Public Encouraged to Participate in Sustainability Planning Process

The public is invited to two Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan’s public meetings and  informational sessions  that will take place Tuesday, November 27 at SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus, and Thursday November 29 at Westchester County Center. The meetings will highlight the Mid-Hudson Sustainability Plan draft. Each session will include presentations about the current draft of the Mid-Hudson Sustainability Plan and allow time for questions and answers.

The meetings led by the Mid-Hudson Sustainability Planning Consortium will take place

Tuesday, November 27
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Doors open at 6:00 PM for refreshments
SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus
Kaplan Hall, The Great Room

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Thursday, November 29
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Doors open at 6:00 PM for refreshments
Westchester County Center
198 Central Avenue White Plains, NY 10606

The Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan looks to utilize the combined knowledge of stakeholders in the seven counties of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council Region –  Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester – to create a plan that will lead to a more sustainable region.

The Plan is one of ten such collaborative initiatives taking place around New York State as part of Phase One of Governor Cuomo’s Cleaner, Greener Communities program. The draft Plan compiles regional trends related to land use, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and environmental practices and identifies project ideas that could significantly improve the economic and environmental health. The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of 2012.

The public is also invited to join the discussion online at the interactive public outreach and engagement website at www.EngageMidHudson.com  and learn more about the project and participate in the planning process.

The Mid-Hudson Sustainability Planning Consortium has launched a regional sustainability planning process as part of phase one of the Cleaner, Greener Communities program announced by Governor Cuomo in 2011. The Program empowers regions to create more sustainable communities by funding smart development practices. Planning teams are partnering with public and private experts across a wide range of fields, along with community residents, to lead the development of regional sustainability plans and to implement projects that will significantly improve the economic and environmental health of their areas. The plan will guide integrated, sustainable solutions-from statewide investments to regional decision-making on land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, energy, and environmental practices-to improve our quality of life.

For more information about The Mid-Hudson Sustainability Planning Project, please contact the Orange County Planning Department at 845-615-3840, or Planning@OrangeCountyGov.com  

 Or contact Victor-Pierre Melendez, Clearwater Green Cities Initiative Director at 845-265-1240, ext. 7144, or Victor@Clearwater.org