Ulster County was recognized this week by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for it's commitment to sustainability and economic responsibility as a part of the DEC's 14th annual Environmental Awards Excellence.

The reason that Ulster County was recognized was/is because of their overall commitment to 'environmental stewardship and net carbon neutral operations.

Ulster Countyis just one of three New York communities in the state, certified by the DEC as a Bronze Level Climate Smart Community.

From a press release:

(Ulster) County leadership is dedicated to increasing the county's energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy generation. Specifically, Ulster County is purchasing 100 percent green electricity from sustainable sources, prohibiting all food service providers from using polystyrene foam, and promoting safer alternatives; expanding and improving the operation of the composting facility at the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency in Kingston; greening and right-sizing their vehicle fleet by adding seven plug in hybrid sedans and one all-electric vehicle in 2017; and installing a network of nine charging stations at county-owned facilities. This is the greatest number of municipal electric vehicle charging sites in the State, including New York City. The chargers, powered by renewable energy, provided nearly 1,400 charging sessions, saving more than 1,700 gallons of gas.

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