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Update from Rockland Community Power: One Year into Upper Nyack’s Clean Energy Initiative

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Clean Energy & Cost Savings

One year ago, the Rockland Community Power program launched in Upper Nyack, along with five other Rockland communities.  We can be proud that this innovative renewable energy program, which now includes close to one fifth of Rockland’s population, started in Upper Nyack.  This program helps communities make the transition to clean energy, while at the same time protecting ratepayers from rate increases. 

As we kick off our second year of this community-based clean energy program, here’s what we’ve accomplished together:

  • Over 20,000 Rockland households switched to clean energy, including nearly two thirds of Upper Nyack households
  • 1,160 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided in Upper Nyack alone
  • $22,562 saved on electric bills of Upper Nyack residents
  • 39 Village households enrolled in the Community Solar program, supporting new solar projects and earning close to 10% savings on electric bills
  • $1,900 donated to the Village through the Community Solar Giving Back program to plant 5 beautiful oak and white pine trees at River Hook Preserve

The program gives each of us an easy way to make a measurable difference in our carbon footprint, while also keeping energy costs down. If you did not enroll earlier and would like to do so now, you can always enroll or learn more by calling our helpline at 845 859-9099 (select Option 1) or online at www.RocklandCommunityPower.com. The helpline is available Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.

As we start the new year, it’s exciting to see this program continue to grow, with new communities likely to join this movement for clean energy.  Together we are creating a stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient community. 

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An Update from Rockland Community Power: One Year into Upper Nyack’s Clean Energy Initiative

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Clean Energy & Cost Savings

Last winter, Upper Nyack and five other Rockland municipalities launched an innovative clean energy program, called Rockland Community Power.  Over this last year, the program has delivered 100% renewable energy and cost savings, too.

The program helps communities make the transition to clean energy, while at the same time protecting ratepayers from rate increases.  We can be especially proud that the Rockland Community Power program started here in our village.  Upper Nyack’s action was the catalyst that eventually led to more than 20,000 households in five communities transitioning to clean energy.

The major accomplishment of the program within the Village is that nearly two thirds of Upper Nyack households transitioned off electricity powered largely by fossil fuels and onto electricity powered by 100% renewable energy.  Mayor Tarapata commented, “This program gives each of us agency in the face of climate change.” In fact, New York State considers this type of program to be among the highest impact climate actions communities can take. With this action, the Village has been awarded points toward designation in two NYS climate programs, Clean Energy Communities and Climate Smart Communities. 

Through this program, Village residents saved the equivalent of 1,252 metric tons of CO2 emissions, which will be avoided over two years.  That’s the equivalent of the carbon stored by 1,534 acres of forest over one year.

Over the first twelve months, Upper Nyack residents also collectively saved $19,292 relative to O&R rates for ‘standard energy’ for electricity, powered largely by fossil fuels.  Rockland Community Power rates are fixed, so those low rates will not go up over the life of the program.  Residents who also signed up for the Community Solar component of the program saved an additional 9% on their electric bills in addition to the Rockland Community Power savings.

The Rockland Community Power program administrator also donated $1,950 to the village to plant trees at River Hook, the Hester Haring Preserve.  Last spring, three oak trees and two white pines were planted in the meadow at the top of the Preserve.

The program gives each of us an easy way to make a measurable difference in our carbon footprint, while also keeping costs down. If you did not enroll earlier and would like to do so now, you can always enroll by calling our helpline at 845 859-9099 (select Option 1) or online at www.RocklandCommunityPower.com. The helpline is available Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.

There are no contracts for consumers in the program.  If you are on a third-party supplier contract, you can still enroll in the program, but would have to cancel your current contract first. 

As we start the new year, it’s exciting to see this program continue to grow, with new communities likely to join this movement for clean energy.  Together we are creating a stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient community. 

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Reviving and Rebuilding Rockland

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Grant Programs Announced – Applications Now Open

New City, NY, – Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. announced the launch of two grant programs which will each utilize $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support local businesses and non-profits.

According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, 19 percent of American grocery shoppers have used a food pantry, food bank, or community food distribution at some point since the pandemic began with about half of them saying they didn’t use these food programs in the year leading up to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Food Security Grant Program will reimburse organizations that distributed food to communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic between $5,000 and $25,000 for qualifying past expenses. Eligible entities include food pantries, food banks, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and non-profit organizations.

Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Barriers/Partitions
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Food distribution space/pantry rental
  • Vehicle rental

Restaurants have faced many difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic such as periods of closure, reduced capacity or declining revenues when customers were unable or unwilling to dine-in. These challenges had significant negative impacts on restaurant employment and the economy.

The Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program will reimburse businesses between $5,000 and $25,000 for past expenses or fund future expenses for eligible outdoor dining COVID-19 mitigation equipment. Eligible entities include restaurants, food stands, food trucks, bars, saloons, lounges, taverns, bakeries, delis, cafes, breweries, wineries, and other similar places of business.

Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Tents
  • Heat Lamps or other electric heating equipment
  • Additional tables and chairs for outdoor dining
  • Market Umbrellas
  • Plexiglass Shields
  • Tarps
  • Patio Fencing

County Executive Ed Day said, “We have made great progress in recovering from the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic with our November unemployment rate reaching 3.3%. But we must continue to support the local organizations that ensure every Rockland family has food to put on their table and the local businesses that are the lifeblood of our economy. These programs will help ensure our economic recovery stays on track.”

County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. said, “These grant programs will remain open until the funding is exhausted and, depending on the level of need we see, could have more American Rescue Plan Act funds dedicated to them. We encourage all of these eligible entities to apply as soon as they can. They stepped up and did everything in their power to help our residents through the pandemic and we are now doing what we can to support them.”

Applications for these grant programs are now available. For more information and to download an application visit: https://rocklandgov.com/departments/county-executive/reviving-and-rebuilding-rockland/grants/

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