered templates and follow‑up support and said she would help coordinate with town staff Erin and Michelle to assemble the spreadsheet tracking progress.