The Town of East Hampton is among the municipalities the Sierra Club and Citizens Campaign for the Environment have recognized for sustainability efforts, Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said on Tuesday.
East Hampton is one of 11 case studies featured in “New York Municipalities Moving Toward Clean, Renewable Energy,” a report issued by the Sierra Club. It credits Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, for encouraging town officials to set the goal of achieving 100 percent of its energy needs through renewable sources, “a goal that rippled throughout Long Island.”
“Town officials successfully pressured the Long Island Power Authority to contract with our state’s first offshore wind farm,” the report states. “Both East Hampton’s former Supervisor Larry Cantwell, whose administration started on the path to 100 percent, and his successor, Peter Van Scoyoc, have seen a 100-percent commitment as a challenge worth supporting, and town board members continue to embrace not just the slogan, but the enactment.”
“How Solar Friendly Are Long Island Municipalities? An In-Depth Evaluation of 19 Municipalities and Solar Policies on Long Island,” issued by Citizens Campaign for the Environment, credits the town for installing solar panels on municipal buildings and for incentivizing residents to install their own solar panels, including by offering cost-free permits and fast turnaround time for installation.
Mr. Van Scoyoc reminded residents on Tuesday that they could take advantage of such incentives through the Solarize East Hampton program, which offers below-market rates for solar panels.