In 2008, the Schenectady County Legislature enacted a package of green legislation aimed at making Schenectady County a leader in energy conservation and efficiency standards. The legislation is making county government more environmentally efficient and friendly by reducing the County’s energy consumption, reducing emissions and protecting the environment for future generations.

As part of the green legislation, Schenectady County now requires new county facilities achieve LEED certification – and our new County nursing home will be the first LEED certified healthcare facility in New York State. Schenectady County also now purchases Energy Star products, has expanded the County’s recycling efforts, including the successful Household Hazardous Waste program, implemented County employee conservation initiatives, promoted home energy audits in partnership with NYSERDA and joined with communities from around the State and signed the Climate Smart Communities Pledge.

Schenectady County has a proud history of leadership. We were the home of Edison and Steinmetz who changed the world with their innovation. We continue to be the home of GE, SuperPower, and other leaders of industry. With this comes a responsibility to continue to lead and be an example. From our fight to protect the Aquifer and ensure clean water for our residents to our initiatives which will greatly reduce the County’s greenhouse emissions, Schenectady County will continue our effort to provide a better more efficient government to the residents of Schenectady County and to protect the environment our children will inherit.