Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative

The purpose of the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative is to establish a model for cross-sector partnerships for high-leverage climate action initiatives. The goal is to demonstrate the measurable strategic advantages gained by establishing and mobilizing a coalition of community leaders, including higher education institution leaders, who are committed to finding mutually-beneficial synergies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The primary focus of this initiative over the next two years is major energy efficiency projects in Tompkins County, NY that will significantly decrease electricity consumption.

TCCPI has brought together a wide range of community partners from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build support for a communitywide climate action plan. These partners include:

• Cornell University
  
• Ithaca College
• Tompkins Cortland Community College
• Tompkins County Legislature
• Tompkins County Planning and Public Works
• City of Ithaca – Mayor's Office
• Town of Ithaca – Supervisor's Office
  
• Cayuga Medical Center
  
• Museum of the Earth
  
• Ithaca Downtown Partnership
  
• Tompkins County Area Development
  
• Tompkins County Cooperative Extension
  
• Ithaca Carshare
  
• Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council
  
• AES Cayuga (local coal-fired power plant)
• Performance Systems Development, LLC (biggest energy efficiency and renewable energy company in Ithaca)
• Alternative Federal Credit Union
  
• Travis & Travis/Ithaca Rentals and Renovations (largest landlord in Ithaca)
  

So far accomplishments include:

• Developing energy performance benchmarking software customized and branded for the coalition, thanks to Performance Systems Development

• Funding for putting this software on the web and providing training workshops, thanks to the Park Foundation

• Bringing Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) together with Cayuga Medical Center to develop an RFP for an extensive energy efficiency retrofit for the hospital
  

• Bringing CCI together with Cornell to explore bulk purchasing of solar thermal systems that could also be purchased at a discount by TCCPI members
  

• Developing a financing package with the Alternatives Federal Credit Union (AFCU) that would provide a competitively priced interest only 18-month bridge loan to ease cash flow issues for customers who want to purchase energy efficiency and renewable energy products and services but can't wait the 12 to 18 months it sometimes takes NYSERDA to reimburse them

• Discussion with potential local funders about establishing a revolving loan fund to buy down the interest rate on these bridge loans for low income households
  

• Working with the Tompkins County Legislature to pass a bill that would repeal the sales tax (8%) on the purchase of energy efficiency and renewable energy products and services
  

• Establishment of an education committee that includes the Cooperative Extension, Museum of the Earth, and NYSERDA's Southern Tier Energy$mart Communities to develop a social marketing plan that will disseminate information about NYSERDA energy efficiency programs and low cost steps all homeowners/tenants/landlords can take

After several months of discussions, negotiations, and lobbying, Tompkins County has adopted a carbon emissions reduction target of 80% by 2050. The energy and greenhouse gas emissions plan was approved by the Tompkins County Legislature in December. This is the first countywide plan that doesn't just focus on the county government, but includes all stakeholders in the county, including Cornell, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), which are all signatories of the ACUPCC. It is now officially part of the county's comprehensive plan.

The initiative has worked closely with Performance Systems Development (PSD), a local company that is part of the TCCPI coalition, to develop energy performance software, now known as Compass.

Free energy audits will be offered for those who also agree to participate in the Compass benchmarking project -- the focus, at least in the beginning, will be on multifamily residential and commercial buildings in the city of Ithaca.

Please visit the Thompson County Climate Protection Initiative website HERE.