Green Levittown
Launched a unique public private partnership to make America’s first suburb into America’s first GREEN suburb by reducing the carbon footprint of Levittown. Canvassers have gone door to door to every one of Levittown’s 17,000 homes with ideas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut energy bills by hundreds of dollars. Giveaways, discounts, utility incentives, and low interest loans are making it affordable to switch to energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, install energy saving devices, replace or tune-up boilers, upgrade insulation and windows, and try new technologies like solar heaters and biofuels.

Energy Action Plan
Developed one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching municipal Energy Action Plans in the country to conserve energy, improve air quality, reduce dependence on foreign oil and save taxpayer dollars. Programs being implemented under this plan include reducing energy use in county facilities, expanding the use of alternative fuel vehicles, using green power generated by clean, renewable energy sources, and improving the County’s transportation and transit system.

Energy Efficiency Upgrades
Performed energy efficiency upgrades to seven major Nassau County buildings in partnership with the New York Power Authority under the Energy Services Program. These upgrades will save 12,000 megawatt-hours in annual energy use and save County taxpayers $1.4 million in energy costs. Currently reviewing proposals to retain an energy services company to perform energy audits and upgrades at all County buildings.

Renewable Energy
Instituted a program to purchase 25% of the County’s electricity (25 million kilowatt hours annually) from renewable, clean energy sources. Currently purchasing 15% of the County’s energy demand from wind power, increasing to 25% by 2010. Also generating 30,000,000 kWh annually using digester gas produced as a by-product of the County’s wastewater treatment plants to help power the plants. Nassau County has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the seventh largest local government user of renewable energy in the country under the Green Power Partnership.

Green Buildings
Passed a County law requiring that new construction and major renovation of County buildings achieve a silver rating through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program.

Partnered with the Long Island Housing Partnership to build 15 units of energy efficient and green next-generation housing by the end of 2009 on properties formerly owned by Nassau County. A six-unit townhouse complex in Hempstead is anticipated to be LEED Platinum certified. Five single-family homes and two 2-family homes are anticipated to incorporate the following energy efficient/sustainable elements:
> Energy Star windows, appliances & fixtures
> Mold resistant sheetrock
> Mold resistant insulation
> Fiber cement siding
> Renewable flooring (Bamboo)
> Plantings to provide natural shade & water conservation
> On-site recycling efforts
> Florescent bulbs throughout home
> Automatic timers on bathroom lights & fan
> Carpet which does not emit VOC's
> Paint which does not emit VOC's
> Homeowner manual

Working with the Lighthouse Development Group, incorporating green building and smart growth building principals into development of the 10 square mile Nassau Hub, which is the keystone of the “New Surburbia” land use plan for central Nassau County. This includes participation in a pilot plan of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Neighborhood Development to certify the project as a sustainable development.

Will work with the developer of the 105 acre Navy/Grumman Bethpage property to achieve green building certification.

Green Cleaning
Established a Green Cleaning Program by Executive Order to use less toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products in all County buildings.

Bio-diesel Fuel
Established one of the largest Bio-Diesel Fuel Programs in New York State which supplied 230,00 gallons of B20 bio-diesel in 2008 to fuel all of the County’s non-emergency heavy duty vehicles to improve air quality and reduce dependence on foreign oil.

Green Fuels Filling Stations
Established a Green Fuels Filling Station Program to supply compressed natural gas, ethanol and ultra-low sulfur bio-diesel to the County’s vehicle fleet. This includes establishment of the first E85 ethanol fueling station on Long Island.

New York Metropolitan Air Quality Initiative
Entered into the New York Metropolitan Air Quality Initiative with Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties, New York City, New York State Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to significantly reduce vehicle emissions, in particular diesel emissions, to improve air quality. Nassau County has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its leadership role in reducing vehicle emissions in the New York Metropolitan area under this initiative.

Diesel Replacement and Retrofit
Established a Diesel Replacement and Retrofit Program, includ- ing passage of a County law, to ensure that all County vehicles will meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for reduction of diesel emissions in heavy duty vehicles pur- chased after 2006. This program involves replacement of the County’s 230 non-emergency heavy duty diesel vehicles with new vehicles that meet the 2007 EPA standard for particulate matter or retrofit of the vehicles with the best available technology for reducing emissions.

Diesel Idling Restriction
Passed a County law restricting idling of diesel vehicles to a limit of three minutes.

Re-Refined Motor and Hydraulic Oil
Established a program by Executive Order to use re-refined motor and hydraulic oil in all County vehicles as part of Nassau County’s recycling program.

Commuter Choice Program
Established a Commuter Choice Program for County employees which provides for a tax benefit program (Travel Chek) to encourage the use of mass transit, and ride sharing programs (NuRide and Guaranteed Ride) to encourage the use of multi-occupant vehicles. Nassau County Government is partnering with Long Island Transportation Management through their Commuter Choice Program and Clean Air NY, an initiative sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation in support of region-wide air quality efforts.

Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration
Signed the U.S. Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration together with a number of other counties to commit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. Nassau County, together with King County, WA and Fairfax, VA, initiated this declaration. Currently Nassau County has reduced its carbon emissions by 5% and will reduce emissions by 15% by 2010.